MANILA — In an apparent display of its commitment to the administration, the House of Representatives assured the passage of legislative priorities that the President would outline in time for his third State of the Nation Address (SONA) today.
In a Facebook post, House Speaker Martin Romualdez likewise vowed to act swiftly if only to translate mere words into tangible reality.
“The President’s SONA will provide a clear roadmap, and the House is prepared to translate this vision into tangible legislative outcomes,” said Romualdez, who is at the forefront of the 300-plus-strong chamber.
Citing the importance of collective action, the House leader also called on fellow legislators – both from the Senate and the House of Representatives, to unite in support of the President’s agenda.
“As representatives of the people, it is our duty to work together, transcending political differences, to enact laws that will uplift the lives of our fellow Filipinos. The upcoming SONA will inspire and guide us in this noble endeavor,” he stressed.
The President’s SONA coincides with the opening of the third and last regular session of the 19th Congress for which Romualdez made a commitment to prioritize the passage of the 2025 national budget and what remains of the Legislative-Executive Development Advisory Council (LEDAC) priority bills which have yet been enacted.
Interestingly, the executive branch, through the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) has yet to submit (as of this writing) the proposed P6.352-trillion National Expenditure Program (NEP) from the 2025 General Appropriations Bill (GAB) would be based.
Romualdez earlier hinted at passing the 2025 GAB before the end of September 2024.
Aside from next year’s government budget, Romualdez also reiterated the House’s commitment to passing all remaining LEDAC priority bills, including amendments to the Electric Power Industry Reform Act (EPIRA), the Agrarian Reform Law, and the Foreign Investors’ Long-Term Lease Act.
The House of Representatives has so far enacted 77 bills into law, including the New Government Procurement Reform Act and the Anti-Financial Accounts Scamming Act signed by the President last Saturday. (JCO/PIA-NCR)