House approved 389 Bills from 2019 to 2020

The House of Representatives approved 389 measures during the First Regular Session of the 18th Congress, including six COVID-19 response measures and nine priority bills mentioned in the 2019 State of the Nation Address (SONA) of President Rodrigo Duterte. 

Of the 389 measures approved, nine bills were enacted into law, eight local and national measures transmitted to the President for signature, 74 resolutions adopted, one joint resolution adopted, 250 local and national bills passed on Third Reading, 32 bills approved on Second Reading, two bills which adopted the Senate Version, five local and national bills which concurred with Senate amendments and eight local bills passed without Senate amendments.

The priority measures mentioned in the SONA that were approved by the House were: 

• the postponement of the May 2020 Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan Elections;
• a measure establishing Malasakit Centers; 
• a measure increasing and restructuring alcohol, tobacco and vapor product taxes; 
• the Corporate Income Tax & Incentives Rationalization Act (CITIRA);
• the Passive Income and Financial Intermediary Taxation Act (PIFITA); 
• the Real Property Valuation and Assessment Act; 
• the Creation of the Department of Filipinos Overseas and Foreign Employment; 
• the Creation of the National Academy of Sports; 
• the Salary Standardization Law of 2019.

A Statistical Report released by the Committee on Rules said the House of Representatives also processed a total of 1,630 proposals.

Speaker Alan Peter Cayetano lauded his colleagues and urged them to continue their remarkable performance and hard work.

“Let us continue to give hope sa ating mga kababayan. ‘Be patient in affliction.’ Kung tama ang ginagawa ng Executive Branch, suportahan natin. Kung mali, let us continue to show kindness, makipag-usap tayo. But let us make sure they know there will be an accounting,” Cayetano said.

(Let us continue to give hope to our countrymen. ‘Be patient in affliction.’ If what the Executive Branch is doing is right, let us support it. If wrong, let us continue to show kindness, let us talk. But let us make sure they know there will be an accounting)

The First Regular Session of the 18th Congress ran from July 22, 2019 to June 5, 2020.