University of the Philippines (UP) students under the Reserved Officers Training Corps (ROTC) perform a military drill on April 30, 2017 at the Diliman campus in Quezon City. Manny Palmero, ABS-CBN News/File  

MANILA – Senate President Francis Escudero said Friday the Legislative Executive Development Advisory Council was reconsidering the bill reimposing mandatory Reserve Officers Training Corps Training due to lack of information about the matter.

"Yung ROTC bahagya ding napag-usapan at nais doon sa LEDAC na ito'y tingnan muli dahil kulang pa yung impormasyon kaugnay niyan," Escudero said.

The LEDAC however kept it in its list of priority bills.

The Senate chief noted that not all priority bills are created equal, as some bills would be more prioritized than others. An example of a priority bill in the backburner is the PIFITA or Passive Income and Financial Intermediary Taxation Act.

Bato optimistic for revival of mandatory ROTC 

"Nagbabago din kasi may ilang mga panukalang batas na priority at in-identify na priority noon subalit doon sa pinakahuling LEDAC ay tila hindi na o hindi na muna. Kabilang na yung if I'm not mistake...yung PIFITA. Identified siya as priority measure, it's a tax measure but which Secretary Recto identified as perhaps more tax-eroding than enhancing. Ang usapan napagusapan noong LEDAC ay medyo iba-backburner siya," Escudero said.

(Priorities change, including Passive Income and Financial Intermediary Taxation Act.)

Escudero noted they were waiting for more details on the proposed amendments to the Electric Power Industry Reform Act and the proposed mining law.

"Matagal nang pinag-uusapan...pero wala pa namang tunay na laman kaugnay ng partikular na mga probisyong aamyendahan sa EPIRA. Ganoon din yung mining act, may inaprubahang bersyon ang Kamara pero ito'y nanggaling at nagmula sa isang mambabatas na di naman talaga galing sa Palasyo sa departmento o sa Malakanyang yung nilalaman noon," Escudero said. 

"May mga panukalang batas din naman na hinihintay pa natin yung laman kung kaya't di lamang yung simpleng pagpasa ng Kamara ang maging batayan o hindi pagpasa ng Senado."

(The proposed EPIRA Amendments do not have details yet. The proposed Mining Act did not come from the executive.)

Push for mandatory ROTC not related to West PH Sea conflict — Tolentino

Escudero said he would rather study and review bills thoroughly to make sure the President vetoes no bill approved by both Houses of Congress.

He said LEDAC bills were actually indicative of what the President could push in his State of the Nation Address on Monday.

"Ayokong pangunahan pa rin pero nauna na yung LEDAC bago ang SONA ng Pangulo so siguro madali niyo nang hulaan kung ano ang  ilalaman ng talumpati ng Pangulo kaugnay ng mga panukalang batas na gusto niyang mapasa at matalakay nitong darating na Third Congress," Escudero said.

(I don't want to preempt the President but the LEDAC already bared the priority bills for passage. There maybe a few additions.)

Escudero said he intended to propose to his colleagues that the Senate hold plenary sessions on Thursdays on top of their Monday-Wednesday plenary sessions. Escudero said the Thursday session could be devoted to local bills and non-contentious national bills.

Escudero pointed out that they only have 70 plenary session days in the upcoming regular session of the 19th Congress, so working on Thursdays could bring this up to 93 session days and allow them to tick off more on their to-do list.

Bato sees approval of mandatory ROTC bill by yearend 

"Noong ako'y nasa Kamara din may session kami tuwing Huwebes pero para sa local bills at para doon sa mga kahit national bill na pag-aagreehan ng lahat  na hindi naman kontrobersyal at di naman kailangang pagtalunan at pag-awayan... Umaasa ako at hihilingin ko sa aking mga kasamaha na ito'y magawa namin para nga mula 70 maging 93 araw  yung aming sesyon sa pagtatrabaho" Escudero said.

(When I was a congressman, we had plenary sessions on Thursdays for local bills and non-controversial national bills so these do not eat into regular sessions on Mondays to Wednesdays. I hope my colleagues agree.)