HALOS tapos na ng Kamara de Representantes ang lahat ng priority bills na kailangan ng administrasyon ni Pangulong Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. at napagkasunduan na isabatas ng Legislative-Executive Development Advisory Council (LEDAC).

Ito ang sinabi ni Speaker Ferdinand Martin G. Romualdez isang araw bago ang muling pagbubukas ng sesyon ng Kongreso sa Lunes.

“We are almost done with the priority bills agreed upon by Congress and the executive branch. We have approved on final reading all but four of the 57 measures in the LEDAC list,” ani Speaker Romualdez.

Tatlong panukala na lang aniya ang nalalabi at kailangan aprubahan at isa sa mga ito ang isasalang na sa ikatlo at huling pagbasa ng Kamara de Representantes.

Bukod dito, sinabi ni Speaker Romualdez na ang House Bill (HB) No. 9713, o, “An Act institutionalizing a Philippine self-reliant defense posture program and promoting the development of a national defense industry pursuant thereto” ay aaprubahan din ng Kamara.

Ayon kay Speaker Romualdez kailangan ng bansa ng isang matatag na programang pang-depensa at industriya upang magkaroon ng sariling pagawaan ng mga armas ang bansa at hindi na kailangang umasa pa sa ibang bansa.

“We have accomplished our mission as lawmakers by acting promptly on the legislative agenda of President Marcos, which is focused on sustaining economic growth, helping the poor and vulnerable sectors, creating jobs and income opportunities, and in general, making life better for every Filipino,” sabi niya.

Ang tatlong LEDAC bills ay ang amyenda sa Electric Power Industry Reform Act, na isinasapinal na ng technical working group at ang Budget Modernization Bill, at ang National Defense Act.

Isa pang panukala na prayoridad ng Kamara na nakatakdang aprubahan nito ay ang HB No. 9571, o, “An Act prohibiting the development, production, stockpiling, and use of chemical weapons, providing for their destruction, and imposing penalties for violations thereof.”

May 11 panukala na kabilang sa prayoridad ng Kamara ang nakasalang sa deliberasyon sa plenaryo at komite.

“We will await Senate action on proposed laws that we have approved on third and final reading, and we will be ready to sit with senators in bicameral conferences to come up with the final versions,” saad ni Speaker Romualdez.

Sabi ni Speaker Romualdez na nararamdaman na ngayon ng taumbayan ang benepisyo ng mga LEDAC bills na inaprubahan ng Kongreso at nilagdaan ng Pangulo.

“We will continue to provide legislative support to the Marcos administration and help it, principally by means of legislation, tackle the challenges the nation and the economy will face in the years ahead,” wika pa niya.

Isa na nga rito ang P5.768 trilyon na pambansang pondo ngayong 2024.

Ito aniya ang pinakamahalang lehislasyon na inaaprubahan ng Kongreso at nilalagdaan ng Pangulo kada taon.

“It is our tool and guidepost for the nation’s progress and development. It is the source of funds for roads, bridges, expressways, school buildings, airports, seaports, hospitals and other medical facilities, and other infrastructure,” sabi pa niya.

Dito, ani Romualdez, kinukuha ang pondo na itinutulong sa mga mahihirap, near poor, mga walang trabaho, underemployed, nakatatanda, mga indibidwal na nasa crisis situation, tsuper ng mga jeep, indigent students, may sakit, at iba pang nangangailangan ng tulong mula sa gobyerno.

Kabilang sa 11 LEDAC bills na nilagdaan ng Pangulo para maging ganap na batas ang SIM Registration Act, pagpapaliban sa barangay/Sangguniang Kabataan elections, pagpapalakas ng propesyunalismo sa AFP, New Agrarian Reform Emancipation Act, Maharlika Investment Fund Act, regional specialty hospitals, national employment recovery strategy/Trabaho Para sa Bayan Act, LGU Income Classification Act, Internet Transaction Act/E-Commerce Law, amyenda sa BOT Law/PPP Bill, at Ease of Paying Taxes Act.

Niratipikahan na rin ng Kamara at Senado ang conference committee report ng apat na LEDAC bills.

Ito ang New Passport Act, panukala para muling buhayin at pasiglahin ang salt industry, Magna Carta of Filipino Seafarers, at Tatak Pinoy (Proudly Filipino) Act.

Nakatakda naman sumalang sa bicameral conference committee ang amyenda sa Anti-Agricultural Smuggling Act at Philippine Ecosystem and Natural Capital Accounting System Act.

Kasama naman sa 36 na LEDAC measures ang naaprubahan na gaya ng Virology Institute of the Philippines, Passive Income and Financial Intermediary Taxation Act, National Disease Prevention Management Authority, Health Emergency Auxiliary Reinforcement Team Act, Waste-to-Energy Bill, Free Legal Assistance for Police and Soldiers;

Apprenticeship Law, Magna Carta of Barangay Health Workers, Valuation Reform Bill, Eastern Visayas Development Authority, Leyte Ecological Industrial Zone, Government Financial Institutions Unified Initiatives to Distressed Enterprises for Economic Recovery, Instituting a National Citizens Service Training (NCST) Program, Negros Island Region, National Government Rightsizing Program, amyenda sa Universal Health Care Act;

Comprehensive Infrastructure Development Master Plan, National Land Use Act, Philippine Immigration Act, Anti-Financial Accounts Scamming Act, amyenda sa Bank Deposits Secrecy Law, Enabling Law for the Natural Gas Industry, Excise Tax sa Single-Use Plastics, amyenda sa Fisheries Code, VAT sa Digital Services, Philippine Maritime Zones Act;

Open Access in Data Transmission Act, amyenda sa Right-of-Way Act, Military and Uniformed Personnel Pension Reform Bill, Rationalization ng Mining Fiscal Regime, Blue Economy Act, amyenda sa Government Procurement Reform Act, New Government Auditing Code, Department of Water Resources and Services, at amyenda sa Cooperative Code.