In one of the busiest one-day sessions in recent memory, the House of Representatives approved on third and final reading Monday, Dec. 12, a total of 13 bills identified as priority measures by the Marcos administration.
The 13 measures were earlier included in the Common Legislative Agenda (CLA) of the Legislative-Executive Advisory Council (LEDAC), which President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. first convened in October 2022.
The passage of the 13 bills brought to 15 the total number of priority measures the House had approved on third reading since it resumed session last Nov. 7.
Approved on the third and final reading during Monday’s session were the following measures: National Disease Prevention Management Authority or Center for Disease Control and Prevention Act, Health Emergency Auxiliary Reinforcement Team (HEART or formerly the Medical Reserve Corps Act), New Agrarian Emancipation Act, Philippine Passport Act, and Internet Transaction Act / E-Commerce Act.
The House likewise approved the Waste-to-Energy Act, Free Legal Assistance to Military and Uniformed Personnel (MUP) Act, Revised National Apprenticeship Progam Act, Public-Private Partnership (PPP) Act, Magna Carta of Barangay Health Workers (BHWs), Valuation Reform Bill (Package 3), Act creating the Eastern Visayas Development Authority (EVDA), and the Leyte Ecological Industrial Zone Act.
Last week, the lower chamber gave its final nod to two other measures included in the CLA of LEDAC, namely the Act creating the Virology and Vaccine Institute of the Philippines, and the Passive Income and Financial Intermediary Taxation Act (PIFITA). The latter is the fourth package under the Comprehensive Tax Reform Program (CTRP).
The House, along with the Senate, had also earlier ratified the P5.268-trillion General Appropriations Bill (GAB) or proposed national budget.
The GAB is expected to be signed by President Marcos when he returns this week from his trip to Belgium to attend the European Union-Association of Southeast Asian Nations (EU-ASEAN) Commemorative Summit.
“We will continue working on the passage of other LEDAC-priority bills," Romualdez said on Tuesday, Dec. 13.
“We are on the first stage to full economic recovery, and we are marching on the right direction. Judging from interests shown by global businessmen in our international roadshow with the President, the Philippines may soon become the favorite investment destination in Asia," he noted.
"We, in Congress, are committed to bring this goal to reality. Stay the course with us, and share the benefits of progress and development. The best is yet to come,” added Romualdez, arguably the President's top ally in the legislature.
Deputy Speaker and Davao City 3rd district Rep. Isidro Ungab presided over Monday's session.
The final session date of Congress (House and Senate) for the year 2022 is on Wednesday, Dec. 14.