The House of Representatives isn't so obsessed with Vice President Sara Duterte's upcoming Senate impeachment trial that it has neglected its legislative function.

Tingog Party-list Rep. Jude Acidre had this to say on May 30 during the Saturday News Forum at the Dapo Restaurant in Quezon City, even as impeachment trial remained the dominant topic in the House.

"I know that the country is facing so many challenges at the moment…Alam natin na maraming problem ang bansa natin, at hindi po naman nagkukulang ang Kongreso,” Acidre said.

(We know that our country has many problems, and Congress is not lacking in effort.)

Proof of this is the recent second-reading passage of the proposed Kalinga Act, which was principally authored by House Speaker Faustino “Bojie” Dy III and Majority Leader Sandro Marcos. It is the chamber’s all-encompassing response to the fuel price crisis.

“We’ve just voted on Kalinga Bill that would present the overall response to the ongoing crisis and for every crisis na puwede nating kaharapin bilang bansa (that we could face as a country)” he said.

“We’ve made sure that we have a strong legislative action framework on how to respond to emergencies,” Acidre noted.

The House, in its marathon session last Tuesday, May 26, also approved on second reading five measures identified by the Legislative-Executive Development Advisory Council (LEDAC) as priority bills of the Marcos administration.

Backed by both Speaker Dy and Rep. Marcos, the five measures covered economic development, social welfare, digital safety, and government transparency.

They are:

1. House Bill (HB) No. 9257 - Strengthening the Bases Conversion and Development Authority;

2. HB No. 9397 - Right to Information Act of 2026;

3. HB No. 9461 - Child Online Safety and Protection Act of 2026;

4. HB No. 9465 - An Act Prohibiting the Deliberate Dissemination of False Information that Poses Verifiable Public Harm or Serious Threat to National Security, Establishing Digital Platform Accountability and Transparency Mechanisms, and Promoting Media and Digital Literacy; and

5. HB No. 9466 - Converting the National Feeding Program into a National Nutrition Program

This, Acidre said, showed that the House was attending to its legislative work while still pursuing accountability on Vice President Duterte through her impeachment trial.

"Eto po ay nagpapakita na ang Kongreso ay hindi lang po tayo nakatutok sa mas maingay na aspeto ng kalagayan ng bansa natin katulad ng impeachment, pero hindi po natin napapabayaan din ang kabuuang tungkulin natin na maglingkod sa bayan,” he stressed.

(This shows that Congress is not only focused on the louder aspects of our nation’s situation like impeachment, but we also do not neglect our overall duty to serve the people.)

“I think is a good indication of how the House of Representatives takes seriously its role not only in the impeachment trial but also in the overall task of governance,” the Tingog lawmaker said.

“Parehong kailangang gawin, parehong kailangang bigyan ng atensyon, bigyan ng effort kasi in the end, ang taong bayan din naman ang kailangan nating i-fulfill ang obligasyon natin sa kanila,” he explained.

(Both must be done, both must be given attention and effort, because in the end, it is the people to whom we must fulfill our obligation.)

Acidre pointed out that it is also important to pursue accountability on the part of government officials. "Kung hindi natin kayang panagutin ang mga nasa kapangyarihan, eh magiging mahirap na mapapanagot namin sa quality of governance, sa delivery of service."

(If we cannot hold those in power accountable, then it will be difficult to ensure accountability in the quality of governance and delivery of service.It is important that those in public service are held accountable.)

He said the impeachment process may be largely political but that it should it should be “put in the context of overall governance".

“Kasi, mahalagang may pananagutan ang mga nasa paglilingkod bayan. Hindi lang natin puwedeng ibalewala itong mga akusasyon, itong mga reklamo, itong mga ebidensiya na naipakita dahil lang sa kalagayan ng politika natin,” Acidre emphasized.

(We cannot simply ignore these accusations, these complaints, these pieces of evidence presented, just because of the state of our politics.)