Senate President Juan Miguel "Migz" Zubiri and House Speaker Martin Romualdez (Speaker’s office)

Members of the House of Representatives are seeking stronger collaboration with their colleagues in the Senate on the priority bills of the Marcos administration.

During a press conference on Wednesday, May 15, various ranking congressmen pushed for the Senate to act on the proposed amendments to the Rice Tariffication Law (RTL), in the effort to lower rice prices.

House Deputy Speaker and Quezon 2nd district Rep. David “Jay-jay” Suarez told senators to set aside supposed leadership issues and politicking, in favor of “[moving] forward with regards to the best interest of the Filipino”.

“Ninanais natin na maging matagumpay ang kanyang administrasyon (President Marcos) at sa ilalim ng kanyang administrasyon may mga kinakailangan na mga panukalang batas na maipasa upang masiguro na iyong mga ninanais ng kanyang administrasyon ay makamit at nakasalalay po dito ang kooperasyon ng Kongreso at Senado,” Suarez said.

(We want his administration to be successful and under his administration, there are necessary bills to be passed to ensure that the wishes of his administration are achieved and the cooperation of Congress and the Senate depends on this.)

Suarez was referring to the measures identified by Marcos through the Legislative-Executive Development Advisory Council (LEDAC).

The House of Representatives under Speaker Martin Romualdez, has approved all of these priority bills and has transmitted them to the Senate.

Meanwhile, the Senate is aiming to pass 15 of these measures before Congress goes on sine die adjournment on May 22. According to Senate President Juan Miguel “Migz” Zubiri, the remaining eight would be approved in June.

“Kaya siguro ang mahalaga po para sa atin ay (So maybe the important thing for us is) to be united in this position because we’re all fighting for the same common cause and that’s the Filipino people,” added Suarez.

Davao Oriental Rep. Cheeno Miguel Almario said that for the “sake of efficiency”, senators should consider close cooperation with congressmen.

“I’m very sure that whatever the request the Senator may have regarding a particular bill, be it a priority bill or not, the House is willing also to provide,” said Almario.

“So that at least that both bodies can be on the same page and therefore fulfilling the initial purpose which is to pass a bill that is for the benefit of the Filipino people,” he continued.

For his part, 1-RIDER Party-list Rep. Rodge Gutierrez suggests that there may be a “prioritization issue” in the Senate that ultimately slows down their legislative efforts.

“I'm not aware of the rules doon pero dito po kasi sa House kapag meron po kaming mga panukalang batas or inquiry na gustong mailapit, maitalakay sa committee, dumadaan po yan sa Rules Committee and they set the tone kung ano po dapat ang priority na kailangan ng taongbayan at ano yung makakapaghintay,” he said.

(I'm not aware of the rules there but here in the House when we have bills or inquiries that want to be brought up, deliberated in a committee, it goes through the Rules Committee and they set the tone as to what should be the priority that our countrymen need and what can wait.)

Lanao del Norte 1st district Rep. Mohamad Khalid Dimaporo, meanwhile, said that in some cases political timing influences how senators act.

Dimaporo cited the case of his push for the Marawi Compensation Bill, where he pointed out that senators were “somewhat pressured” to pass the measure given that the year after its passage was an election year.

“We knew that the senators would move, because if they go to Marawi City and wala pang approval ng (there is no approval of the) Marawi Compensation Bill, the ball is in their court, maraming magagalit sa kanila (many will be angry with them),” he noted.

Whether or not there is political pressure, Dimaporo underscored that the Senate should perform its obligation for the “benefit of the Filipino people and to ensure the success of the Bongbong Marcos administration”.