Ryan Ponce Pacpaco

Speaker Romualdez, Senate President Escudero, and Congress leaders meet, pledge to enhance connectivity and cooperation in passing the Marcos administration's legislative agenda.

SPEAKER Ferdinand Martin Romualdez met Thursday with Senate President Chiz Escudero in their first official House and Senate leadership meeting at Aguado residence in Malacañang. 

This historic event marks a significant step in fostering greater unity and collaboration between the two chambers to effectively address the challenges facing the nation and work towards a brighter future for all Filipinos, according to Speaker Romualdez.

“This meeting symbolizes a renewed and reinvigorated partnership between the House of Representatives and the Senate under the leadership of Senate President Escudero,” said Speaker Romualdez, adding that the meeting serves as a preliminary to the full Legislative-Executive Development Advisory Council (LEDAC) meeting on June 25.

“Together, we are committed to working hand-in-hand to pass key legislation that will significantly benefit the Filipino people,” he added.

Those who joined the meeting were Senate Majority Leader Francis “Tol” Tolentino, House Majority Leader Manuel Jose “Mannix” M. Dalipe, Senior Deputy Speaker Aurelio “Dong” Gonzales Jr., Deputy Speaker David “Jay-jay” Suarez, House Committee on Appropriations Chairman Zaldy Co, Presidential Legislative Liaison Office (PLLO) Sec. Mark Llandro "Dong" L. Mendoza, Undersecretary Adrian Carlos A. Bersamin of the Office of the Executive Secretary, House Secretary General Reginald “Reggie” Velasco, Deputy Secretary General Jennifer “Jef” Baquiran, Deputy Secretary General Robert David Amorin, Head Executive Assistant Director V Atty. Muel Romero, Senate Sec. Renato N. Bantug, Deputy Secretary Atty. Mavic Garcia, and Atty. Roland S. Tan, Escudero’s Chief of Staff. 

During the discussions, Speaker Romualdez and Senate President Escudero reaffirmed their dedication to President Marcos’ legislative agenda, prioritizing measures aimed at improving the lives of Filipino citizens. 

Their collaboration, Speaker Romualdez said, is crucial for the early approval of these priority measures, ensuring swift and effective implementation.

“Our joint efforts with the Senate reflect our collective resolve to push forward the President’s priority measures,” the House leader said as they initially discussed the legislative calendar for the 3rd Regular Session of the 19th Congress.

“With Senate President Escudero’s dynamic leadership, I am confident that we can expedite the legislative process, ensuring that the benefits reach our people without delay,” Speaker Romualdez added.

Speaker Romualdez noted that a  key focus of the meeting was the amendments to the Rice Tariffication Law, identified as a top priority. 

These amendments aim to provide quality affordable rice to Filipinos and increase the income of Filipino farmers.

“Amending the Rice Tariffication Law is a crucial step towards ensuring food security and economic stability for our farmers,” Speaker Romualdez emphasized.

“We are committed to making quality rice affordable for all Filipinos while boosting the livelihoods of our local farmers,” he said.

The meeting, Speaker Romualdez said, also reviewed the progress of existing priority legislation, identifying next steps to ensure timely approvals. 

“The focus remains on the twenty LEDAC priority measures targeted for approval by June 2024, with significant advancements already made, including ten measures approved by both Houses, one enacted into law, and several others in various stages of the legislative process,” the House leader explained.

Additionally, the discussions covered the 2023 SONA priority measures and the Common Legislative Agenda (CLA). The House has approved fifty-six out of fifty-nine measures identified in the CLA, with the remaining measures – Amendments to the EPIRA, National Defense Act, and Budget Modernization Bill – still under consideration.

The prioritization of legislative measures for the adjournments of October and December 2024 was also addressed, along with the proposal of nineteen other priority measures for inclusion in the LEDAC, according to Speaker Romualdez.

“This partnership between the House and Senate is not just about passing laws; it’s about making a tangible difference in the lives of Filipinos,” Speaker Romualdez emphasized. 

“We are committed to an efficient and cohesive legislative process that will bring about meaningful reforms and improvements for our country,” he added. (END)

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