House Speaker Martin Romualdez (2nd from right) converses with Cabinet officials and fellow lawmakers during the Legislative-Executive Development Advisory Council (LEDAC) meeting Wednesday, July 5 in Malacañang. (Speaker’s office)

The House of Representatives will pass within this year 20 measures that were identified during the Legislative Executive Development Advisory Council (LEDAC) meeting Wednesday, July 5 in Malacañang.

Speaker Martin Romualdez gave this commitment as he looked forward to the start of the second regular session later this month.

“Rest assured that the 'House of the People' will remain steadfast and committed to being partners of the executive branch to spur economic growth, alleviate poverty, augment healthcare services, and foster job creation for all Filipinos,” said Romualdez, who led the House contingent to the key meeting.

Headed by Romualdez, the lower chamber has a big headstart on the task as it has already approved on third and final reading 16 out these 20 LEDAC measures--also known as common legislative agenda (CLA)--during the first regular session of the 19th Congress.

The four remaining measures that are in varying stages of progress in the House are the proposed National Rightsizing Program; Unified System of Separation, Retirement and Pension of Military and Uniformed Personnel (MUPs); National Employment Action Plan; and the Amendments to the Anti-Agricultural Smuggling Act.

Romualdez, Leyte's 1st district representative and arguably Marcos' top ally in the legislature, vowed that the House would "act on the pending measures with careful dispatch".

The following 16 bills and proposals listed on the CLA have already been granted final House approval: Amendments to the Build-Operate-Transfer (BOT) Law/ Public Private Partnership (PPP) Bill, National Disease Prevention Management Authority, Internet Transactions Act/E-Commerce Law, Medical Reserves Corps Act, Virology Institute of the Philippines Act, Mandatory Reserve Officers Training Corps (ROTC) and National Service Training Program (NSTP) Act, Revitalizing the Salt Industry Act, Valuation Reform Act, E-Government/E-Governance Act, Ease of Paying Taxes Act, LGU Income Classification Act, Waste-to-Energy Act, New Philippine Passport Act, Magna Carta of Filipino Seafarers, Amendments to the Bank Deposits Secrecy Law, and the Anti-Financial Accounts Scamming Act.

Out of the list, the proposed Amendments to the Bank Deposits Secrecy Law and the Anti-Financial Accounts Scamming Act were added to the CLA only during the LEDAC meeting itself.

“Upon the start of the second regular session of the 19th Congress, I together with the rest of the members of the House of Representatives will continue our efforts in realizing the President’s vision to greatly improve the Philippine economy, to reduce the prices of everyday commodities, and to increase the purchasing power of every Filipino citizen,” Romualdez said, referring to the resumption of sessions on July 24.

President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. is also scheduled to deliver his second State of the Nation Address (SONA) that day.

Marcos led the LEDAC meeting. Ranking senators and several Cabinet members also took part in it.

Congress, which which composed of the House and the Senate, is currently on recess.