Speaker Romualdez: Kamara tinapos 20 LEDAC priority 3 buwan bago ang deadline

Mission accomplished!

Ito ang kabuuan ng ulat ni Speaker Ferdinand Martin G. Romualdez sa mga miyembro ng Kamara de Representantes, kay Pangulong Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. at sa bansa bago ang-adjourn ang sesyon ng Kongreso nitong Miyerkoles ng gabi.

Ipinabatid rin ni Speaker Romualdez ang kanyang pasasalamat sa kanyang mga kapwa kongresista, kasama ang mga nasa minority bloc at sa mga empleyado ng Kamara sa naabot na tagumpay ng Kamara.

Naalala ni Speaker Romualdez na noong Hulyo 5, sa ikalawang pagpupulong ng Legislative-Executive Development Advisory Council (LEDAC) natukoy ang 20 panukala na target na maipasa ng dalawang kapulungan bago matapos ang 2023.

Bago ang adjournment, Ipinagmalaki ni Speaker Romualdez na naaprubahan na ng Kamara ang 20 prayoridad na panukala ng LEDAC.

“We are three months ahead of target…Salamat sa tulong ninyong lahat. Mission accomplished po tayo - tatlong buwan bago matapos ang deadline na nakagkasunduan ng Senate, House of Representatives at Executive department,” ani Speaker Romualdez, lider ng Kamara na may 311 miyembro.

“I have no doubt that our collective action, imbued with competence and a passion for public service, led us to deliver responsive and relevant legislative measures required to champion social justice and economic development,” sabi pa nito.

Tinukoy din ni Speaker Romualdez ang panukalang P5.768 trilyong budget para sa 2024 sa mga prayoridad ng Kamara. Naipasa na rin ito ng Kamara bago ang adjournment.

“We are confident that every centavo reflects the overarching targets of usher economic transformation towards inclusivity and sustainability and is in line with the administration’s medium-term fiscal framework, the 8-point socioeconomic agenda, and the Philippine Development Plan 2023-2028,” dagdag pa nito.

Sinabi ni Speaker Romualdez na masusing pinag-aralan ng Kamara ang detalye ng budget upang matiyak na tama ang gagawing paggugol dito.

“We underscored the need for agencies to abide by the strict accounting and auditing rules governing the handling and release of such funds, and emphasized the need to safeguard their efficient and responsible utilization,” sabi pa nito.

Pinakingaan umano ng Kamara ang mga rekomendasyon upang mas mapaganda ang panukalang budget at makatugon sa pangangailangan ng bansa.

“Tiwala ako na handi lamang makakatulong ang ipinasa nating budget para mapabuti ang kalagayan ng mga Pilipino. Susi rin ito para magtuloy-tuloy ang ating pagbangon tungo sa mas magandang kinabukasan,” sabi ni Romualdez.

Ang mga panukala na naaprubahan na ng Kamara sa ikatlo at huling pagbasa ay ang: 

(1) HB 6522 - Philippine Centers for Disease Prevention and Control Act

(2). HB 6518 - Health Auxiliary Reinforcement Team Act

(3) HB 6452 - Virology and Vaccine Institute of the Philippines Act

(4) HB 6687 - Instituting a National Citizens Service Program

(5) HB 6558 - Real Property Valuation and Assessment Reform Act

(6) HB 7327 - E-Governance/E-Government Act

(7) HB 6444 - Waste Treatment Technology Act

(8) HB 6510 - New Philippine Passport Act

(9) HB 7325 - Magna Carta of Filipino Seafarers

(10) HB 7240 - National Government Rightsizing Act

(11) HB 7393 - Anti-Financial Account Scamming Act

(12) HB 7446 - Amending the Bank Secrecy Law

(13) HB 8969 - Military and Other Uniformed Personnel Pension Act

(14) HB 9284 - Anti Agri-fishery Commodities and Tobacco Economic

Sabotage Act of 2023

(15) Napirmahan na ng Pangulo upang maging batas ang Trabaho Para sa

Bayan Act (National Employment Recovery Strategy) as Republic Act (RA)

No. 11962.

(16) HB 7006 o "Automatic Income Classification Act for Local Government Units" na naipadala na sa Malacañang

(17) Kinuha naman ng Kamara ang Senate Bill 1846 bilang kapalit ng HB 0004 o ang Internet Transactions or E-Commerce Law

(18 at 19) Niratipika naman ng Kamara ang bicameral conference committee report ng panukalang HB 6527, o ang Public-Private Partnership Act, at HB 4125, o ang Ease of Paying Taxes Act

(20) HB 8278 o ang panukalang Philippine Salt Industry Development Act ay tinatalakay naman sa bicameral conference committee.

Ayon kay Speaker Romualdez walong panukala na ang nalagdaan ng Pangulo upang maging batas simula noong Hulyo 2022.

Ito ang RA 11962 o ang Trabaho Para Sa Bayan Act, RA 11956 na nagpapalawig sa tax amnesty; RA 11958 na nagtataas sa disability pension ng mga beterano; RA 11959 o ang Regional Specialty Centers Act, RA 11960 o ang OTOP Philippines Act, at RA 11961 na nag-aamyenda sa National Cultural Heritage Act.

Bago nagsimula ang ikalawang regular session ng Kongreso, nilagdaan naman ng Pangulo ang RA 11953, o New Agrarian Emancipation Act, at RA 11954 o ang Maharlika Investment Fund Act of 2023.

Iniulat din ni Speaker Romualdez na sa 17 panukala na nabanggit ng Pangulo sa kanyang State of the Nation Address (SONA) noong Hulyo 10 ay naipasa na ng Kamara sa ikatlong pagbasa ang Fiscal Regime for the Mining Industry; MUP Pension; amyenda sa Anti-Agricultural Smuggling Act; Single-Use Plastic Bags Tax Act; VAT on Digital Services; amyenda sa Fisheries Code; Anti-Financial Accounts Scamming Act; Ease of Paying Taxes Act; at Immigration Modernization Act.

Ang Local Government Unit Income Classification at Ease of Paying Taxes Act ay naratipika na ng dalawang kapulungan.

“The rest are already in advanced stages and are scheduled to be reported out when Congress resumes session in November, and targeted for approval on third reading by December 2023,” ani Speaker Romualdez.

“It is also important to note that we were able to pass on third and final reading urgent measures identified by the Legislative-Executive Development Advisory Council, including HB 8456 or the “Philippine Downstream Natural Gas Industry Development Act” and HB 8443 or the “Philippine Ecosystem and Natural Capital Accounting System (PENCAS) Act”. We still have a lot on our legislative table and other urgent measures are in various stages of deliberation,” sabi ni Speaker Romualdez.

Inaprubahan rin ng Kamara ang mga lokal na panukala kaugnay ng marine hatchery, fish ports, national high schools, hospitals, skills and development, eco-parks at national shrines, environment, roads and highways, at tourism.

Nirerepaso rin umano ng Kamara ang mga batas kaugnay ng direct foreign investments.

“On top of that, we are cognizant that foreign direct investments (FDIs) are the largest source of external financing in developing countries. Hence, the House of Representatives is in the process of reviewing laws that govern the treatment of foreign direct investments in the Philippines,” ani Speaker Romualdez.

“To effectuate substantive changes in the economic landscape, it is imperative that we amend those archaic and obsolete laws and open up the country to more foreign direct investments, ease capital constraints, and contribute to output and employment growth. Seeing its value, wantta join us? sure, manure...