The House Justice Committee on Wednesday approved a committee report and consolidated bill that seeks to strengthen the Office of the Solicitor General by absorbing the functions of the Office of the Government Corporate Counsel and Presidential Commission on Good Government.

Consequently, those 2 agencies will be abolished by if the measure is passed into law.

The report and consolidated bill combines similar house bills filed by Representatives Miro Quimbo, Evelina Escudero, Rodel Batocabe, Harry Roque, Gary Alejano, Joaquin Chipeco, Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez, House Majority Leader Rodolfo Farinas and Justice Committee Chair Reynaldo Umali.

The bill and report will now be submitted to the plenary for approval on second and third reading.

Under the bill, the Solicitor General's position will be "upgraded to that of an Associate Justice of the Supreme Court."

The bill also seeks to further strengthen the OSG by "providing its lawyers and employees benefits and privileges already being enjoyed by their counterparts in other government offices," Quimbo said in his explanatory note.