House names bicam contingent for MIF; hearing set this morning
The House leadership has named the chamber's contingent to the Bicameral Conference Committee hearing on the proposed Maharlika Investment Fund (MIF), or Philippine sovereign wealth fund. The group is composed of Manila 5th district Rep. Irwin Tieng, chairman of the Committee on Banks and Financial Intermediaries; Albay 2nd district Rep. Joey Salceda, chairman of the Committee on Ways and Means; 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. The bicam hearing with the Senate contingent is scheduled 11 a.m. today, Wednesday, May 31, at the Manila Golf and Country Club Makati City. The Senate, after a marathon session, approved its version of the MIF on third and final reading at around 2:30 a.m. Wednesday. The House of Representatives passed its MIF Bill back on Dec. 15, 2022. The solons from the two chambers intend to harmonize the disagreeing provisions of the two MIF versions in the bicam hearing. This is standard procedure for bills in the legislature. The only catch is, they want to ratify the eventual harmonized bill later during their respective plenary sessions, on the final day of the first regular session in the current 19th Congress. President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. had earlier certified the measure as urgent.
Senators Mark Villar, Pia Cayetano, Alan Peter Cayetano, Sherwin Gatchalian, Francis Tolentino, and Aquilino "Kiko" Pimentel III comprise the Senate contingent to this morning's meeting.