The House of Representatives on Tuesday approved on third and final reading a bill abolishing the Presidential Commission on Good Government and the Office of the Government Corporate Counsel by a 162-10 vote.
House Bill 7376, the consolidated bill with Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez as one of the authors of the measure, proposes to create a special task force of at least five divisions to continue the PCGG functions.
Alvarez said the bill guaranteed the absorption of PCGG and OGCC officials and employees who do want to avail themselves of the retirement and separation benefits on condition that they have the needed eligibility and qualifications for the available OSG positions.
“The consolidation of the legal services in the OSG will specifically promote the wiser and more prudent use of public funds since this will do away with the practice of the OGCC of billing client GOCCs for legal services rendered,” said Alvarez.
“The bill aims to eliminate the overlap of functions among government agencies, to consolidate state legal services into one office, and to effectively address the expanding needs of government-owned-and–controlled corporations towards the improvement of fiscal management and good corporate governance,” Alvarez stressed.