Changes mark Marcos' midterm legislative agenda

Less than a month before his third State of the Nation Address (SONA), there seems to be some changes in President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr.'s legislative priorities, judging by the agenda set forth by the June 25 Legislative-Executive Development Advisory Council (LEDAC) meeting.

Of the 28 priority measures identified by LEDAC, 13 are new on the list, six were mentioned in the first SONA, seven were included in his second SONA, and two have already been signed into law.

Among the new proposed measures are: 

• the proposed reforms to Philippine Capital Markets, 
• the proposed Archipelagic Sea Lanes Act, 
• amendments to the Right-of-Way Act, 
• the proposed CREATE MORE Act, 
• amendments to the Foreign Investors’ Long-Term Lease Act, 
• amendments to the Rice Tariffication Law, 
• the proposed Philippine Maritime Zones Act, 
• the proposed Academic Recovery and Accessible Learning (ARAL) Program Act, 
• the proposed Enterprise-Based Education and Training Framework Act,
• amendments to the Universal Health Care Act,
• the proposed Open Access in Data Transmission Act, and 
• the Waste-to-Energy Bill

Among the priority bills that were mentioned by Marcos in his first SONA that were already in the bottom list of the latest list released by LEDAC are controversial Mandatory Reserve Officers’ Training Corps (ROTC), Unified System of Separation, Retirement and Pension of Military and Uniformed Personnel, and E-Government Act/ E-Governance Act.

No less than Senate President Francis "Chiz" Escudero said that the LEDAC's latest list of priority measures would already give hints of the president's SONA.

"Madali niyo nang hulaan kung anong nilalaman ng talumpati ng Pangulo kaugnay ng mga pampanukalang batas na gusto niyang mapasa at matalakay nitong darating na Third Congress. So may dagdag man 'yon, kaunti na lang siguro dahil inanunsyo naman na sa LEDAC 'yung kanyang first tier priority bills at 'yung kanyang second tier priority bills na nanggaling pa sa mga naunang LEDAC," Escudero said.

(It's easy to guess what the SONA would be when it comes to bills that the President wants the Third Congress to discuss and pass. If there were additions, it would be minimal as it was already announced during the LEDAC what his first tier and second tier priority bills are from the first LEDAC.)

Escudero, who is part of the LEDAC as the Senate president, disclosed that the Mandatory ROTC bill — despite being passed by the House of Representatives and now on the period of interpellations in the Senate — would need to undergo review.

"'Yung ROTC bahagya ring napag-usapan at nais dun sa LEDAC na ito'y tingnan muli dahil kulang pa yung impormasyon kaugnay niyan," Escudero said.

(The ROTC bill was barely discussed and the LEDAC wants to look into it again because information regarding that seems incomplete.)

In a separate interview, Senator Ronald "Bato" dela Rosa, the principal sponsor of the mandatory ROTC bill in the Senate, said he is hoping that Marcos would mention the bill in his upcoming SONA.

While being identified as part of the top 10 priority bills and in Marcos' first SONA, Escudero said the bill that aims to amend the Electric Power Industry Reform Act (EPIRA) still has no specifics.

"Matagal ng pinag-uusapan halimbawa yung amendments kaugnay sa EPIRA. Pero wala pa namang tunay na laman kaugnay ng partikular na mga probisyong aamyendahan sa EPIRA," the Senate president said.

(There's talk about amendments to the EPIRA but there is nothing specific yet.)

The same goes to the bill seeking to rationalize the mining fiscal regime, which was mentioned by Marcos in his second SONA and is currently part of LEDAC's top 10 priority bills.

"May inaprubahang bersyon ng Kamara pero ito’y nanggaling at nagmula sa isang mambabatas. Hindi naman talaga galing sa Palasyo, sa departamento o sa Malakanyang 'yung nilalaman nun. So may mga panukalang batas din naman na hinihintay pa natin 'yung laman kung kaya't hindi lamang yung simpleng pagpasa ng Kamara ang dapat na maging batayan or hindi pagpasa ng Senado," Escudero stressed.

(There is an approved version in the House but it came from a House member. It did not come from a government agency or from the Palace. Senate action is not dependent the House's approval of a bill. We wait for the bill's content.)

Meanwhile, Escudero said the proposed Passive Income and Financial Intermediary Taxation Act (PIFITA), which was mentioned by Marcos in his first SONA, would be put to the backburner as new Finance Secretary Ralph Recto has a different view on the measure.

The third regular session of the 19th Congress is crucial to the Marcos administration as priority measures that will not be approved by both houses upon its adjournment would need to be refiled in the 20th Congress, which will be composed of a new set of legislators.

In the midterm elections, 12 new senators would be elected while the House of Representatives will be composed of either new or re-elected congressmen.

Allies of Marcos in the House of Representatives expect him to call on Congress to pass measures that will bring down prices of basic commodities and increase wages of workers.

House Deputy Majority Leader Erwin Tulfo and House Assistant Majority Leader Ziaur Adiong said that food security remains the top concern of the public ahead of the President’s third SONA on July 22.

"We have P29 per kilo of rice sold for senior citizens, persons with disabilities, solo parents, 4Ps beneficiaries [who come from the poorest households], but how about those who do not fall under these categories? Everybody should benefit from the affordable quality of rice," Tulfo said.

"Ths stop gap measure [of a P29 per kilo rice] can’t go on forever, so we need to bring down rice prices to around P30 per kilo [from present P45 to P50]. I think this is doable in a form of subsidy. The national budget subsidizes fares for MRT (Metro Rail Transit). We can subsidize rice too so everybody can avail of affordable and quality rice," he added.

Adiong, for his part, said he sees the President laying out his plans to achieve his goal of ensuring that no Filipino family will go hungry.

"How can we really help in making sure that the President will make good on his promise of defeating hunger? That is what I want to hear from him," Adiong added.

Tulfo also said that the legislative action on the proposed wage hike is also long overdue.

"We have to do it (legislated wage hike). Because at P35 wage hike [in Metro Manila], what can you buy with that meager amount?" Tulfo added.

A recent Pulse Asia poll showed that 76% of Filipinos disapproved of how the Marcos administration addressed inflation or the rate of increase in the prices of goods and services.

The 76% disapproval of the government's handling of inflation result in the Pulse Asia survey, taken from June 17 to 24, was a five-percentage point increase from the previous quarter’s figure of 71%.

Meanwhile, the same poll revealed that the government’s attempts at reducing poverty had the second-highest disapproval percentage at 51%. This was followed by increasing workers' pay and fighting graft and corruption in government, with both at 39%; addressing the problem of involuntary hunger at 35%; and creating more jobs at 30%. —KBK, GMA Integrated News