Senate urged to approve gov’t rightsizing measure

Although the Senate is under pressure to quickly pass the bill extending the deadline to avail of estate tax amnesty, several lawmakers on Friday asked for a “compelling reason” to do so, noting that the government agencies did not present any data-driven basis to justify their support for the proposed measure.

MANILA, Philippines — Camarines Sur Rep. Luis Raymund Villafuerte Jr., a proponent of bureaucratic rightsizing, called on the Senate to look into the possible passage of their version of the government streamlining and cost-cutting measure passed by the House of Representatives as soon as Congress resumes session on Jan. 22

Villafuerte assured teachers, healthcare workers, soldiers, and other uniformed personnel in the public sector that they would be exempted from the House-approved plan to rationalize the bureaucracy and ensure a seamless and more responsive delivery of programs and services to Filipinos.

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Villafuerte is among the authors of House Bill No. 7240, or the proposed National Government Rightsizing Act, which makes it optional for Congress, the judiciary, state universities and colleges, the Office of the Ombudsman, and other constitutional commissions, as well as local government units to implement their respective rightsizing plans.