By Azer Parrocha
President Rodrigo Duterte on Wednesday urged Congress to prioritize the passage of measures that would help revive the country’s economy from the impact of Covid-19.
Duterte made this call during the ceremonial signing of laws which he already signed last month. The event was attended by some members of Congress.
“I hope that when both houses of Congress resume sessions this year, priority will be given to the remaining flagship programs of my administration. And this will include the Comprehensive Tax Reform Program and the Retail Trade Liberalization Act, the Foreign Investments Act, and the Public Service Act,” he said in a speech at Malacañan Palace.
He said he wanted these measures on his desk for signature “at the earliest possible time.”
Duterte also thanked Congress for the passage of four laws signed last month, which he described as a testament to the “fruitful collaboration” between the legislative and executive branches of government.
He was referring to the following laws— Republic Act (RA) 11549, or an Act Lowering the Minimum Height Requirement for Applicants of the Philippine National Police (PNP), Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP), Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP), and Bureau of Corrections (BuCor); RA 11544, or an Act Converting the Municipality of Calaca in the Province of Batangas into a Component City to be known as the City of Calaca; RA 11545, or an Act Reappropriating the First Legislative District of the City of Caloocan into 2 Legislative Districts; RA 11546, or an Act Reappropriating the Province of Bulacan into 6 Legislative Districts; RA 11547 or An Act Declaring the City of Davao as the Chocolate Capital of the Philippines and the Entire Region XI (Davao Region) as the Cacao Capital of the Philippines; RA 11548 or An Act Granting the President of the Philippines the Power to Defer the Increases in Contributions of the Social Security System for the Duration of the State of Calamity Under Proclamation No. 929, series of 2020, as amended by Proclamation No. 1021, series of 2020, Amending Section 4(a)(9) of Republic Act No. 11199, also known as the "Social Security Act of 2018); RA 11549 or An Act Lowering the Minimum Height Requirement for Applicants of the Philippine National Police (PNP), Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP), Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP) and Bureau of Corrections (BuCor), amending Republic Act No. 6975, as amended, Republic Act No. 9263 and Republic Act No. 10575; RA 11550 or An Act Dividing the Province of Maguindanao Into Two (2) Provinces, Namely: Maguindanao Del Norte and Maguindanao Del Sur.
“Let me thank the members of Congress for their steadfast efforts in ensuring that my administration’s legislative agenda will be translated into relevant policies and programs that will improve the life of every Filipino,” he said.
Meanwhile, he expressed hope that there would be “greater cooperation” among government agencies.
“As we take more concrete steps to revive our economy and help our people recover from the effects of the pandemic, I hope that more government agencies will foster greater cooperation with each other. Now, more than ever, we need to follow the whole-of-nation approach in ensuring an inclusive and seamless response to the current challenges facing the nation,” Duterte said.
He also assured Filipinos that the government will continue to pursue measures that will improve and enhance their lives.
“With the help of Congress, I am confident that we can pursue our legislative agenda and create an environment conducive for our people’s growth and our nation’s progress. Together, let us remain partners in securing a more promising future for our beloved country and for the next generation,” he said.
Congress will resume its third and final regular session on July 26 when the President delivers his sixth and final State-of-the-Nation Address.
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