President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. presented to Congress 19 of his administration's priority bills in his first State of the Nation Address (SONA) on Monday, July 25.
The list the President enumerated included the Mandatory Reserve Officers Training Corps (ROTC) and National Service Training Program (NSTP) pushed by Vice President Sara Duterte.
The Mandatory ROTC and NSTP Bill seeks to reinstitute the ROTC program as a mandatory component of senior high school programs in Grades 11 and 12 in all public and private tertiary level educational institutions.
"The aim is to motivate, train, organize, and mobilize students for national defense preparedness, including disaster preparedness and capacity-building for risk-related situations," he said.
2. National Government Rightsizing Program
Marcos also proposed the National Government Rightsizing Program (NGRP). This reform mechanism seeks to enhance the government's institutional capacity to perform its mandate and to provide better services while ensuring optimal and efficient use of resources.
Compared to previous government reorganization efforts, the President said the NGRP would entail a comprehensive strategic review of the various agencies' functions, operations, organization, system, and processes.
The proposed NGRP will include massive and transformational initiatives in the agencies concerned, such as mergers, consolidations, splitting, transfers, and even the abolition of some offices.
"The rightsizing efforts will also involve conducting a comprehensive strategic review of functions, programs, and projects that will cut across various agencies," he said.
3. Budget Modernization Bill
According to Marcos, the Budget Modernization Bill seeks to institutionalize the cash-based budgeting system (CBS) under former President Rodrigo Duterte's Executive Order No. 91.
The proposed bill aims to "strengthen fiscal discipline in the allocation and use of budget resources by ensuring that every peso budgeted by the government would lead to the actual delivery of programs and projects."
"The full implementation of this CBS is timely and vital as the government executes response and recovery plans post-pandemic," Marcos said.
4. Tax Package 3: Valuation Reform Bill
Marcos said this proposed bill provides for the following:
- Establishment of real property values and valuation standards across the country
- The development of a real property information system that provides for the database of all real property transactions and declarations in the country
5. Passive Income and Financial Intermediary Taxation Act
This proposed measure seeks to reform the taxation of capital income and financial services by redesigning the financial sector taxation into a more straightforward, fairer, more efficient, and revenue-neutral tax system. It also represents adopting a regionally competitive tax system.
6. E-Government Act
This establishes the E-Government Masterplan, covering all e-government services and processes.
7. The Internet Transaction Act or E-Commerce Law
This proposed bill establishes an effective regulation of commercial activities through the internet or electronic means. It aims to protect consumer rights and data privacy, encourage innovation, promote fair advertising practices and competition, secure online transactions, protect intellectual property rights, and follow product standards and safety.
8. Government Financial Institutions Unified Initiatives to Distressed Enterprises for Economic Recovery
President Marcos said this measure seeks to provide financial assistance to distressed enterprises critical to economic recovery through programs and initiatives implemented by the Land Bank of the Philippines, the Development Bank of the Philippines, and the Philippine Guarantee Corporation.
This addresses the liquidity or solvency problems of micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) and strategically important industries to encourage their continued operations and maintain employment.
9. Establishment of a Medical Reserve Corps
Marcos eyes the establishment of a Medical Reserve Corps under the Health and Management Bureau of the Department of Health (DOH). The MRC shall be composed of licensed physicians, medical students who have completed their four years of medical courses, graduates of medicine, registered nurses, and licensed allied health professionals.
10. National Disease Prevention Management Authority
This bill seeks to create the Center for Disease Prevention and Control attached to the DOH. President Duterte mentioned this in his last SONA in 2021.
11. The Creation of the Virology Institute of the Philippines
Another proposed legislation of the previous administration, this measure seeks to create the Virology Science and Technology Institute of the Philippines as an attached agency of the Department of Science and Technology (DOST). DOST's offices and units with functions related to virology shall be transferred to the Virology Institute of the Philippines.
12. The Department of Water Resources
Marcos pushed Congress to pass a bill creating the Department of Water Resources, which adopts integrated water resource management as the strategic framework for national water management policy-making and planning. The Duterte administration also pushed for the creation of this agency.
13. Unified System of Separation, Retirement, and Pension
This grants a monthly disability pension in lieu of disability benefits provided under existing laws for military and uniformed personnel retired by reasons of disability.
14. The E-Governance Act
It promotes using the internet and other information and communications technology (ICT) to provide opportunities for citizens.
15. The National Land Use Act
This proposed bill will provide for rational and holistic management and development of the country's land and water resources, hold owners accountable for making these lands productive and sustainable, and strengthen the local government unit (LGU) to manage ecological balance within its jurisdiction.
It also provides for land use and physical planning framework to determine policies and principles to implement this legislative measure.
16. The National Defense Act
President Marcos wants to amend the "antiquated" National Defense Act of 1935 to change the military structure of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP). He wants the government forces to be more responsive to current and future conventional security threats to the country's territorial integrity and national sovereignty.
17. Enactment of an Enabling Law for the Natural Gas Industry
This seeks to foster the development of the midstream national gas industry to strengthen Philippine energy security by diversifying the country's primary energy sources and promoting the role of natural gas as a complementary fuel to variable renewable energy.
18. Amendments to the Electric Power Industry Reform Act (EPIRA)
This aims to improve the implementation of the loss provisions and enhance its effectiveness in addressing the high cost of electricity, alleged market collusion, and insufficient power supply.
The bill seeks to restructure the Energy Regulation Commission (ERC) to foster accountability and improve its government system to ensure consumer protection and enhance the competitive operation of the electricity market.
19. Amendments to the Build, Operate, Transfer Law
Lastly, President Marcos called on Congress to amend the Build, Operate, Transfer Law to improve the implementation of the public-private partnership (PPP) program and to be able to direct the desired outputs and outcomes in line with the strategic development targets of the country.
Specifically, the amendments seek to:
- Address the ambiguity in the existing law
- Address the bottlenecks and challenges affecting the implementation of the PPP program
- Foster a more competitive and enabling environment for PPPs