The House of Representatives leadership finds itself somewhat on the defensive regarding the controversial Maharlika Investment Fund (MIF) upon the resumption of sessions tomorrow, Monday, Jan. 23.
It all started Friday when Albay 2nd district Rep. Joey Salceda, chairman of the House Committee on Ways and Means, bared in an interview that the MIF had been "rewritten and reengineered" sometime after Christmas, Dec. 25.
The catch is, the lower chamber had already approved the proposed Philippine sovereign wealth fund on third and final reading on Dec. 15. After this, the congressmen began their five-week holiday break.
Monday will be the House members' first session for the year 2023.
Salceda unveiled the existence of a "new" MIF while President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. was at the World Economic Forum (WEF) in Davos, Switzerland. Marcos pitched the tweaked MIF to potential investors at the international event, which showed just how much importance the administration has given the measure.
Responding to those criticizing the reworking of the MIF, Salceda said Sunday, Jan. 22: "The House version was the result of extensive consultation. But bills tend to evolve as they move, even after House approval. That is natural of any bill of national consequence. Veteran colleagues should know that."
"This bill will have critics, and that is expected. But that should not stop us from improving it," said the economist lawmaker.
Independent Minority solon Albay 1st district Rep. Edcel Lagman and Senate Minority Leader Aquilino Pimentel III had slammed the revision of the MIF despite the fact that it had already hurled the House.
At any rate, House Speaker Martin Romualdez, who accompanied the Chief Executive to Davos, has remarked after Salceda’s revelation that the MIF remains an urgent piece of legislation.
“We have to bring in developmental projects, not just infrastructure. We have to bring agricultural projects in, we have to make sure there’s food security. We cannot wait,” said Romualdez, representative of Leyte’s 1st district.
The contentious measure needs to pass the Senate's scrutiny before it can be enacted.
In statement Sunday, Romualdez also reiterated that the passage of pro-digitalization measures--foremost of which are the E-Governance and E-Government Bills--would be prioritized by the House upon the return of sessions.
“We will expedite the passage of these measures to implement the pronouncements of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. in Davos, Switzerland on his desire for the country to catch up with other nations in digital evolution," he sad.
Romualdez had vowed to facilitate the passage of 11 other Marcos administration priority measures this year. These are the following: 1.) The Enactment of an Enabling Law for the Natural Gas Industry; 2.) Amendments to the Electric Power Industry Reform Act (EPIRA); 3.) The Unified System of Separation, Retirement and Pension; 4.) The National Land Use Act; 5.) The National Defense Act; 6.) The National Government Rightsizing Program; 7.) The Budget Modernization Bill; 8.) The Act creating the Department of Water Resources; 9.) The Act Establishing the Negros Island Region; 10.) Magna Carta Filipino Seafarers; and 11.) The Establishment of Regional Specialty Hospitals.
With the House fully back in business, the solons can be more aggressive in pursuing inquiries or briefings on issues of great import.
On Monday, the Salceda-led ways and means panel will launch an inquiry into the smuggling of basic commodities and tobacco. The following day, Tuesday, Jan. 24, the House Committee on Agriculture and Food will host a riefing by the Department of Agriculture (DA) on the state of the country's onion industry and the interventions being done to address the current issues, specifically the high prices of the commodity.