House Majority Leader and Leyte Rep. Martin G. Romualdez on Sunday, May 30, is confident the Lower House will be able to approve before the sine adjournment this week all its priority legislative measures, particularly the proposed Bayanihan to Arise as One Act or the Bayanihan 3 that proposes a P401 billion economic stimulus package to address the adverse effects of the 2019 coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic.
Romualdez said the Bayanihan 3 is on top of the list of priority measures in order to allow government fasttrack efforts at “strengthening the country’s economy” and in protecting Filipinos who absorbed the negative effects of the pandemic.
“We resume session on Monday with a full plate of priority bills scheduled for plenary deliberation before we adjourn sine die this week,” Romualdez, chairman of the House Committee on Rules, said.
“Speaker Lord Allan Velasco wants to place in the front burner the passage of the proposed Bayanihan to Arise as One Act or the Bayanihan 3 and the economic Charter change (Cha-cha) under Resolution of Both Houses (RBH) No. 2 on third and final reading,” Romualdez said.
Romualdez, president of the Lakas-Christian Muslim Democrats (Lakas-CMD) said Lower House will be working overtime to pass on third reading the following legislative measures: House Bill (HB) No. 9087 or An Act Granting Survivorship Benefits to the Surviving Legitimate Spouse and Dependent Children of a Deceased Retired Member of the National Prosecution Service; HB 9072 or An Act Providing for a Free Annual Medical Check-Up for Filipinos; HB No. 9144 or An Act Establishing Greater Responsibility and Accountability from Private Employment Agencies, Amending for the Purpose Republic Act 10361, Otherwise Known as the Batas Kasambahay; HB 9175 or An Act Providing for the Permanent Validity of the Certificates of Live Birth, Death, and Marriage Issued; HB No. 9182 or An Act Declaring August 30 of Every Year as National Press Freedom Day; HB 9269 or An Act Providing for the Publication of Laws in Print or Online Version of the Official Gazette and of a Newspaper of General Circulation; HB 9183 or An Act Changing the Composition of the Advisory Committee of the National Council for Children’s Television; HB 9205 or An Act Establishing the Agriculture Information System in All Cities and Municipalities; HB 9061 or An Act Providing for a Physician’s Act Repealing for the Purpose Republic Act No. 2382, As Amended, Otherwise Known as the Medical Act of 1959; and HB No. 7725 or An Act Regulating the Operations and Imposition of Fees for the Use of Parking Spaces and Parking Facilities in Various Establishments; among other measures.
Romualdez said that on top of these bills of national significance, Romualdez said “the House is also scheduled to approve on third reading local bills such as increasing bed capacities in hospitals, conversion of medical centers into tertiary hospitals, creating district engineering offices, among others.”