House passes 19 priority bills ahead of Holy Week break

Speaker Martin Romualdez on Wednesday touted the “impressive performance” of the House of Representatives following the approval of 19 priority measures of the Marcos administration ahead of schedule.

“We have done our homework. Our accomplishments reflect our proactive stance in catering to the needs of the people by passing these much-needed legislation that are attuned to the Philippine Development Plan and the 8-Point Socio-economic Agenda under the Medium-Term Fiscal Framework of His Excellency, President Ferdinand Romualdez Marcos, Jr.,” he added.

“Wala po tayong backlog sa trabaho. Tapos natin ang mga napagkasunduang assignment bago pa man dumating ang deadline. Ang grado natin sa LEDAC: 100 percent,” he also said.

(We don’t have backlogs and we finished ahead of the deadline. We earned 100% as far as LEDAC bills are concerned.)

The deadline for the approval of the bills included the Legislative Executive Development Advisory Council (LEDAC) priority measures was set in June this year.  

Romualdez said the 19 bills approved on third and final reading are the following:

• Philippine Ecosystem and Natural Capital Accounting System
• Negros Island Region
• Philippine Maritime Zones Act
• Amendments to the Anti-Agricultural Smuggling Act
• Philippine Defense Industry Development Act (PDIDA)/Self-Reliant Defense Posture Act
• Valuation Reform bill
• Waste-to-Energy bill
• Instituting a National Citizens Service Training (NCST) Program
• E-Government/E-Governance Act
• Anti-Financial Accounts Scamming Act (AFASA)
• Enabling law for the Natural Gas Industry
• Value Added Tax on Digital Services
• Open Access in Data Transmission Act
• Military and Uniformed Personnel Pension Reform bill
• Blue Economy Act
• Amendments to the Government Procurement Reform Act
• Act Establishing the Department of Water Resources and Services 
• Academic Recovery and Accessible Learning (ARAL) Program Act and
• Corporate Recovery and Tax Incentives for Enterprises to Maximize Opportunities for Reinvigorating the Economy (Create More)

Congress adjourned session on Wednesday, March 20, and will be on break until April 28.—LDF, GMA Integrated News