Poe

Senators praise Poe for swift PSA passage

February 3, 2022 Marlon Purification 314 views

SENATORS heaped praises on Senator Grace Poe for steering the passage of the amendments to the Public Service Act (PSA), a measure seen as a turning point for the Philippine economy toward sustainable growth.

The bicameral conference committee report on the bill was ratified by the Senate and the House of Representatives on Wednesday night, in time for the Congress break.

Poe, head of the Senate Committee on Public Services, sponsored the measure on the floor, staunchly defended it during deliberations, and led the Senate contingent during the bicameral meeting.

The measure, which amends the 85-year-old PSA, liberalizes key industries to usher in investments, jobs, and better services. While opening the economy, it has adequate safeguards to ensure the protection of national security.

“Definitely, the main sponsor, Sen. Grace Poe deserves the accolade and the gratitude of not only the Senate but also the entire country for this landmark legislation,” Senate President Vicente Sotto III said.

Minority Leader Franklin Drilon thanked Poe for working hard to realize the needed amendments to the PSA, which he said is a “game-changer” and “most critical” of all the economic bills brought before the Senate.

“As I bow out of the Senate, I can be proud and look back to the years when I had participated and steered certain laws which we needed in our economy… and now the Public Service Act which is, to me, the most critical of the economic bills that came before this Senate,” Drilon said.

“Let me extend my commendation to Sen. Grace Poe for being patient, for being able to resist intensive lobbies, and came out with a law which is really for the benefit of our country and our people,” he added.

Drilon continued: “This is all for the benefit of a better life, which hopefully can result in a better life for our people because of the investments that will come in. With that, let me say that this is a bill and this is a law which this Congress can be proud of.”

Majority Leader Juan Miguel Zubiri said opening up the economy for “healthy competition” is expected to improve communication and Internet services for the benefit of the people.

He said amendments to the PSA which Poe pushed, “has been a long time coming.”

While he voted against the bill, Senate President Pro Tempore Ralph Recto congratulated Poe and the chamber’s leadership for improving the measure.

“I thank the sponsor for accepting some of our amendments during the deliberations in the Senate, which I think will add additional safeguards to the measure,” Recto said.

Poe expressed gratitude to her colleagues for keeping an open mind during the debates and pitching in solutions that paved the way for the best possible version of the bill.

“Ultimately, our common goal is for the good of the economy and the welfare of our people. These are paramount and cannot be compromised,” Poe said.