JV gains backing for key measures

Senator JV Ejercito on Wednesday welcomed the inclusion of five of his priority measures in the Marcos administration’s Common Legislative Agenda (CLA), following the recent Legislative-Executive Development Advisory Council (LEDAC) meeting.

The inclusion of the measures among the 44 priority bills for the 20th Congress reaffirms Ejercito’s commitment to push for reforms in infrastructure planning, healthcare, local governance and social protection.

Ejercito’s priority bills on the list include the Masterplan for Infrastructure and National Development (MIND) Act, amendments to the Universal Healthcare (UHC) Law, the Magna Carta for Barangays, amendments to the Expanded Feeding Program and the proposal to regulate online gambling.

“These proposed measures are truly timely, and it’s good to see that the administration also recognizes their importance — especially when it comes to improving our infrastructure,” said Ejercito, who serves as Senate Deputy Majority Leader.

The senator stressed that the MIND Act aims to create a long-term, institutionalized infrastructure blueprint that would prevent “piecemeal” and politically driven projects.

“If we pass the masterplan soon, we can avoid poorly planned and piecemeal projects,” said the lawmaker, stressing the need for continuity in planning across administrations.

As a principal author of the original Universal Healthcare Act, Ejercito is now pushing for amendments to bolster funding mechanisms and improve implementation, noting that gaps in execution continue to prevent Filipinos from fully accessing services.

“The promise of UHC must be realized — not in paper, but in the lives of our people,” he said.

Ejercito is also advocating for greater support and autonomy for local village officials through the proposed Magna Carta for Barangays. The bill seeks to institutionalize regular salaries, benefits and capacity-building programs for the local units he calls “the heart of governance.”