House ready to act on PBBM’s SONA priorities — Speaker Romualdez

THE House of Representatives stands ready to support and act swiftly on any legislative priorities that President Ferdinand “Bongbong” R. Marcos Jr. will outline in his highly anticipated third State of the Nation Address (SONA), Speaker Ferdinand Martin G. Romualdez assured on Sunday.

“The President’s SONA will provide a clear roadmap, and the House is prepared to translate this vision into tangible legislative outcomes,” said the leader of the 300-plus-strong chamber.

He added: “We are prepared to hit the ground running and deliver on our promises to the public. The SONA will set the tone for our legislative agenda, and we are more than ready to take the necessary actions to achieve our shared vision for a better Philippines.”

Speaker Romualdez called on all members of Congress to unite in support of the President’s agenda, as he emphasized the importance of collective action.

“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 said.

The President’s SONA coincides with the opening of the third and last regular session of the 19th Congress.

Last week, Speaker Romualdez also vowed to prioritize the passage of the 2025 national budget and the remaining Legislative-Executive Development Advisory Council (LEDAC) priority bills.

He said the House eagerly awaits the executive branch’s proposed P6.352-trillion National Expenditure Program (NEP), which will form the basis for the 2025 General Appropriations Bill (GAB), and aims to pass it before the end of September.

The 2025 national budget, which represents a 10-percent increase from this year’s P5.768-trillion allocation, is equivalent to 22 percent of the country’s gross domestic product (GDP).

The Department of Budget and Management (DBM) is expected to submit the 2025 NEP to House of Representatives on July 29, following its review by the full cabinet.

Under the 1987 Constitution, the NEP must be submitted to the House of Representatives within 30 days after the SONA. Once approved, it becomes the GAB, and then the General Appropriations Act (GAA) when signed into law by the President.

Speaker Romualdez likewise reiterated the House’s commitment to passing all remaining LEDAC priority bills.

Since the start of the 19th Congress in July 2022, the House has shown impressive legislative output with over 12,000 measures filed and 77 bills enacted into law.

President Marcos signed on Saturday the New Government Procurement Reform Act or Republic Act (RA) No. 12009 and the Anti-Financial Accounts Scamming Act (AFASA) or RA No. 12010.

The New Government Procurement Act is a significant step toward enhancing transparency, efficiency, and good governance in public procurement under the Marcos administration.

AFASA is an important law in safeguarding the integrity of the country’s financial systems and protecting the public from fraudulent schemes.

Other notable laws enacted include the Act Emancipating Agrarian Reform Beneficiaries from Financial Burden, the Act Establishing the Maharlika Investment Fund, the Act Rationalizing the Disability Pension of Veterans, and the Act Establishing Specialty Centers in Department of Health (DOH) Hospitals and government-owned and controlled corporations (GOCC) Specialty Hospitals, among others.

Speaker Romualdez reaffirmed the House’s commitment to passing the remaining three of the 28 LEDAC bills targeted for approval before the end of the 19th Congress—amendments to the Electric Power Industry Reform Act (EPIRA), the Agrarian Reform Law, and the Foreign Investors’ Long-Term Lease Act.

The amendments to the Agrarian Reform Law and the Foreign Investors’ Long-Term Lease Act are also among the five new priority bills identified during the recent full LEDAC meeting, which Speaker Romualdez vowed the House will advance.

The other three priorities—the Archipelagic Sea Lanes Act, Reforms to the Philippine Capital Markets, and Amendments to the Rice Tariffication Law—have all been approved by the House on third and final reading.