Senate President Francis “Chiz” Escudero assured that all measures in the chamber, whether priority or not, will go through the process of the legislative mill and answer all possible concerns from various sectors.

“I’m not fault-finding with respect to the fact that the Senate only passed half of the priority measures of the administration,” Escudero said in a television interview on Monday.

“I’m part of the Senate, whether as a member or now as the Senate President, but [I] would rather focus on quality instead of simply churning out bills by way of proof,” he added.

The Senate approved the Anti-Phishing Act, the New Government Procurement Act, and the proposed 12 percent value-added tax (VAT) on digital services, before it adjourned sine die on 22 May.

Escudero is eyeing to come up with a Senate agenda to be presented to the public.

“We are trying to consolidate during the recess. The status of those bills, the priorities of the Senate as an institution, and the priorities of the members individually and when I meet with Speaker Romualdez, I’ll ask him about the priorities of the House, as well, and the priorities of the individual members of the Congress before we adjourn because we will have a year left and campaign season will start in October,” he explained.

He pointed out that several bills have been approved in the bicameral conference committee report and then belatedly brought back to the reconvened bicameral committee “because there was something that was forgotten.”

“I don’t want half-baked legislation and I have no plans on that happening during my watch,” he said.

“And I’d rather that these bills go through the process of the legislative mill and answer all possible concerns of various sectors before we finally pass them instead of passing faulty or defective pieces of legislation.”

Priority bills

Meanwhile, Escudero confirmed that the revisions to the Rice Tarrificatiom Law will be part of the Senate’s priority measures when it resumes its session.

“That is a priority and during our dinner with the President I think Senator (Cynthia) Villar and the President arrived at an agreement with respect to the version of the bill so that it will make it easier when we resume,” he said.

He likewise noted that the priority of the Legislative Executive Development Advisory Council (LEDAC) would be anything that has to do with the economy.

“On top of that list would be the CREATE law. The one that seeks to provide and rationalize fiscal incentives which businessmen all over from all walks of life and different persuasions have been waiting for,” he said.

“This is not only…the administration’s priority bill. This is a priority for our economy actually,” he added.

Escudero said he had asked Senator Win Gatchalian, as the chairperson of the Committee of Ways and Means, to finish his hearings and come up with their version. Gatchalian’s version, he added, will be compared to the suggestions of some of the members of the chamber.

“So that if he is willing to accommodate them, then the version he should present should already contain it to abbreviate the proceedings and to hasten the proceedings,” he noted.

“Again, without doing it too fast or for it to be roughshod and for it to be ill-prepared so to speak to answer the changing times from the bill was filed and approved in the House,” Escudero stressed.

No guarantee

Asked if the 10 more LEDAC bills pending in Malacañang would be passed under his leadership, Escudero replied, “there is no guarantee, but we will strive to do it together with the priority measures of the Senate, the House, and the individual members.”

He clarified that they will have to start from scratch once the new Congress sets sail in 2025.

“If these bills are not passed on third and final reading and ratified by both houses before we adjourn sine die in 2025, then it has to be refiled in the next Congress. It will start from scratch again,” Escudero explained.

Cha-cha double dead

On the other hand, Escudero remained firm on his stand against proposals to amend the economic provisions of the Constitution.

“That is my personal position. It has not changed. And if you will remember, I was also not in favor of Resolution of Both House 6 and 7, even if I attended only the first hearing in the Senate and did not support the succeeding hearings conducted by Senate President Zubiri,” he said.