Lower House OKs medical cannabis bill, and other bills on third and final reading

Transcript

00:0028 years after the state of California voted yes on Proposition 215 or the Compassionate

00:07Use of Cannabis Act, the country's House of Representatives approved on third and final

00:12reading today its version of Proposition 215 and it's on the verge of a truly historic

00:19legislative episode.

00:20This plus other proposed bills are on the cusp of being part of the country's jurisprudence

00:26as our Melalee Semoras reports.

00:56The Medical Cannabis Bill is now one step closer to becoming a law after the House of

01:07Representatives approved it earlier today on third and final reading.

01:12Under the proposal entitled Access to Medical Cannabis Act, qualified patients shall be

01:17allowed to use cannabis for medical use subject to the provisions of the law.

01:22The Medical Cannabis Office shall also be created under the supervision and control

01:27of the DOH to serve as the primary regulatory body for medical cannabis.

01:33One of the primary authors of the bill, House Deputy Speaker Antonio Albano expressed deep

01:38gratitude to his colleagues for supporting this measure as he believes this will truly

01:43help the patients in need and will be a game changer in the health sector once enacted.

01:49This has been in the making for four congresses and it was previously passed in the 16th Congress

02:00if I'm not mistaken and now it is passed here on the 19th Congress and we would like to

02:07appeal to our colleagues on the Senate to hopefully expedite and pass this and for the

02:14President to approve this into law so that we can provide medical access to all those

02:19people who are in need of the medicines that are given for our patients and for the Republic

02:27of the Philippines.

02:28Apart from this, the lower house also approved on final reading other vital measures like

02:34the House Bill No. 10424 which allows the operation of motorcycles as common carriers

02:40for the transportation of passengers and goods including parcels and mail.

02:44According to House Speaker Martin Romaldes, the House of Representatives acknowledges

02:49that motorcycles for hire not just serve as an efficient alternative to mass public transportation

02:55but also a viable source of livelihood for Filipinos.

02:59He emphasized this bill aims to provide safe, sufficient, and economical mode of public

03:04transport which is truly needed because as of now, no particular law has been passed

03:09on this yet, only a pilot study.

03:11Meanwhile, among other bills passed on third reading today include measures strengthening

03:16the Philippine Disaster Risk Reduction and Management System and the bill that adjusts

03:20the monthly pension benefits of retirees of the Department of Foreign Affairs.

03:25Melales Moras from the National TV Network for a new and better Philippines.