Malacañang said the 20 priority bills pushed by President Marcos are on track for passage this year.
Following the third Legislative-Executive Development Advisory Council (LEDAC) meeting on Wednesday, Sept. 20, the Presidential Communications Office (PCO) said that both houses of Congress are on track for the December passage of the 20 priority measures requested by the President, including the General Appropriations Bill.
Senate President Juan Miguel Zubiri said the 20 measures were requested by the President to be passed in December during the last LEDAC meeting.
“And we are happy to announce na halos kalahati ay natapos na rin namin sa Senado. Magiging batas na po siya and those that are pending na magiging batas within the next few weeks, and hopefully the President will be able to sign it (And we are happy to announce that almost half have been completed in the Senate. Those that are pending will be passed into law within the next few weeks), and hopefully the President will be able to sign it ,” Zubiri said.
"[W]e will pass this as soon as possible time. Pinakamatagal na end of the year, which is this December, kasama po ng kanyang (including the) General Appropriations Act,” Zubiri added.
The 20 bills identified as priority measures for passage by end of December this year include the National Employment Action Plan; LGU Income Classification, Internet Transaction Act, BOT/PPP Act, Salt Development Industry Act, Ease of Paying Taxes, Real Property Evaluation and Assessment Reform Act, Magna Carta for Seafarers, and Anti-Agriculture Smuggling Act.
Other measures are the Waste-to-Energy Bill, National Disease Prevention Management Authority, Amendments to the Banking Act or the Fund Secrecy Law, Medical Reserve Corps, Virology Institute of the Philippines, E-Governance Act, New Philippine Passport Act, the National Government Rightsizing Act, the National Scamming Act, the National Citizens Service Training Program Act and the Military and Uniformed Personnel Pension System Act.
House Speaker Martin Romualdez, on the other hand, said that 18 out of the 20 legislation to be passed by year-end had already been approved by the House of Representatives.
READ MORE: 2 bills to go: House poised to complete LEDAC list 3 months in advance