Speaker Martin Romualdez on Wednesday said he will defer to the discretion of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. whether to certify the measure as urgent.

In a press briefing in Belgium with members of the Philippine media, Romualdez pointed out that despite initial concerns over the proposed measure, more lawmakers have expressed their desire to be included among the co-authors of the measure.

"The Majority Floor Leader (Manuel Jose Dalipe) told me that we had over 220 (co-authors) and I think by the time I get back it might reach 250," he said.

"So, there will be over two-thirds of the House who will be co-authoring because there have been exhaustive briefings," he added.

As of 2:30 p.m., the official records in the House showed that the total number of lawmakers who signified their intention to be co-authors of House Bill 6608 seeking to establish the MIF has ballooned to 251.

Even before the opening of the plenary deliberations on the measure last Monday, several party leaders voiced their support for the passage of the bill following amendments that removed the Social Security System and Government Service and Insurance System as mandatory sources of seed money to start the MIF.

Despite having the numbers in the House to pass the MIF, Romualdez said it is still up to the President if he wants to certify the bill as urgent so it could be approved on the third and final reading before the House adjourns for its Christmas break.

"Well, that's up to him (President Marcos)," Romualdez said when asked if the President wants to ensure swift passage of the bill in the House.

Senate Majority Floor Leader Joel Villanueva earlier said that the proposed MIF was not part of the priority measures by the president.

Villanueva said the proposed MIF was not included in the list of priority measures discussed in their recent Legislative-Executive Development Advisory Council meeting.

By certifying the bill as urgent, the House can dispense with the three-day rule — the requirement of the Constitution that no bill shall become a law unless it has passed three readings on separate days.

On Sunday, the President told reporters during his flight to Belgium that the creation of the MIF was his idea, as he also expressed support for the measure in the House.

Marcos stressed that the country needs additional investments and creating the MIF is one way to achieve this goal.