The Senate has approved a congressional initiative by House assistant majority leader Karlo B. Nograles seeking the creation of three additional branches of the Regional Trial Court (RTC) to be stationed in the City of Davao.
Nograles, who represents the First District of Davao City in the House of Representatives, said he was “very much pleased with the Senate leadership and its members for approving the counterpart measure to House Bill 4512.”
A lawyer, Nograles said the three additional court branches in Davao City RTC will immensely contribute to the swift dispensation of justice in Southern Philippines’ most populous locality.
Senate Bill 2958, the counterpart to the Nograles bill, was introduced by no less than Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile.
Enrile's SB 2958 was approved on Third and Final Reading last July 24 while Nograles' HB 4512 was passed by the House since May 23, 2011. More than 30 other congressmen sponsored the Nograles initiative, among them House deputy speaker Erin Tañada and House justice committee chairman Neil Tupas, Jr.
In another development, House assistant majority leader Nograles has lauded President Aquino’s 3rd State of the Nation Address, saying the Chief Executive proved he has a good vision for "New Philippines."
Nograles described the SONA as "direct to the point with firm statistics and well-researched data." The congressman also echoed the President's message of unity and the virtue of working harder for the good of the nation.
His father, former House Speaker Prospero Nograles, also congratulated President Aquino on his SONA delivered before a joint session of Congress on July 23.
"The President’s message in the SONA that the entire Filipino people made all the statistics and data possible, and had actual participation in all the accomplishments of the administration was a stroke of genius, to the say the least," former Speaker Nograles said.