House Speaker Martin Romualdez (2nd from right) presides over the all-party caucus Monday afternoon, May 8 (Speaker's office)

The leaders of the different political parties in the House of Representatives have committed to support the passage of the 13 remaining priority bills of President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr.

They gave this commitment on Monday afternoon, May 8 to House Speaker Martin Romualdez, president of the Lakas-Christian Muslim Democrats (Lakas-CMD) party. Romualdez presided over the meeting.

Joining the meeting were representatives of the Partido Demokratiko Pilipino-Lakas ng Bayan (PDP-Laban), Nacionalista Party (NP), National Unity Party (NUP), Nationalist People’s Coalition (NPC), and Party-list Coalition Foundation, Inc. (PCFI).

Romualdez expressed his gratitude to his colleagues for supporting his goal to have the chamber approve most, if not all of the 13 remaining priority bills on third and final reading before the scheduled sine die adjournment on June 2.

“We will try to achieve that objective on a best-effort basis. The bills on deck will complement those that we have already passed and which support the Agenda for Prosperity and eight-point socio-economic roadmap of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.,” Romualdez said.

Deputy Speaker and Pampanga Rep. Aurelio "Dong" Gonzales Jr., and Reps. Johnny Pimentel of Surigao del Sur and Rida Robes of San Jose City represented PDP-Laban in the party leaders’ caucus.

NP was represented by Reps. Eleandro Jesus "Budoy" Madrona of Romblon, Robert Ace Barbers of Surigao del Norte and Janette Garin of Iloilo.

NPC was represented by Quezon Rep. Mark Enverga and Ilocos Sur Rep. Kristine Meehan Singson and NUP by Antipolo City Rep. Robbie Puno and Camarines Sur Rep. LRay Villafuerte.

Ako Bicol Party-list Rep. Zaldy Co, PCFI president, spoke for his group.

Navotas Rep. Toby Tiangco, BHW Party-list Rep. Angelica Natasha Co, Bicol Saro Party-list Rep. Brian Yamsuan also joined the meeting.

Speaker Romualdez convened the caucus shortly after presiding over the session Monday, which was really first session date following the chamber's eight-week recess.

The 13 bills are the 1. proposed enabling law for the natural gas industry; 2. National Land Use Act; 3. Department of Water Resources and Services and creation ofWater Regulatory Commission; 4. Budget Modernization Act; 5. National Defense Act; 6. amendments to the Electric Power Industry Reform Act; 7. the bill on a unified system of separation, retirement, and pension
for uniformed personnel; 8. Bureau of Immigration Modernization; 9. Infrastructure Development Plan/Build Build Build Program; 10. Philippine Salt Industry Development Act; 11. Philippine Ecosystem and NaturalCapital Accounting System (PENCAS), 12. National Employment Action Plan; 13. Amendment to the Anti-Agricultural Smuggling Act.