Senate President Francis “Chiz” Escudero on Friday, June 28 vowed that the Senate will focus on crafting laws that would alleviate the daily burdens of Filipinos.
Guided by his vision, “Hayahay ang Buhay, Bayang Matiwasay,” Escudero said the Upper Chamber will continue to pass business-friendly bills at the same time ensuring that laws benefitting the poor are also approved concurrently with these initiatives.
“I have noticed that we have been passing a genre of laws that ease the burden on big business, including ease of unloading bad loans of banks, we already have laws on that,” Escudero pointed out.
“It is time to reframe our work and pivot it to laws that make life easier for our people,” he added.
“Why only ease of doing business? Why not ease of finishing school, ease of finding work, or ease of getting healthcare when one is sick?”
Escudero earlier met with President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr., Speaker Martin Romualdez, Cabinet officials, and other leaders from the Senate and the House of Representatives during his first Legislative-Executive Development Advisory Council (LEDAC) meeting.
The Senate chief noted there is a need for laws that addresses essential aspects of everyday life, ensuring all Filipinos have access to education, employment, and healthcare.
Escudero said it is time to focus on creating tangible benefits for the Filipino people.
“‘Yan ang mga pagtutuunan ng pansin ng Senado. Para ang resulta ay Hayahay na Buhay, Bayang Matiwasay (That’s what the Senate will focus on. So that in the end the result would be a good life, and a prosperous nation),” he declared.
Meanwhile, Escudero reaffirmed the Senate’s commitment to passing critical legislation while maintaining rigorous scrutiny. He also said each measure listed in the LEDAC’s Common Legislative Agenda would be thoroughly reviewed before forwarded to the President for his signature.
But the Upper Chamber will never sacrifice scrutiny for speed.
“For the Senate, the phrase ‘deliberative body’ is not a slogan routinely spoken but a style of work religiously observed,” he said.
“Through this rigorous process, the Senate ensures that proposed laws are implementation-ready and veto-proof, especially on bills that have budgetary impacts, fiscal repercussions, and economic implications,” he stressed.