Speaker Lord Allan Velasco formally opened on Monday, July 26 the third and final regular session of the 18th Congress with a vow that the House of Representatives is ready to make “one last big push” for the passage of the remaining legislative priorities of the Duterte administration.
“As we enter the final year of our present term in Congress, it is time for that one last big push,” Velasco declared in his opening remarks on the resumption of regular sessions.
Velasco presided over the first session of the final leg of the 18th Congress that saw the adoption of several resolution expressing the Lower House’s readiness in hearing the sixth and last State of the Nation Address of President Duterte.
The House leader, a close political ally of President Duterte, noted that the Lower Chamber has “fully supported the legislative agenda” of the chief executive since he started his presidency in 2016.
“In what can be seen as a defining moment in our lives as politicians and public servants, we chose to keep the legislative mill running even during the height of the COVID 19 community lockdowns,” he stated.
The Lower House, Velasco said, boasts of being able to pass “much-needed emergency pandemic response measures” despite political challenges it experienced, apparently referring to last year’s leadership controversy with former Speaker and Taguig-Pateros Rep. Alan Peter Cayetano.
He cited the legislative accomplishments of the chamber that included the passage of the grant to President Duterte of additional powers to combat the COVID-19 such as the two Bayanihan bills.
Aside from Duterte’s remaining legislative wishes, the House officdial has vowed to pass amendments to the Retail Trade Liberalization Act, the Foreign Investments Act and the Public Service Act that are all part of the Duterte administration’s priority measures.
“To assist in our economic recovery, we are pushing for the taxation of Philippine offshore gaming operators and e-sabong betting activities. We await and will closely monitor the Senate action on these measures,” Velasco said.
Also set to be approved are disease control and anti-pandemic measures that include the Medical Stockpiling Bill that authorizes the Department of Health to “stockpile, conserve and facilitate the supply and distribution of pharmaceuticals and vaccines for public health emergencies.”
Ready for plenary approval are the bills creating the Virology Institute of the Philippines and the Center for Disease Control and Prevention.
According to Velasco the Lower House will support the Ease of Paying Taxes bill that will “institutionalize portability of transactions and the streamlining of compliance procedures.
“We also recognize the devastating impact of COVID=19 on our creative industries and will fully support efforts to organize and institutionalize the Philippine creative economy,” stressed Velasco.