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Manila Bulletin devider Philippines devider National devider Marcos gets Congress commitment to pass 4 priority bills as VP impeachment trial is reset

Marcos gets Congress commitment to pass 4 priority bills as VP impeachment trial is reset

Published May 30, 2025 12:56 pm  |  Updated May 30, 2025 01:04 pm

At A Glance

  • The four priority bills are the National Government Resizing Program, Amendments to the Right of Way Act, Amendments to the Cooperative Code, and the proposed creation of a National Disease Prevention and Management Authority.
Lawmakers have assured President Marcos that four of the administration’s key priority bills will move forward in Congress, as the Senate decided to reset the presentation of Articles of Impeachment against Vice President Sara Duterte to June 12 from June 2.

President Ferdinand 'Bongbong' Marcos Jr. (Mark Balmores)

In a Palace briefing on Friday, May 30, Communications Undersecretary Claire Castro confirmed that the House of Representatives and Senate gave their commitment during Thursday's meeting of the Legislative-Executive Development Advisory Council (LEDAC).

"Yes, opo," Castro said when asked if Congress promised to prioritize pending legislation.

"May apat na priority bills na napag-usapan sa LEDAC (Four priority bills were discussed during the LEDAC),” she added.

These include the National Government Resizing Program, Amendments to the Right of Way Act, Amendments to the Cooperative Code, and the proposed creation of a National Disease Prevention and Management Authority.

According to Castro, the National Government Resizing Program bill has already been approved by the House and is now pending in the Senate. She emphasized its importance in improving government efficiency.

"Kapag po ito ay maisabatas, mas magiging maganda po ang serbisyong maibibigay sa taong bayan (Once this is passed, it will improve the quality of services for the public)," she said.

The measure seeks to eliminate redundant and overlapping government functions and shift resources toward more essential programs.

On the other hand, the proposed Amendments to the Right-of-Way Act aim to address persistent implementation delays in major infrastructure projects resulting from right-of-way acquisition bottlenecks.

The Amendments to the Cooperative Code intend to increase the viability and competitiveness of cooperatives, improve governance and auditing, and encourage the use of technology and innovation in operations, especially for rural and micro-cooperatives.

Lastly, the proposed National Disease Prevention and Management Authority aims to create a new agency focused on long-term public health readiness and tasked with strengthening disease surveillance, coordinating national vaccination programs, and preparing for future pandemics by institutionalizing proactive health policies and emergency response systems.

Impeachment trial delayed

Meanwhile, Castro said the Senate's postponement of the presentation of the impeachment complaint against Vice President Duterte from June 2 to June 12 was not discussed during the LEDAC meeting.

“Wala pong nabanggit (Nothing was mentioned),” she said.

The Vice President is facing impeachment over the alleged misuse of confidential funds and public statements perceived as threats against President Marcos and other officials.

Senators have yet to finalize the rules and procedure for the trial. The House of Representatives endorsed the complaint and will act as prosecutors.

President Marcos has repeatedly said he does not support the impeachment and has kept his Cabinet focused on governance rather than political distractions.

Related Tags

President Marcos Bongbong Marcos Claire Castro LEDAC priority bill
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