Belmonte pushes for passage of anti-dynasty, FOI laws

MANILA, Philippines - As Congress reopened on Monday, House Speaker Feliciano Belmonte Jr. called for the passage of the anti-political dynasty law and freedom of information (FOI) measures.

In his opening speech, Belmonte cited the progress attained by the anti-dynasty bill, which is now up for plenary discussions.

"We must proceed in earnest to examine the merits of this bill and lay out the parameters of its application toward creating effective deterrents to the establishment and perpetuation of political dynasties at all levels of government," Belmonte said.

"The crux of this bill shall be on how we define political dynasty," he added.

Belmonte also said that various initiatives for an FOI law are now pending committee deliberation.

"We must craft a viable FOI Law to promote greater transparency and strengthen accountability in government," the House leader said.

Belmonte also cited the clamor for the passage of the Bangsamoro Basic Law, a measure that could pave the way for lasting peace in development in Mindanao.