Nograles lauds enactment of Free Legal Assistance Act

Speaker Prospero Nograles on Sunday lauded President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo’s signing of landmark legislation that protect and enhance social justice. “We should never underestimate the President’s sincerity and determination to strengthen social justice in the country,” the Speaker said after the Chief Executive signed Republic Act 9999 or the “Free Legal Assistance Act of 2010.”Nograles, one of the measure’s principal proponents in the House of Representatives when it was debated in plenary, expressed confidence that the new law would further ensure that “the poor litigants are not denied of the legal services of lawyers or law firms for the simple reason of their being poor.”The new law grants lawyers and law firms tax incentives for rendering free legal assistance to indigents or poor litigants.The President earlier affixed her signature on R.A. 994 which further strengthens the grant of benefits and privileges to senior citizens, exempting them from the 12 percent value added tax (VAT) imposition.“This law effectively grants the 20 percent discount on goods and services for senior citizens,” Nograles said, noting that the President “chose the welfare of the millions of senior citizens over efforts to save the government from losing billions in revenue loses.”He said that President Arroyo is also reviewing some 32 other legislative initiatives of national scope that include the proposed Organic Agriculture Act of 2009 (HB 7066), the Exchange of Information on Tax Matters Act of 2009 (HB 6899), the Strengthening and Rationalizing the National Prosecution Service (HB 7112), and the Agri-Agra Reform Credit Act of 2009 (HB 6095) and the Philippine Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Act of 2009 (HB 6985), among others.Congress has also transmitted to Malacanang for the President signature the Financial Rehabilitation and Insolvency Act (FRIA) of 2009 (HB 7090), the bill improving the Standards of Protection and Assistance for Migrant Workers (HB 5649), and the Act creating the National Commission on Muslim Filipinos (HB 4253), among others.Nograles, who is running for the mayoralty post in Davao City, said that Malacanang is also reviewing some 116 local bills, most of which promote and expand the reach of the country’s educational system, already ratified by both chambers of Congress.

Via Zamboanga Times

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