HOUSE Speaker Jose de Venecia Jr. has appealed to the Senate to now tackle the anti-terrorism bill already approved by the lower chamber of Congress and sent to the Senate for action.

In a talk to newsmen at his residence here last Thursday, de Venecia said the whole world is waiting for the Philippine approval of the anti-terrorism bill.

This is because, he said, other peoples of the world perceive that the Philippines is a weak or soft state without a strong terrorism law.

“That’s why you have terrorists intruding into our borders and using the Philippines as their base of operations,” he said.

De Venecia stressed that almost all the major nations in Asia, Europe and America have their own anti-terrorist legislations.

At the same time, de Venecia expressed elation over reports that the Senate can approve the national budget by May 25, 26, or 27.

He said there can be bicameral action within 10 days so that President Arroyo can sign the new one trillion peso budget before Congress adjourns again on June 19.