Speaker Ferdinand Martin Romualdez reported 100-percent approval by the House of Representatives of bills prioritized by the Legislative-Executive Development Advisory Council (LEDAC) and by President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. in his State of the Nation Address (SONA) in July 2023, a press release from the House of Representatives said.
Romualdez said the 2023 LEDAC that was supposed to be finished in December, was finished by September, three months in advance. The SONA priorities that were supposed to be done before SONA were done by December, over six months in advance. They are now waiting for the Senate to do their part.
He urged the Senate to work on the LEDAC and SONA priorities instead of being distracted by the People’s Initiative or Resolution of Both Houses, ribbing them for being slow to act.
“Mga senator, trabahuin na lang ‘yung LEDAC at SONA priorities para sa bayan. Paligoy-ligoy kayo. Kaya walang LEDAC kahapon, sa totoo lang nanghihingi pa sila ng extension, (Senators, work on the LEDAC and SONA priorities for the country. You are distracted. That is why there was no LEDAC yesterday, to be honest they are asking for an extension),” Speaker Romualdez said as he reiterated that the lower house had already finished their part but the Senate had not.
The leader of the 300-plus-strong House also reiterated his and his chamber’s continued support to the President.
“I am very much honored to be at the helm of a House of Representatives that is as dedicated and hardworking as the 19th Congress. Mr. President, rest assured that you will have our continued support, and may we all stand united in our goal for a brighter, better Philippines for our countrymen,” he said.
Speaker Romualdez told the meeting that the House “is working hard towards realizing the common legislative agenda of the executive and legislative branches.”
As of September 27, 2023, he said the House has approved all 20 of LEDAC’s priority measures targeted for passage by December last year, three months ahead of schedule.
In fact, he said 10 of the 20 were passed on third reading as early as 2022.
He enumerated these as Internet Transactions Act, Public-Private Partnership Act, Ease of Paying Taxes, New Philippine Passport, Centers for Disease Prevention and Control, HEART Act, Virology and Vaccine Institute of the Philippines, NCST Program Act, Valuation Reform, and Waste Treatment Technology Act.
“Truly, this is a testament to the zeal and commitment of the members of the House of Representatives in passing our common legislative agenda,” Speaker Romualdez said.
He said of the 20 LEDAC bills, five have been enacted into law, while three – New Philippine Passport Act, Salt Industry Development Act and Magna Carta of Filipino Seafarers – would soon be sent to the President for his signature.
Another measure, which contains proposed amendments to the Anti-Agricultural Smuggling Act, is being finalized by a bicameral conference committee.
The rest of the LEDAC measures approved by the House have been sent to the Senate for action, the Speaker reported.
“And out of the 57 LEDAC common legislative agenda measures, all have been approved by the House of Representatives except three. The latest that was approved was the Philippine Self-Reliant Defense Posture Program Act, which was passed on third reading last January 24,” Speaker Romualdez said.*
