Marcos Jr.'s Fourth Year: Few Pet Bills Enacted as Congress Struggles

As President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. prepares to deliver his State of the Nation Address (SONA) on July 27, he will have limited legislative accomplishments to showcase from the past year. Rappler's research indicates that the number of bills enacted during his fourth year in office has hit an all-time low compared to his first three years. Several factors contribute to this slowdown. The transition to a new Congress following midterm elections typically requires lawmakers time to establish their footing. Additionally, President Marcos Jr. himself is reportedly reevaluating his political capital as allies begin to focus on the upcoming presidential polls. However, unique circumstances have also played a significant role over the past year. Major leadership shakeups have plagued both the House of Representatives and the Senate. The disarray within the upper chamber, in particular, has stalled momentum on crucial legislative work. Out of the 52 priority measures identified by the Legislative-Executive Development Advisory Council (LEDAC), only one has been enacted: the resetting of elections in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) to September this year. Another bill, proposing amendments to the Universal Access to Quality Tertiary Education Act, has an approved conference committee report but has not yet reached the President's desk for signature before his annual speech. Bills such as the Anti-Online Sexual Abuse or Exploitation of Children (OSAEC) and Anti-Child Sexual Abuse or Exploitation Materials (CSAEM) Act, and a measure institutionalizing the Assistance to Individuals in Crisis Situations (AICS), have been approved separately by both chambers. However, disagreements between the House and Senate have prevented their reconciliation through a bicameral conference committee. Arjan Aguirre, a political science professor at Ateneo de Manila University, noted that a lower output from Congress is consistent with historical patterns, especially in the first regular session of a newly-elected Congress. However, he emphasized that the leadership instability in the Senate since May has significantly aggravated the legislative branch's dismal performance. When the upper chamber is preoccupied with internal realignments, committee meetings falter, and plenary sessions are suspended, narrowing the bandwidth for serious legislative work and weakening the administration's ability to push its priority measures. Historically, the Senate has been perceived as a bottleneck for legislation, with bills often getting stalled despite easy passage in the House, which is typically more aligned with the president. The Senate, traditionally more independent, scrutinizes bills more rigorously, sometimes leading to their languishing. While it is a common belief that a president gradually becomes a "lame duck" after midterm elections, analysts suggest it is too early to conclude that Marcos Jr.'s waning political capital is the sole reason for Congress's low legislative output. Aguirre explained that political capital and legislative output are interconnected but distinct; political capital relies on relationships and leverage, while legislative output depends on institutional processes and timing. Information Source: Rappler Philippines