Priority bills passed by House before Yule break

MANILA, Philippines — All the priority measures outlined by President Marcos in his legislative agenda will be approved by the House of Representatives before Congress goes on a Christmas break on Dec. 15, according to Speaker Martin Romualdez.

The final version of the P5.768-trillion national budget for 2024 is expected to be released by senators and congressmen comprising the bicameral conference committee on Dec. 11, Romualdez told The STAR at the yearend gathering of the Cornell Club of the Philippines.

The Speaker, a banking lawyer by profession, is an alumnus of Cornell University in New York.

“By the end of the session, all the priority bills listed by President Marcos in the Legislative-Executive Development Advisory Council and those he mentioned in his July 2022 SONA will be passed by the House,” Romualdez, a first cousin of the Chief Executive, vowed.

Among the LEDAC pieces of legislation that are awaiting third and final reading next week are House Bills 9674 (Revised Government Auditing Code), 9663 (Department of Water Resources), 9673 (Revised Cooperative Code) and 9648 (Government Procurement Act).

Other SONA-listed measures that may also be approved are House Bills 9647 (Motor Vehicle User’s Charge/Road User’s Tax), 8525 (Tatak Pinoy or Proudly Filipino Act) and 9662 (Blue Economy Law).

When Congress resumed session last Nov. 5 after a month-long break, the lower legislative chamber said it is focused on ratifying the 2024 national budget and passing 11 more priority bills of the President.

“We are resolute in our mission to fulfill our legislative duties and responsibilities. Our primary focus continues to be the legislative agenda outlined by President Marcos, and we are fully committed to working diligently to pass these vital bills,” Romualdez said.

The total 11 priority measures come from those listed under the LEDAC as well as those mentioned by Marcos in his second State of the Nation Address last July 25.

LEDAC and SONA bills have a combined 17 pieces of legislation, but since there have been six “common” measures each in LEDAC and SONA, these six will be integrated; plus four others that were mentioned in LEDAC list, and another one in