Senate President Francis “Chiz” Escudero on Friday, December 27 expressed pride on the way the Upper Chamber has become of the most productive in history with a total of 72 bills already signed into law, halfway through the Third Regular Session of the 19th Congress.
“We maximized each session day and leveraged every hour, minute and second on the Senate floor. We passed 108 bills in total. Of these, 72 reached the President’s desk and were signed into law, including 11 LEDAC priority measures,” Escudero said in a statement.
Moreover, Escudero said the Senate was able to focus on passing laws that would help the Marcos administration achieve its development plans, strengthen Philippine sovereignty, improve the lives of many Filipinos and increase the country’s viability as an investment destination.
He also said many of the laws they passed were the result of the inquiries conducted by the various committees of the Senate in aid of legislation.
“Our hearings, probes and exposés did not merely serve dinner-table gossip for the people’s entertainment,” Escudero said.
“These brought to the table a bounty of bills that will fill plates, sustain families and nourish Filipinos for generations to come,” he stressed.
The Senate leader credited the accomplishments of the chamber to his colleagues and all the staff and employees, who tirelessly worked to deliver meaningful legislation to the people and the country as a whole.
“Indeed, in the past year we weathered typhoons, braved stormy public opinion and navigated choppy political waters. We overcame these challenges because our 23 senators, strengthened by diversity, sharing a common vision and united in purpose, are more than the sum of its parts,” he said.
During the First Regular Session, from July 25, 2022 to June 2, 2024, a total of 19 laws were enacted, including the bills approved during the latter part of the 18th Congress.
For the Second Regular Session, which ran from July 24, 2023 to May 24, 2024, yielded a total of 54 laws, while five were vetoed by President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.
At least 108 measures were approved on third and final reading by the Senate during the Escudero-led Third Regular Session.
Also, 44 of the bills have been transmitted to the President for his approval, including the 2025 General Appropriations Bill, while seven others are pending action by the bicameral conference committee level.
The Senate also adopted a total of 106 simple resolutions and nine (9) concurrent resolutions in the first half of the third regular session.
“We did not sacrifice quality for quantity, scrutiny for speed nor consensus for expedience in passing these measures. Each bill underwent the crucible of deliberation and debate, carving out the extraneous, the excessive and the unconstitutional,” Escudero said.
He said that this rigorous vetting of bills helps in preventing a veto by the President.
Escudero vowed to pass as many bills pending once sessions resume in January 2025.
The Senate chief said the Senate will make the most out of its remaining session days, taking into consideration the start of the campaign for the 2025 May elections and with the 19th Congress adjourning on June 14, 2025.