Baguio solon files 20 priority bills on first day of Congress

Re-elected Baguio City Representative Mark Go filed 20 priority bills on the first day of the 19th Congress.

Rep. Go re-filed his priority bills on healthcare, education, workers’ and senior citizens’ welfare, and the environment from the 18th Congress.

Among his healthcare-related bills include House Bill (HB) 980, which seeks the minimum salary upgrade of medical health professionals; HB 983, proposing comprehensive renal care for patients with end-stage renal disease in provincial, regional, and national government hospitals and increasing benefits for renal replacement therapy under PhilHealth; and HB 975, seeking to authorize the Department of Health to set and approve the bed capacity and service capabilities of DOH hospitals.

For education, Go also re-filed HB 991, which seeks to strengthen the Commission on Higher Education by expanding its mandate and creating new offices; HB 984, proposing to amend the Universal Access to Quality Tertiary Education Act by providing vouchers for financially and academically deserving students that study in private tertiary institutions; and the creation of schools under HB 976, or the Philippine Entrepreneurs Academy; HB 974, proposing the Baguio City High School for the Arts for artistically gifted youths; and HB 987, seeking the Baguio City Sports High School for promising athletic talents from Baguio City and Luzon.

The Baguio lawmaker has also filed bills for the benefit of the labor sector, including HB 988, which seeks to increase the service incentive leave for employees; HB 990, proposing the implementation of a compressed work week scheme as a work arrangement alternative; HB 979, seeking the creation of a tripartite council to address the job-skills mismatch, unemployment, and underemployment rates in the country; HB 985, which proposes to reinforce labor productivity through incentive programs, and tax incentives; HB 977, seeking to mandate golf clubs to provide social security welfare and benefits to golf caddies and other workers.

Rep. Go has also filed bills on the environment and urban planning; including HB 986, which requires families to plant two trees for every child born to them; HB 978, which requires graduating senior high school and college students to plant two trees as part of their civic duty; HB 993, which seeks to mandate the proper installation and maintenance of overhead cable wires for public safety; and HBs 981 and 982, seeking the repeal of Presidential Proclamations 414 and 572 and halting mining activities in Baguio City’s mineral reservations.

The lawmaker has also forwarded legislation for the welfare of senior citizens, such as HB 989, proposing to exempt seniors from value-added tax on water and electric bills and increase their discount rate; and HB 992, seeking to recognize senior citizens who turn 80 and 90 respectively while granting additional benefits for centenarians.

“We have achieved much in the last six years, but that only means we have set a high benchmark for our third term. We truly have our work cut out for us. As I have said before, remember every vow I made during the campaign because the period for promises is over, and the time for action and accountability has begun,” Go said in his inauguration speech. ###