House to fast-track Marcos priority bills, says majority leader

THE House of Representatives is accelerating action on President Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr.’s priority measures, with several bills now nearing plenary deliberation, the chamber’s majority leader said on Monday.

House Majority Leader and Ilocos Norte Rep. Ferdinand Alexander “Sandro” A. Marcos III said eight measures under the Legislative-Executive Development Advisory Council (LEDAC) priority list are set for discussion at the House floor.

“These committee-level approvals show that the House is doing the hard work earlier under the leadership of Speaker Dy — building consensus, refining policy and making sure the measures we bring to the floor are ready,” he said in a statement.

He was referring to Speaker Faustino “Bojie” G. Dy III, who was elected to lead the chamber in September following leadership turmoil linked to the multibillion-peso flood control controversy.

Mr. Marcos said the House had approved 12 priority bills as of February, including amendments to the bank secrecy law and a measure extending the estate tax amnesty period.

LEDAC recently added four more measures to the administration’s legislative agenda, including proposals to abolish the travel tax and to address the spread of disinformation.

Several other priority bills have cleared their respective mother committees and are awaiting action from the House Appropriations Committee on funding provisions.

These include proposals to establish an independent anti-graft body for public works projects, pass a national land use act, and enact a magna carta for small businesses.

Measures seeking to create a presidential scholarship program, reset elections in the Bangsamoro autonomous region, amend the government’s cash-assistance program for poor Filipinos, expand scholarship support and strengthen the Bureau of Immigration are also pending appropriations clearance.

“Our focus remains on bills that directly affect education, health, food security and social protection — areas where legislation translates into real impact for Filipino families,” the presidential son said.

He added that the chamber aims to ensure measures are thoroughly reviewed before reaching the floor.

“The goal is to pass sound, well-vetted laws that people can actually feel in their daily lives, whether in the classroom, at the health center, or at the dinner table,” he said. “That’s progress, and we intend to sustain it.” — Kenneth Christiane L. Basilio