To ensure swift and effective response to various hazards and disasters, the House of Representatives on Tuesday approved on third and final reading House Bill No. 10422 seeking to strengthen and amend Republic Act 10121 or the "Philippine Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Act of 2010."
HB 10422, which received 195 affirmative votes and three negative votes, shall expedite the process and streamline the process of requesting, allocating and disbursing of funds to immediately repair and rehabilitate infrastructure projects that were damaged or destroyed during calamities. The measure is primarily authored by Speaker Romualdez.
Under the bill, the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) would also have simpler requirements which include disaster report form the requesting Local Government Unit (LGU) and program of work from the concerned engineering office of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH).
The Secretary of DPWH would be added and appointed as vice chairperson for infrastructure resilience.
The House also unanimously approved HB 10289, or the proposed "Roll-over Internet Act" on final reading with 198 votes.
The measure would regulate and institutionalize the roll-over data allocation scheme and mandate all Internet Service Providers (ISPs) to implement a roll-over data allocation system for their subscribers which can be consumed in the preceding month.
The bill would penalize ISPs which will not comply with the provisions of the measure. Penalties include a P50,000 fine per violation and revocation of the ISP's license and franchise for repeated violations.
Authors of the measure are Cavite Rep. Ramon Jolo Revilla III, Pangasinan Rep. Maria Rachel Arenas and Northern Samar Rep. Christopher Ongchuan, among others.
Other bills approved on third and final reading are: 1) HB 102, or the proposed "Affordable Casket Act" with 198 affirmative votes; 2) HB 9873, declaring December of every year as "National Volunteer Month," with 198 affirmative votes; 3) HB 10466, or the proposed "Foreign Affairs Retirement Benefits Act," with 201 affirmative votes; 4) HB 10424, or the proposed "Motorcycles-for-Hire Act," with 200 affirmative votes and one negative vote; 5) HB 10439, or the "Access to Medical Cannabis Bill," with 177 affirmative votes, nine negative votes and abstentions each.
Deputy Speaker Antonio “Tonypet” Albano presided over Tuesday’s plenary session.
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