DRUGS, 3 OTHER NEW LAWS SIGNED

President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo signed yesterday four new laws of national
importance, one of which imposes heavy fines and stiff penalties for illegal
drug trafficking.

The President led the ceremonial signing of the four new laws amid a
political crisis confronting both houses of Congress which had adjourned
sine die for their six-week recess ahead of the scheduled adjournment date
in the wake of an opposition coup in the Senate.

The four new laws signed were:

- - RA 9165, the 2002 Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act, which imposes capital
punishment on those convicted for selling, trading, trafficking, importing,
and cultivating dangerous drugs and their controlled precursors, including
ecstasy,

- - RA 9166, a law increasing the base pay of the Armed Forces of the
Philippines (AFP) to make salaries of soldiers at par with their
counterparts in the Philippine National Police (PNP);

- - RA 9167, a law creating the Film Development Council of the Philippines
and setting up a Cinema Evaluation System that will provide an incentive
reward system for movie producers.

- - RA 9168, the 2002 Philippine Plant Variety Protection Act which seeks to
protect and secure the rights of plant breeders with respect to their new
plant varieties through an effective intellectual property system.

The signing of these four new laws brings to a total of nine the new laws
approved in this first regular session of the 12th Congress that have been
signed by President Arroyo .

The President had earlier signed the Anti-Money Laundering Act, the 2002
Rent Reform Act, the 2002 General Appropriations Act, the National Service
Training Program, and the Synchronized Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan
Elections.

RA 9165, one of the laws given top priority by the Arroyo administration,
also seeks a mandatory drug testing for drivers of motor vehicles and
firearm holders and random drug testing for students and private and
government employees.

To further protect the country's youth against the dangers of illegal drugs,
the new law also seeks compulsory education on dangerous drugs for
elementary, secondary, and college students.