By Louis "Barok" Biraogo ’79 - July 19, 2023

One apt description for Speaker Ferdinand Martin Romualdez of the House of Representatives of the Congress of the Philippines is that he is truly hardworking.

In turn, an appropriate description of the House under his leadership is industrious.

These descriptions are supported by the facts and the statistics.

When Romualdez assumed the leadership of the 19th Congress in July last year, he promised to fast track badly needed legislation to get the country on the road to recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic.

Using his natural leadership, good nature and in-born initiative, Romualdez was able to cobble together an overwhelming majority in the House, which agreed with him that the task at hand — national economic recovery — was of utmost importance and priority.

Even the few members of the minority, although officially towing the line of the political opposition, quietly acquiesced in the Romualdez plan, fully aware the future of the country and the people are at stake, and the pertinent legislation should not be delayed.

As Romualdez succinctly puts it, “the pandemic had derailed the nation’s economic development, and so it is of prime importance that we get back on the road and fast track badly needed laws which will put the nation back on that road.”

With Romualdez at the helm of the House for just a year, the lower chamber of Congress processed a total 9,600 legislative measures. These measures include almost 8,500 bills and more than a thousand resolutions. 577 bills were approved by the House on third reading.

All in all, an average of 30 legislative measures were processed by the House during each day it was in session.

Among the laws passed by the House during its first year are the Maharlika Investment Fund, the Magna Carta for Seafarers, the E-Governance Act, the Passive Income and Financial Intermediary Taxation Act, the Philippine Passport Act, the Waste to Energy Bill, the Free Legal Assistance to Police and Soldiers Act, the Apprenticeship Act, and the E-Commerce Law.

Other bills approved under Romualdez’ stewardship include proposed laws creating the Negros Island Region, the Virology Institute of the Philippines, the Medical Reserve Corps, and the Center for Disease Control and Prevention.

Likewise passed by the House on third reading include the Magna Carta for Health Workers, the Build-Operate-Transfer Law, the law on valuation reform, the law granting financial incentives to distressed enterprises, the law governing national citizens service training, and the law on the rightsizing of the national government.

Included in the list of legislative accomplishments are approved bills concerning the modernization of the Bureau of Immigration, and the development of the Philippine salt industry.

The Speaker is also pleased to reveal both chambers of Congress have ratified the bicameral conference committee report regarding the putting up of specialty centers in certain hospitals, which shall be under the Department of Health headed by Secretary Teodoro Herbosa.

These congressional achievements were made possible by the cooperation and industry given by members of the House who realized that through the foregoing legislative measures, Congress can help President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. get the nation back on the path to economic recovery.

Romualdez expressed his thanks and appreciation for the cooperation given and industry shown by his colleagues in the House.

“Their cooperation and industry helped a lot in the unimpeded task of vital legislation,” the speaker said.

With half of 2023 over, Romualdez believes the House will need to begin its work on the national budget for 2024, which is officially called the General Appropriations Act.

Under the Constitution, public funds may only be spent by the government pursuant to an appropriation made by Congress.

Malacañang has proposed a national budget of a little less than P5.8-trillion for 2024, about 10 percent more than the budget for this year.

It is anticipated that Malacañang will submit its budget proposal to Congress after the State of the Nation address to be delivered by President Marcos this coming July 24.

In the past several years, the House approves its version of the proposed General Appropriations Act by October.

After the Senate passes its own version of the proposed national budget, both Houses of Congress ratify a unified budget. Thereafter, it is submitted to the President in December.

The bill submitted to Malacañang becomes a law once the President signs it.

However, under the Constitution, the President may veto or disapprove specific provisions of the General Appropriations Act. This is called the president’s line veto.

Undoubtedly, the task of national legislation is not easy.

With Romualdez leading the House, that task becomes less daunting, thanks to the leadership by example he always demonstrates when the House exercises its legislative power.

We know that the House is in good hands with Speaker Ferdinand Martin Romualdez at its helm.