10 priority bills up for Marcos signature

Senate Majority Leader Joel Villanueva. Screengrab from Kapihan sa Senado weekly media forum FB live

TEN priority bills are expected to be signed by President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. before his third State of the Nation Address on July 29.

Talking to reporters during the Kapihan sa Senado weekly media forum on Tuesday, April 16, Senate Majority Leader Joel Villanueva said that although they have limited time to pass more priority measures, senators are confident that at least 10 bills can be immediately signed by the President into laws.

These include the Philippine Maritime Zones Act, Real Property Valuation Assessment Reform Act, Anti-Agricultural Economic Sabotage Act and Self-Reliant Defense Posture Revitalization Act that are currently in the bicameral conference committee.

Additionally, the House of Representatives has adopted the Philippine Ecosystem and Natural Capital Accounting System, as well as the bills to be passed in the returning session, including the Anti-Financial Accounts Scamming Act, New Government Procurement Act, Blue Economy Act, and Enterprise-Based Education and Training Framework Act.

However, despite Senate President Juan Miguel Zubiri’s promise to immediately discuss the Mandatory Reserve Officers’ Training Corps (ROTC) bill, the measure’s passage is still uncertain.

Villanueva said there are measures with issues that are subject for debate — the Mandatory ROTC, for instance — which some of his fellow senators, including himself, have reservations about.

His issue with the Mandatory ROTC is the cost required for its implementation. From 2023 to 2025, or from Phase 1 to Phase 5 of the program’s implementation, the Armed Forces of the Philippines will need P 61.2 billion and 9,584 personnel, where billions will be spent on salaries alone.

Earlier, Sen. Ronald de la Rosa, a staunch supporter of the measure, said he is confident that the upper chamber will be able to pass the ROTC bill.

“If we were to vote on it, I am sure it would win. However, it will not be overwhelming,” he said.

De la Rosa said that based on his “personal estimate,” the measure will win by a “slim margin.” De la Rosa’s remarks came after Senate President Juan Miguel Zubiri’s disclosure that the Senate will prioritize the Mandatory ROTC bill in May before the sine-die break.

In a chance interview, Zubiri said they will give the bill a chance, adding that he thinks more senators favor ROTC. Likewise, the Senate leader disclosed that he commissioned a Pulse Asia survey in December 2023, revealing that 77 percent of Filipinos favor the return of ROTC.