Philippine House Eyes Passage of Remaining Priority Bills

The House of Representatives is pushing to pass the remaining half of the administration’s priority bills when Congress resumes session. Proposed reforms on healthcare, taxation, elections, and financial transparency are among the measures still awaiting legislative action. House Majority Leader Ferdinand Alexander A. Marcos III stated that 26 of the 52 priority measures endorsed by the Legislative-Executive Development Advisory Council (LEDAC) were passed during the first regular session of the 20th Congress. The remaining 26 measures are slated for deliberation in the upcoming second regular session. Among the pending bills are proposed amendments to the Universal Health Care Act, the Coconut Farmers and Industry Trust Fund Act, the Magna Carta for Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs), the Anti-Money Laundering Act, the Rice Tariffication Law, and the proposed Cybersecurity Act. "We will make sure that these proposed laws will help our President and especially our countrymen to make their lives a little more comfortable," Marcos said. Amendments to the Universal Health Care Act aim to improve the delivery of health services, while proposed changes to the coconut trust fund law and the MSME Magna Carta are designed to boost support for key sectors. Amendments to the Bank Secrecy law and the Anti-Money Laundering Act are intended to enhance transparency and strengthen governance. The proposed Cybersecurity Act has been included in the legislative calendar. A bill barring relatives of public officials up to the fourth degree of consanguinity or affinity from securing government contracts is awaiting a committee report, according to the House Committee on Rules. The House has also approved on third and final reading 21 LEDAC priority measures, including the Right to Information bill, the National Land Use bill, the Department of Water Resources bill, the Digital Payments bill, the Anti-Political Dynasty bill, and changes to the Bank Deposits Secrecy law. Three priority measures remain under bicameral conference committee deliberations. The chamber had earlier enacted 26 LEDAC-backed measures, including the law resetting the first parliamentary elections in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao.