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December 25, 2025 | 12:00am
MANILA, Philippines — The House of Representatives passed several bills on third and final reading this week, including the 12 priority measures of President Marcos listed by the Legislative Executive Development Advisory Council (LEDAC), before going on Christmas break.
Topping the LEDAC list was the measure that aims to institutionalize the controversial Assistance to Individuals in Crisis Situations.
AICS has been described by budget watchdogs as one of the soft pork barrel aid programs designed into the 2026 national budget, for use at the discretion of lawmakers and other politicians.
Budget watchdogs want ayuda programs to be depoliticized, like the conditional cash transfer Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program or 4Ps of the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD).
Lawmakers voted 270-8 with two abstentions during plenary deliberations stamping their approval to House Bill 6636, an act institutionalizing AICS under the DSWD.
HB 6636 sets clear criteria for eligibility, streamlines coordination between agencies and local government units (LGUs), and establishes safeguards such as grievance mechanisms and centralized databases to prevent duplication or abuse.
LEDAC-certified measures also include the National Reintegration Bill, which seeks to make it easier for overseas Filipino workers to return to the country economically and socially, and the National Center for Geriatric Health bill, which seeks better medical care for the elderly.
Bills introducing amendments to the Government Assistance to Students and Teachers in Private Education Act and to the Teachers Professionalization Act were also passed.
Other bills passed were the proposed Blue Economy Act, strengthening of the Energy Regulatory Commission, promoting waste-to-energy technologies, establishing the Department of Water Resources and amendments to the National Building Code and to the Bank Secrecy Law.
The bill seeking the extension of the estate tax amnesty period also was approved on third and final reading.
Five other LEDAC priority bills are for comment or concurrence of either the House committees on appropriations led by Rep. Mika Suansing or the committee on ways and means of Rep. Miro Quimbo, with another 15 under review by concerned House committees.
Speaker Faustino Dy III has urged his fellow lawmakers to draw joy and satisfaction from serving the people through the passage of important pieces of legislation.
Strong cooperation
Agimat party-list Rep. Bryan Revilla said the approval of four reform measures reflects the strong collaboration, shared leadership and a collective commitment by lawmakers to deliver reforms that directly benefit Filipinos.
The measures, which he co-authored, are HB 22 or the Accessible Internet for All Act, HB 178 or the Automatic Refund for Internet Outages Act, HB 6707 or the Transparency in Banking Act and HB 6789 or the National Water Resource Management Act.
“These are not individual victories, they are collective commitments,” Revilla said.
“They represent the House’s shared resolve to promote affordable connectivity, protect consumers, strengthen transparency and secure access to clean and safe water for all,” he said.
House Bill 22, or the Accessible Internet for All Act. The measure seeks to expand affordable and reliable internet access nationwide by easing spectrum user fees, encouraging competition and improving service quality.
Another approved measure, HB 178 or the Automatic Refund for Internet Outages Act, strengthens consumer protection by requiring telecommunications and internet service providers to automatically compensate subscribers for prolonged service interruptions, promoting accountability and better service standards.
HB 6707, or the Transparency in Banking Act, a LEDAC priority measure, amends the Bank Secrecy Law to allow the disclosure of bank records in cases involving corruption, tax enforcement and financial fraud, while maintaining safeguards to protect legitimate privacy rights and prevent abuse.
The National Water Resource Management Act or HB 6789, also a LEDAC priority measure, establishes a comprehensive framework for managing the country’s water resources through the creation of a Department of Water Resources and an independent Water Regulatory Commission.
The bill aims to address fragmented regulation, water insecurity, sanitation gaps and long-standing public health concerns, while ensuring sustainable and equitable access to water services.
“These are not individual victories, they are collective commitments,” Revilla said.
