VIGAN CITY—The passage of priority legislation continues even as the Senate is pursuing the investigation on the National Broadband Network controversy.

This was disclosed by Senate President Manuel Villar during a press conference last Thursday during a brief stop-over in Vigan on his way to Laoag, Ilocos Norte.

Villar said the Senate passed 21 bills since the opening of the First Regular Session of the 14th Congress, including eight of nine priority legislation identified by the Legislative-Executive Development Advisory Council (LEDAC).
Among the most significant bills passed recently in Senate, Villa said, were the following: the Cheaper Medicine bill, banning of reappointment of a regular member of the Judicial and Bar Council who already served his full term, a bill decriminalizing vagrancy, increasing the additional benefits of World War II veterans from P1,500 to P5,000.

“Our achievement is record-setting since the chamber is not usually able to pass measures during the First Regular Session,” Villar said.

“Our focus remains fixed on the passage of priority legislation that will benefit our common people. This is simultaneous with our current investigation on the ZTE-NBN deal aimed at ferreting out the truth,” Villar added. (PNA)