Speaker: 19 priority bills passed in 5 months

MANILA, Philippines — Before Congress went on recess last Thursday, 19 priority bills of the Marcos administration have been approved by the House of Representatives, Speaker Martin Romualdez said yesterday.

According to Romualdez, the “record accomplishment” of the House was the passage of 19 priority legislations, including House Bill 6608 creating the Maharlika Investment Fund (MIF).

He noted these bills will boost economic development and provide better public service to the Filipino people.

“In just about five months, we have approved on third and final reading 10 of these measures. In addition, 37 other national bills and 128 local bills were likewise approved on third and final reading,” he pointed out.

Romualdez said the MIF bill is the government’s response to the need “for a more efficient, steady and reliable growth of the nation’s coffers, using well-thought of investment gains that will ultimately redound to the benefit of the Filipino people.”

He added the lower chamber looks forward to the enactment of several other priority bills it has passed on third and final reading that were part of the Common Legislative Agenda of the Legislative-Executive Development Advisory Council.

These include the National Disease Prevention Management Authority or Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Medical Reserve Corps, Agrarian Reform Debts Condonation, Philippine Passport Act, Internet Transaction Act/E-Commerce Law, Waste-to-Energy Bill, Free Legal Assistance for Police and Soldiers, Apprenticeship Act, Public-Private Partnership Act, Magna Carta of Barangay Health Workers, Valuation Reform Bill (Package 3), Eastern Visayas Development Authority and the Leyte Ecological Industrial Zone.