Palace Hopes Congress Passes Marcos Priority Bills Amid Budget Season, Impeachment Trial

Malacañang on Wednesday expressed hope that Congress would pass President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s priority legislative measures despite the upcoming deliberations on the proposed 2027 national budget and the ongoing impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte. During a Palace briefing, Palace Press Officer Claire Castro said the President remains optimistic that lawmakers would expedite action on the administration’s priority bills because they are intended to benefit the public. “Since iyan po naman din ay priority bills ng Pangulo ay umaasa po siya na ito ay mapapabilis kasi ito ay para talaga sa ating mga kababayan,” Castro said. (Since these are the President’s priority bills, he hopes they will be expedited because they are really for the benefit of our countrymen.) Castro made the statement after being asked whether the administration remained confident that the measures could still be approved this year despite Congress shifting its focus to the proposed national budget next month and the Senate’s impeachment proceedings. She also gave an update on the status of the eight priority measures identified by the President. According to Castro, the proposed National Center for Geriatric Health Act, amendments to the Government Assistance to Students and Teachers in Private Education (GASTPE) Act, and the proposed Assistance to Individuals in Crisis Situations (AICS) Act remain pending before the bicameral conference committee. The proposed amendments to the Universal Access to Quality Tertiary Education Act are likewise pending, while the Last Mile and Geographically Isolated, Disadvantaged and Conflict-Affected Areas Schools Act has already been enrolled and its copy was transmitted to Malacañang on June 25. Meanwhile, the proposed amendments to the Masustansyang Pagkain para sa Batang Pilipino Act were sponsored on the Senate floor on June 17. Castro also said the proposed Anti-Political Dynasty Act has been approved on third reading by the House of Representatives and is currently under the period of interpellation on second reading in the Senate. The proposed Presidential Merit Scholarship Program, meanwhile, has also passed the House on third reading and is pending before the Senate Committee on Higher, Technical and Vocational Education. Asked whether the President would discuss the priority measures in his upcoming State of the Nation Address on July 27, Castro declined to give details. “Ayaw kong pangunahan ang Pangulo,” she said. (I don’t want to preempt the President.) Meanwhile, Castro said President Marcos remains focused on governance despite fluctuations in his survey ratings. She made the remark after being asked about a recent survey showing a decline in the President’s dissatisfaction rating and an increase in his satisfaction rating. “Tumaas, bumaba, ang Pangulo ay hindi po apektado ng numero. Ang focus ng Pangulo ay magtrabaho,” Castro said. (Whether the numbers go up or down, the President is not affected by them. His focus is on working.) Castro noted that the administration still takes survey results into account to help determine which issues require greater attention. “Hindi iyan dini-disregard… nakikita rin ng mga miyembro ng Gabinete ano ang dapat na i-push, ano iyong dapat na pagtuunan ng pansin.” (They are not disregarded… Cabinet members also look at them to determine what programs should be pushed and what concerns need more attention.) She added, however, that the President’s priorities remain unchanged. “In the first place hindi naman siya tatakbo bilang Pangulo sa susunod. So, trabaho lang po ang Pangulo," she added. (In the first place, he will not be running for President again. So, the President is simply focused on doing his job.) — RSJ, GMA News