AS the final session of the House of Representatives comes to a close, the Makabayan bloc’s leading partylist Representative Teddy Casiño promises to continue his work by pushing for social reforms “from the outside.”
The third-termer, set to “graduate” today, said that he is considering becoming a full-time “lobbyist” for people’s organizations and sectoral advocacy groups.
“I am very much satisfied with my accomplishments in my nine years in Congress but there are still a lot of issues that need to be addressed by lawmakers. At the same time, there is a strong need for advocates who can take-up people’s issues in the Senate. While Makabayan partylist Representatives have been gaining ground in the House of Representatives, marginalized sectors have yet to find reliable partners in the upper house,” said Casiño.
“I can use the experience and networks I gained in the last nine years to help the marginalized sectors push for their own legislative agenda. While big business interests have their highly paid lobbyists, the poor don’t. Maybe I can be of help in that regard,” he said.
Casiño added that there are a number of progressive measures approved on third reading in Congress that are lacking Senate counterparts.
Casiño, who served as Bayan Muna Representative from 2004-2013, authored 224 legislative measures in the 15th Congress. Considered as among the most prolific lawmakers, a number of Casiño’s bills were passed on third reading and enacted into laws. These include Republic Act no. 10353 or Anti-Enforced Disappearance Law, RA 10380 or Local Absentee Voting for Media Law, RA 10389 or Recognizance Act, RA 10366 or Accessible Polling Places for Persons with Disabilities and Senior Citizens, and RA 10368 or the Martial Law Victims Reparation and Recognition Act.
In addition to those enacted this Congress, Casiño was a primary author of RA 9406 or the Public Attorney’s Office (PAO) Law, RA 9504 which provides for Tax Exemption for Minimum Wage Earners, RA 9653 or the Rent Control Act, RA 9502 or the Cheaper Medicines Act, RA 9754 or the Anti-Torture Act, and RA 10069 or the Health Workers’ Day Act.
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