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Janvic Mateo - The Philippine Star
May 30, 2025 | 12:00am
MANILA, Philippines — For most Filipinos, newly elected lawmakers should prioritize policies that will improve the country’s education, agriculture and health care sectors, a survey conducted by Social Weather Stations (SWS) a few days before the elections showed.
The May 2 to 6 survey, commissioned by the Stratbase group, asked Filipino respondents the degree of prioritization that the 20th Congress should give to selected issues.
Results showed that most respondents want the incoming Senate to prioritize improving the accessibility of education “through the strengthening of the public education system, distribution of scholarships, and expansion of vocational training programs.”
Some 87 percent said it should definitely be prioritized, while 11 percent said it should be somewhat prioritized.
It was followed by supporting agricultural development (83 percent “definitely prioritized,” 14 percent “somewhat prioritized”), investing in health care systems (82 percent “definitely prioritized,” 14 percent “somewhat prioritized”) and expanding social welfare programs to provide cash assistance, housing, health care and education for low-income families (79 percent “definitely prioritized,” 16 percent “somewhat prioritized”).
Other issues included increasing the minimum wage (74 percent “definitely prioritized,” 18 percent “somewhat prioritized”), job creation (73 percent “definitely prioritized,” 21 percent “somewhat prioritized”), implementing price control (71 percent “definitely prioritized,” 20 percent “somewhat prioritized”) and strengthening governance reforms (67 percent “definitely prioritized,” 23 percent “somewhat prioritized”).
Education also topped the list of issues that Filipinos want lawmakers in the House of Representatives to prioritize (86 percent “definitely prioritized,” 11 percent “somewhat prioritized”), followed by supporting agricultural development (84 percent “definitely prioritized,” 13 percent “somewhat prioritized”), health care (82 percent “definitely prioritized,” 15 percent “somewhat prioritized”) and social welfare programs (81 percent “definitely prioritized,” 15 percent “somewhat prioritized”).
These were followed by increasing minimum wage (80 percent “definitely prioritized,” 15 percent “somewhat prioritized”), price control (78 percent “definitely prioritized,” 17 percent “somewhat prioritized”), job creation (76 percent “definitely prioritized,” 19 percent “somewhat prioritized”) and strengthening governance reforms (72 percent “definitely prioritized,” 22 percent “somewhat prioritized”).
“Filipinos expect both houses of Congress to direct public resources towards solutions that improve lives, which can be felt through quality jobs, just compensation, improved infrastructure, enhanced health facilities, accessible education, and stable and affordable food supply. These are not new calls, but what is different now is the louder clamor from the public for better governance,” Stratbase president Dindo Manhit said.
“There is an expectation that national policies will deliver on promises. But delivery must be anchored on governance that is principled and accountable,” he added. The SWS survey had 1,800 respondents and a margin of error of plus/minus 2.31 percent.
Priority bills Ok’d
Meanwhile, Speaker Martin Romualdez said the House of Representatives has delivered all but one of the 28 priority legislative measures targeted for approval before the end of the regular session of the 19th Congress.
He said the 28 measures were under the Common Legislative Agenda (CLA) adopted by the Legislative-Executive Development Advisory Council (LEDAC) yesterday.
“As of today (Thursday), we have acted on 27 out of the 28 LEDAC priority bills—a near-100 percent accomplishment rate,” Romualdez said in his report to President Marcos.
Senate President Francis Escudero, members of the Cabinet and key leaders of Congress including House Majority Leader Manuel Jose Dalipe attended the LEDAC meeting.
“This milestone reflects the House’s unwavering commitment to President Marcos’ call for legislative action that makes a difference in the lives of ordinary Filipinos. These are not just bills—they are real solutions to real problems,” Romualdez said.
Signed into law by President Marcos were LEDAC measures, New Government Procurement Reform Act, Anti-Financial Account Scamming Act, Anti-Agricultural Economic Sabotage Act, VAT on Digital Transactions, Academic Recovery and Accessible Learning Program Act, Self-Reliant Defense Posture Revitalization Act, Philippine Maritime Zones Act, Philippine Archipelagic Sea Lanes Act, CREATE More, Enterprise-Based Education and Training Framework Act and amendments to the Agricultural Tariffication Act.
The bill containing proposed amendments to EPIRA lapsed into law last April 18, while the proposed Capital Markets Promotion Act was sent to the Office of the President last April 29.
Of the 28 LEDAC measures, only the proposed amendments to the Agrarian Reform Law remain pending in the House of Representatives.
From a total of 64 LEDAC measures since the opening of the 19th Congress, the House of Representatives has approved 61.
The remaining three are National Defense Act, Budget Modernization bill, and amendments to the Agrarian Reform Law. — Jose Rodel Clapano
