House output has quantity and quality, says Barbers

House of Representatives (Ellson Quismorio/ MANILA)


Much has been said about the House of Representatives' output during the first regular session, and Surigao del Norte 2nd district Rep. Robert Ace Barbers believes it has both quantity and quality. Barbers said Sunday, June 11 that it was through this legislative output that House Speaker and Leyte 1st district Rep. Martin Romualdez was able to "set the tone" for the lower chamber the 19th Congress. "The measures the House approved during the first regular session have both quality and quantity. Quality, because the chamber passed 33 out of the 42 priority bills of President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. as listed by the Legislative-Executive Development Advisory Council (LEDAC); and quantity, because the chamber was able to process 30 measures per session day, and this was 10 percent more than what the previous Congress did," Barbers said. "The House will continue to perform at this pace for the rest of the 19th Congress. Speaker Romualdez knows that time is of the essence, that's why he can easily tune out from all the political noise. We will follow his lead," added the veteran solon from Mindanao. A total of 577 bills were passed on third and final during the past 10 months, which comprised the first regular session. Barbers noted that Romualdez has obviously been President Marcos' most trusted ally in the legislature, which makes it all the more important that the House helps deliver on the administration's "Agenda for Prosperity". "A lot is riding on the work of government. In fact there are over 31 million who bought into the President’s notion of a better and more comfortable life. This promise will come to fruition if the legislature and executive continue to tread a united path," said the Nacionalista Party (NP) stalwart.