House Speaker Martin Romualdez (Speaker’s office)

The House of Representatives continues to hit its legislative targets ahead of schedule. 

This, as Speaker Martin Romualdez announced in a speech on Wednesday night, Dec. 13 that the chamber has passed on third and final reading all 17 bills that President Marcos had pitched as priority measures during the latter's State of the Nation Address (SONA) last July. 

“It is with great pride and honor to report to this august chamber that we passed all of these 17 SONA priority measures seven months ahead of the President’s next SONA in July 2024,” said Romualdez, who is arguably Marcos' top ally in the legislature. 

Wednesday coincided with the last plenary session day of the year. Congressmen are expected to be off their respective districts all over the country during the five-week holiday break. 

“We, as the duty elected representatives of the Filipino people, have done our bounden duty to realize their aspirations by strengthening the economy, revitalizing businesses and broadening the scope of services provided to the majority of our citizenry," Romualdez told the 300-plus strong House. 

“This august body recognizes the urgency and significance of these measures, and I am proud to say that everyone has done his and her share in actively participating in legislative discussions, building consensus and advocating the approval of these critical measures,” he added. 

Marcos, in his July 2023 SONA, said the 17 priority bills will “sustain our economic recovery and improve the living condition of our people". 

Romualdez said that among the 17 SONA bills, the Automatic Income Classification of Local Government Units Act has been signed into law as Republic Act (RA) No. 11964 by the President last Oct. 26. 

By the end of November, 10 out of the 17 SONA measures have been approved by the House on third and final reading.

These include amendments to the Fisheries Code, excise tax on single-use plastics, value-added tax (VAT) on digital transactions, Anti-Financial Accounts Scramming Act, Philippine Immigration Act, Rationalization of Mining Fiscal Regime, Military and Uniformed Personnel Pension Reform Act, and amendments to the Anti-Agriculture Smuggling Law.

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The House then gave final approval to the six remaining SONA priority measures this month to complete the 17.

Romualdez enumerated the six as follows:

1) The Tatak Pinoy (Proudly Filipino) Act, which seeks to promote the production and offering of diverse globally competitive Philippine products and services by domestic enterprises;

2) The Blue Economy Act, which consolidates all interventions in a single framework that promotes a whole-of-nation approach to sustainably develop, manage, protect, and preserve the country’s Martine and coastal resources;

3) Creation of the Department of Water Resources and Water Regulatory Commission to unify policy-making, planning, management, and regulation of water resources;

4) Updating of the Revised Cooperative Code of the Philippines to keep it abreast with current situations in the agriculture sector;

5) Updating of the Revised Government Auditing Code to align it with international accounting and auditing standards, and to utilize emerging technologies and innovative solutions in audit processes; and

6) The proposed New Government Procurement Reform Act, which provides for cost-effective, transparent, competitive, streamlined, sustainable, active, and inclusive procurement activities of the government. 

“I attribute the high level of legislative performance to the unity in aspirations and unselfish cooperation of the individual member of the House of Representatives. Despite our differences in opinions and beliefs, we worked together to champion the cause of good governance in fulfillment of our duty to serve the highest interest of the Filipino people,” the Speaker said. 

The House will resume its sessions on Jan. 22.