Senator Juan Edgardo “Sonny” Angara on Tuesday, July 25 commended President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. for including the “Tatak Pinoy” bill in his list of priority measures that he asked for Congress to support.
Sen. Juan Edgardo "Sonny" Angara (Senate PRIB Photo)
Angara, Senate Committee on Finance chief, has already conducted three hearings on the Tatak Pinoy bill and is set to hold its fourth hearing on Wednesday, July 26.
“Tatak Pinoy has been an advocacy of ours since 2019 and we have been working non-stop in the past year to craft the current bill, which we are now in the process of hearing in preparation for its deliberation in plenary,” Angara said.
The senator said the bill primarily calls for close collaboration between the government and the private sector to achieve a common goal of equipping and enabling Filipino industries and services to become more productive and competitive, produce more complex and higher quality goods.
The bill also seeks to make sure that the Filipino industries become an integral part of the global supply chain and consequently, provide high-paying, quality jobs for Filipinos. The over-all goal of the bill, the senator said, is to make the Philippine economy more vibrant.
The measure is also closely linked to the Philippine Economic Development Plan 2023 to 2028 and the new Philippine Export Development Plan. Angara said both programs are building blocks to achieve strong economic growth.
“We hope to sponsor the bill in plenary before we begin deliberations on the 2024 national budget. Now with the backing of the President, we are optimistic that this measure will receive the support of both our colleagues in the Senate and the House of Representatives,” Angara said.
At the same time, Angara said he finds the President’s second State of the Nation Address (SONA) as comprehensive and forward-looking report.
The senator also said the list of measures the President outlined in his SONA are not that complicated and doable for Congress.
In his nationwide address, the President cited the importance of science, technology and innovation in driving the quality and competitiveness of the country’s workforce, as well as, the manufacturing, export, creative and service industries.
“These along with what the President mentioned about the need for continuous reskilling and upskilling training programs are key components of Tatak Pinoy and will ensure that our workforce will have stronger chances in securing quality jobs,” Angara said.
“It was a very comprehensive SONA. It covered a lot of the important issues being faced by the nation and outlined his legislative agenda. We will continue to work closely with the Executive to implement its policies and programs while working on our own advocacies and priorities,” Angara said.