AS Congress opens the Second Regular Session of the 20th Congress, the House of Representatives is ramping up efforts to pass the remaining half of the administration’s priority bills-measures intended to support the programs of President Marcos in the final two years of his term and ‘help our people as well.’
House Majority Leader Ferdinand Alexander Marcos said the chamber will focus on passing the remaining 26 out of the 52 priority measures endorsed by the Legislative-Executive Development Advisory Council (Ledac) after approving half during the First Regular Session.
‘We have so far passed 26 measures, or half of our target, during the First Regular Session of the 20th Congress. We will work on approving the rest in the course of our second regular session,’ he said.
The legislative push comes as the House, under Speaker Faustino Dy III, aligns its priorities with the development agenda of the administration, with measures aimed at delivering structural reforms and improving public services.
Marcos stressed that the pending bills are designed not only to support the administration’s programs but also to directly benefit Filipinos.
‘We will ensure that these proposed laws will help our President and, more importantly, ease the lives of our people,’ he said.
Among the key measures still in the pipeline are amendments to the Universal Health Care Act, which seek to expand access to healthcare services, as well as reforms targeting specific sectors such as coconut farmers and micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs).
The House is also advancing proposals aimed at strengthening transparency and governance, including amendments to the Bank Secrecy Law and the Anti-Money Laundering Act.
‘People should feel and experience the benefits provided under our laws,’ Marcos added.
Status report
A STATUS report from the House Committee on Rules shows that legislative work on the remaining priority bills is already at various stages.
Of the 26 pending measures, one-the proposed Cybersecurity Act-is already scheduled for plenary action, while another is awaiting a committee report. Nine bills are currently under review by the Committee on Appropriations, and the remaining 15 are still being tackled at the technical working group or committee level.
The bicameral conference committee report on the amendments to the Universal Access to Quality Tertiary Education Act has already been ratified.
Three measures are under conference committee deliberations: the National Center for Geriatric Health, amendments to the Government Assistance to Students and Teachers in Private Education Act, and the Assistance to Individuals in Crisis Situations (AICS) Act.
Twenty-one bills have been approved on third and final reading: Right to Information, Electric Power Industry Reform Act (Epira) Amendments: Energy Regulatory Commission Strengthening, Waste-to-Energy (Waste Treatment Technology and Regulatory Framework) bill, amendments to the National Building Code, Blue Economy Act, National Reintegration Bill, amendments to the Teachers Professionalization Act, Presidential Merit Scholarship Program, extension of Estate Tax Amnesty Period, Department of Water Resources Bill, amendments to the Bank Deposits Secrecy Law, Travel Tax Abolition, Digital Payments Act, amendments to the Biofuels Act, and National Land Use Act.
Approved
THESE measures have already been approved on third reading: amendments to the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps) Act to strengthen and expand its coverage; the Anti-Political Dynasty bill; the measure strengthening the Bases Conversion and Development Authority; the proposed Anti-Online Sexual Abuse or Exploitation of Children (OSAEC) and Anti-Child Sexual Abuse or Exploitation Materials (CSAEM) Act; the Anti-Fake News and Disinformation Act; and amendments to the Masustansyang Pagkain Para sa Batang Pilipino Act.
Of the 26 pending priority measures, one-the Cybersecurity Act- is now in the calendar of business, while another (Disqualifying Relatives of Officials [up to 4th Degree] in Government Contracts) is for the filing of a committee report.
Nine bills are for comments on or transmittal to the Committee on Appropriations: Modernizing the Bureau of Immigration, amendments to the Magna Carta for MSMEs, Classroom-Building Acceleration Program, Reprogramming of Seal of Good Local Governance, Modernizing the Civil Registration System, Citizen Access and Disclosure of Expenditures for National Accountability Act, Disaster Risk Financing Insurance, Magna Carta for Barangay, and Master Plan for Infrastructure and National Development.
The remaining 15 are under technical working group or committee deliberation: Amendments to the Universal Health Care Act, Excise Tax on Single-Use Plastics, Amendments to the Rice Tariffication Law, Creating the Independent People’s Commission, Amendments to the Fisheries Code, Amendments to the Local Government Code (Special Education Fund), and Law on Online Gambling.
The following bills are also under consideration: Amendments to the Coconut Farmers and Industry Trust Fund Act, General Tax Amnesty, Progressive Budgeting for Better and Modernized Governance Act, Fair Use of Social Media, AI, and Internet Technology in Elections, Amendments to the Downstream Oil Industry Deregulation Law, Requiring Civil Servants to Waive Bank Secrecy, Amendments to the Anti-Money Laundering Act, and Party-List System Reform Act.
Momentum
THE House is set to resume sessions on Monday, with at least two measures-including cooperative reforms and the proposed National Thanksgiving Day-ready for plenary voting once proceedings reopen.
Marcos said the chamber deliberately prepared its legislative pipeline ahead of the break to ensure faster action when sessions resume.
‘President Marcos gave Congress a focused development agenda, and Speaker Faustino G. Dy III organized the House to move that agenda from committee work to plenary action with discipline and urgency. We are resuming session with measures already prepared for decision because legislative time must produce concrete results for the Filipino people,’ Marcos said.
The second regular session will open on the morning of July 27, alongside the President’s State of the Nation Address (Sona) scheduled at 4:00 p.m.
The leadership aims to accelerate the passage of the remaining Ledac priorities before the end of the year, reinforcing its commitment to translate the administration’s agenda into enacted laws.
‘President Marcos expects the legislative and executive branches to keep pace with the needs of the country. These three bills are part of a larger production line that includes Ledac priorities, urgent national reforms, and measures already moving toward bicameral deliberation or Senate action,’ Marcos said.