Congress leaders hope to pass 12 priority bills before the second State of the Nation Address (SONA) of President Marcos by June, 2023.
Senate Majority Leader Joel Villanueva the 12 measures were agreed upon during a meeting of the Legislative Executive Development Advisory Council (LEDAC) which serves as a consultative and advisory body to the President.
He identified the priority bills as:
1. Amendments to BOT Law / PPP Bill
2. Medical Reserve Corps
3. Phil. Center for Disease Prevention and Control
4. Creation of the Virology Institution of the Philippines
5. Mandatory ROTC and NSTP
6. Condonation of Unpaid Amortization and Interests of Loans of Agrarian Reform Beneficiaries
7. Internet Transactions Act/E-Commerce Law
8. Maharlika Investment Fund (MIF) Bill
9. Attrition Law / AFP Fixed-Term
10. Salt Industry Development Bill
11. National Employment Action Plan
12. Regional Comprehensive. Economic Partnership (RCEP).
Villanueva said Senate Minority Leader Aquilino Pimenel III and the minority of the House of Representatives were invited.
He said Senate President Juan Miguel Zubiri called senators to a caucus.
The causes is expected to zero in on what transpired at the LEDAC and what the Senate should do.
Villanueva also said that the resolution of Senator Robinhood Padilla seeking amendments to the restrictive economic provisions of the 1987 Constitution was not discussed but committee hearings are going on.
Some senators, according to Villanueva, are saying that they have passed the Trade Liberalization Act, Public Service Act and the Foreign Direct Investment Act as probable answer to the proposed amendment to the restrictive economic provisions of the Charter.
He said they have yet to see the effect of these three measures.
On the continued bullying by Chinese ships on Philippine ships and fishermen in the West Philippine Sea, Villanueva said "we must continue filing diplomatic protests."
"Ipakita natin sa mundo na di tayo dapat bullyin ng anuman bansa (We should show to the world that we should not be bullied by any nation)," he added.