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Delon Porcalla - The Philippine Star
March 23, 2026 | 12:00am
Workers do renovation works around the House of Representatives within the Batasang Pambansa Complex in Quezon City on July 3, 2024.
STAR / Miguel De Guzman
MANILA, Philippines — About one-third of 52 priority pieces of legislation listed by the Legislative-Executive Development Advisory Council (LEDAC) have been passed by the House of Representatives before Congress went on a Lenten break.
Delivering his closing speech before Congress adjourned for its Holy Week recess, Speaker Faustino Dy III credited the collective effort of House members for sustaining legislative momentum.
This didn’t include the controversial Anti-Political Dynasty bill, however, which opposition legislators described as a “watered-down” bill that will negate any more efforts to ban a family’s influence in the provinces, with one political professor branding it as “legitimizing” dynasties.
Ilocos Norte Rep. Sandro Marcos said the House’s LEDAC record shows that the chamber has not allowed the session calendar to blunt its momentum on measures tied to economic reform, public services, education, governance and social protection.
“We even passed the bill giving the President the power to reduce or suspend the excise tax on petroleum products, because this is what is needed by our kababayans: immediate relief from high fuel prices and corresponding increases in the costs of basic goods, transport other commodities,” Marcos said.
Based on the House committee on rules’ tracking of LEDAC measures, the priority measures that have already crossed the chamber’s highest legislative thresholds are the resetting of the first regular elections in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao, which has been ratified in bicam; National Center for Geriatric Health, now under conference committee; Electric Power Industry Reform Act amendments: Energy Regulatory Commission strengthening; waste-to-energy; amendments to the Government Assistance to Students and Teachers in Private Education Act; Assistance to Individuals in Crisis Situations Act; amendments to the National Building Code; Blue Economy Act, and National Reintegration Bill.
Other LEDAC priority measures that have been passed are the amendments to the Teachers Professionalization Act; extension of Estate Tax Amnesty period; Department of Water Resources Bill; amendments to the Bank Deposits Secrecy Law; Travel tax abolition; Digital Payments Act; amendments to the Universal Access to Quality Tertiary Education Act; Presidential Merit Scholarship program, and amendments to the Biofuels Act.
