House vows to pass 3 remaining Marcos priority bills before 19th Congress exit

The House of Representatives has pledged to pass the remaining three of the 28 priority bills of the Marcos administration before their term ends next year for the opening of the 20th Congress.  

The said bills are the Amendments to the Agrarian Reform Law and Electric Power Industry Reform Act, both pending at the committee level, and Amendments to the Foreign Investors' Long-Term Lease Act, which has yet to be filed in Congress.

Speaker Martin Romualdez said the House leadership is dedicated to working "together and diligently to achieve our shared goals of passing these measures before the end of the 19th Congress" in mid-next year.

The Legislative Executive Development Advisory Council (LEDAC), a consultative and advisory body to the President, who is its head, released on Tuesday its 28 priority measures, which are scheduled to be passed by June next year.

Of the 28 LEDAC bills, 25 are already in the final stages and approved by the House, according to Romualdez, deeming the measures "crucial to the country's development agenda."

This includes the proposed Archipelagic Sea Lanes Act, Reforms to the Philippine Capital Markets, and Amendments to the Rice Tarrification Law, among others.

"The House of the People has done its homework. Our accomplishments reflect our proactive stance in catering to the needs of the people by passing these much-needed legislation attuned to the Philippine Development Plan and the 8-point socio-economic agenda under the Medium-Term Fiscal Framework of the President," the House chief said.

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., Romualdez stated, sees urgent approval of these bills in order to advance the administration's policies for a continued economic recovery, progress, and stability of the country.

Romualdez, meanwhile, has high hopes that the House and the new Senate leadership will have smoother cooperation and a closer relationship under Senate President Escudero.