The House of Representatives is set to approve on third and final reading two more bills this week determined as priority measures by President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and the Legislative-Executive Development Advisory Council (LEDAC).
In a statement released on Sunday, House Speaker Ferdinand Martin G. Romualdez noted that the two bills set to be passed on final reading are the proposed Philippine Salt Industry Development Act and Bureau of Immigration Modernization Act.
“We are doing our part in supporting the President’s socio-economic development agenda by passing these urgent proposed pieces of legislation that would sustain our economic growth and create more job and income opportunities for our people,” Romualdez said.
“We are inching toward accomplishing our goal of approving all of these priorities measures, thanks to the hard and tireless work of our colleagues,” he added.
The approval of the two bills would bring the total number of LEDAC priority measures approved by the House to 33 out of 42 bills in the list.
Romualdez bared that the draft Philippine Salt Industry Development Act seeks to revive the dying salt industry in the country, which imports a large part of the commodity.
“We have to help the industry and the thousands of Filipinos and their families who depend on it for their livelihood. Our country is surrounded by seas. We can produce a lot of salt for our consumption and even for export,” the House speaker said.
Meanwhile, Romualdez stated that the Bureau of Immigration Modernization Act seeks to update the 83-year-old immigration law, Commonwealth Act No. 613, otherwise known as the Philippine Immigration Act of 1940.
“The bill aims to modernize and streamline our immigration system to encourage international tourism and foreign investments that would boost the economy,” he explained.
Three other LEDAC priority bills are set for second-reading approval before adjourning sine die namely the Natural Gas Industry Enabling Law, National Employment Action Plan, and Philippine Ecosystem and Natural Capital Accounting System Bill.
