In a plenary session held in Santo Domingo, the Dominican Senate advanced a slate of legislative proposals and institutional actions, moving forward two high-priority bills through first reading approval while finalizing several other measures via second reading. The first groundbreaking proposal greenlit on an initial vote is the legislation to establish the Dominican Institute of Cassava, widely referred to by its Spanish acronym INDOCASABE. Spearheaded by sitting senators Antonio Marte and Manuel María Rodríguez, this institutional initiative is designed to embed a cohesive national framework for bolstering every stage of the cassava value chain—from smallholder cultivation and industrial processing to international export of cassava-derived goods. Beyond structuring national policy, the institute is set to deliver tangible support to producers across all regions of the country, including hands-on technical guidance, expanded pathways to affordable agricultural financing, targeted investment in sector-specific scientific innovation, and opportunities for cross-border collaboration with global cassava industry stakeholders.
Alongside the agricultural institutional bill, senators also gave first reading approval to a cultural preservation bill submitted by Senator Carlos Gómez. This proposal seeks to grant official national status to the centuries-old faceless doll tradition of El Higüerito, a community art practice rooted in Moca, by naming it an Intangible Cultural Heritage of the Dominican nation.
Following action on first reading items, the chamber wrapped up secondary approval for a series of naming and recognition measures. These included a resolution to rename the Baní bypass corridor as the “Rafael De Jesús Perelló Abreu Tourist Boulevard,” a separate designation naming the coastal folk tradition “Los Toros de Monte Cristi” as another national Intangible Cultural Heritage, an act renaming the San Cristóbal municipal sports complex after local figure Douglas Miguel Hasbún José, and the official establishment of September 10 as “Petromacorisano Pride Day.” Lawmakers also passed a special resolution to recognize Aura Migdalia Moscoso Pérez for her decades of transformative contributions to public education and inclusive social development in the Bahoruco region.
Closing out the session’s key announcements, Senate President Ricardo de los Santos revealed that a special cross-partisan commission will be appointed the following week to conduct a comprehensive review of proposed amendments to the country’s Organic Law on States of Emergency. Before adjourning, members of the chamber paused to hold a formal minute of silence to honor the recent passing of three prominent Dominican figures: investigative photojournalist Franklin Guerrero, celebrated poet Isidro Ventura Guzmán, and community leader Eden de Jesús. The Senate has scheduled its next reconvening for June 12.