House of Representatives (Ellson Quismorio/ MANILA BULLETIN)
The House of Representatives has adopted the Senate's Maharlika Investment Fund (MIF) Bill as an amendment to its own version of the measure. Assistant Majority Leader and Nueva Ecija 1st district Rep. Mikaela Suansing made the motion for the adoption during plenary session Wednesday night, May 31. "We have been informed that the Committee on Banks and Financial Intermediaries, the sponsor of House Bill (HB) No.6608, as well as the authors thereof, were in concurrence with the provisions of Senate Bill (SB) No.2020," she said. "With this information and in accordance with the rules, I move that we adopt SB No.2020 as an amendment to HB No.6608," added Suansing. Senior Deputy Speaker and Pampanga 3rd district Rep. Aurelio "Dong" Gonzales, the presiding officer at that time, subsequently called for a voice vote (ayes vs. nayes) wherein the positive votes won. "SB No.2020 is adopted as an amendment to HB No.6608," declared Gonzales. Described by proponents as a "vehicle for investments", the MIF seeks to create a new revenue stream for the country by tapping investible funds for investments either here and abroad. The profits from these investments will be used to bankroll big ticket projects. Wednesday was the final session date of the first regular session. The House's adoption of the Senate's MIF Bill took a rather circuitous route. A Bicameral Conference Committee meeting between handpicked House members and senators was held Wednesday morning at the Manila Golf and Country Club, supposedly to harmonize disagreeing provisions of HB No.6608 and SB No.2020. However, no reconciled Bill resulted from the bicam since the lower chamber went for adoption. This defeated the purpose of the bicam meeting. Albay 2nd district Rep. Joey Salceda, a participant in the meeting, later clarified to House reporters that "a pre-bicam, not a bicam". Salceda chairs the Committee on Ways and Means. Aside from Salceda, Manila 5th district Rep. Irwin Tieng, chairman of the Committee on Banks and Financial Intermediaries; Marikina City 2nd district Rep. Stella Quimbo, senior vice chairperson of the Committee on Appropriations; Deputy Speaker and Batangas 6th district Rep. Ralph Recto; COOP-NATCCO Party-list Rep. Felimon Espares, and AGRI Party-list Rep. Wilbert T. Lee took part in the pre-bicam.