The House of Representatives intends to finish the 19th Congress strong when it resumes sessions on Monday, June 2 after a lengthy legislative recess.
“We started strong, and we will end strong,” House Speaker Martin Romualdez said in a statement Sunday, June 1. The final session day of the 19th Congress will be on June 11, with legislative offices in the House formally closing on June 13.
According to Romualdez, the lower chamber will act swiftly on remaining important pieces of legislation that were left hanging when Congress had to go on break three months ago because of the 2025 mid-term elections.
“Panahon na para tapusin ang mga naiwan nating trabaho (It's now time to finish the job we left). Now is the final stretch of the 19th Congress, and we intend to make every day count,” Romualdez said.
Among the measures that the chamber will take up on third and final reading are House Bill (HB) No. 10987, the Anti-Offshore Gaming Operations Act, which seeks to outlaw POGOs and prohibit offshore gambling operations in the country; and HB No.11359, the Philippine Civil Registry Act, which updates the antiquated system of recording civil status information.
Also slated for final approval are HB No.11430, the Declaration of State of Imminent Disaster Act; HB No.11395, the AICS Act institutionalizing emergency assistance for individuals in crisis; and House Bill 11400, the proposed expansion of senior citizen benefits and privileges.
“Let us move decisively on these bills. Bawat isa sa kanila ay may direktang epekto sa buhay ng mga Pilipino, mula sa kaligtasan ng komunidad, hanggang sa karapatan at benepisyo ng ating mga senior citizens,” Romualdez, Lakas-Christian Muslim Democrats (Lakas-CMD) president and Leyte 1st district congressman, said.
The Anti-POGO bill, in particular, addresses rising concerns about crime, corruption, and national security allegedly linked to offshore gaming operations.
“We owe it to our people to shut the doors on criminal syndicates hiding behind legal loopholes,” the Speaker said. He noted that the measure was an offshoot of the work of the House quad-committee (quad-comm) under Surigao del Norte 2nd district Rep. Robert Ace Barbers.
The House of Representatives processed an impressive volume of legislative work during the 19th Congress, with 13,868 measures filed between July 25, 2022, and May 28, 2025.
Of this number, 11,506 were bills, and 2,361 were various forms of resolutions. The chamber also submitted 1,451 committee reports and ultimately approved 1,493 measures on final reading, including 280 Republic Acts (RA)–93 national and 187 local laws.
Last Thursday, Romualdez proudly reported to President Marcos the House's completion of 27 out of 28 measures under the Common Legislative Agenda (CLA) during the 8th meeting of the Legislative-Executive Development Advisory Council (LEDAC) in Malacañang.
Romualdez--believed to be a shoo-in for Speaker in the upcoming 20th Congress--threw the House’s full backing behind President Marcos' P20 rice program. He added that the government has a moral obligation to do everything in its power to bring affordable rice to every Filipino table.
As the 19th Congress enters its final two weeks, Romualdez reminded lawmakers of their duty to defend democratic institutions amid rising online threats.
“Fake news, disinformation, algorithmic manipulation – these are attacks on truth, on democracy and the Filipino mind. Kaya huwag nating hayaan na patuloy itong kumalat (So let us not allow this to continue spreading),” he expressed.
“Sa huling mga araw ng 19th Congress, ipakita natin na ang House of the People ay tahanan ng katotohanan, katarungan at kaayusan. Tayo ang tagapagtanggol ng tiwala ng taumbayan,” he said.
(In the final days of the 19th Congress, let us show that the House of the People is a home for truth, justice, and order. We are the guardians of the people's trust.)