President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. can rely on the House of Representatives in helping him address the three critical issues that he raised in the ongoing Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Summit in Bangkok, Thailand.
House Speaker Martin Romualdez, Marcos’s top ally in the Philippine legislature, had this to say in a statement Friday, Nov. 18.
“We totally agree with the President’s assessment that these issues present serious obstacles on our path to recovery. He can count on the unwavering support of the House for the passage of measures addressing these issues of concern,” Romualdez said.
In urging the APEC economies to address the three critical issues, President Marcos noted that recovery efforts have been stymied by soaring prices, supply chain bottlenecks, and serious geopolitical conflicts.
The House and the Senate had earlier committed during their first Legislative-Executive Advisory Council (LEDAC) meeting the President last Oct. 10 to adopt as part of their Common Legislative Agenda (CLA) the priority measures the Chief Executive mentioned in his first State of the Nation Address (SONA).
Many of these priority measures, according to Romualdez, would contribute toward addressing the issues of concern Marcos raised in the APEC Summit.
Among others, Romualdez cited the Department of Water Resources Bill, Land Use Act, and the Condonation of Unpaid Amortization and Interests of Loans of Agrarian Reform Beneficiaries bill, as measures that would help revitalize the country’s agricultural sector and enhance productivity.
On the other hand, the Medical Reserve Corps bill, National Disease Prevention Management Authority bill, and the Virology Institute of the Philippines bill would help strengthen the country’s readiness and institutions against emerging infectious diseases.
Romualdez also said the increased share of green and renewable energy sources in the country’s energy mix may be included in the discussions of the proposed amendments to the Electric Power Industry Reform Act (EPIRA).
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He added that the House would welcome any new measure the Marcos administration may want to include in its priority legislative agenda meant to enable our economy to fully recover from the effects of the pandemic and cushion external shocks.
Likewise, Romualdez said the House could help shape programs of concerned government agencies to make them more responsive in addressing those areas of concern through its power of the purse, particularly in relation to the approval of the proposed 2023 national budget or the General Appropriations Bill (GAB).
“In the Bicameral Conference Committee, after the Senate has approved its own version of the proposed 2023 budget, we can help fine-tune the funding of concerned agencies to build their capacities at addressing these pressing problems,” the Speaker said.
Romualdez, Leyte’s 1st district congressman, is accompanying Marcos to his maiden participation in the APEC Summit.
Senior Deputy Speaker and Pampanga 2nd district Rep. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo is also at the summit. Arroyo is a former president and House speaker.