House to prioritize remaining 26 priority bills

MANILA, Philippines — Lawmakers will be focusing on the passage or prioritization of 26 bills that remain pending in the House of Representatives as Congress resumes session after President Marcos delivers his fifth State of the Nation Address (SONA) today.

“We have so far passed 26 measures, or half of our target, during the First Regular Session of the 20th Congress (2025-2028). We will work on approving the rest in the course of our Second Regular Session,” House majority leader Sandro Marcos said.

The House already passed the other half – around 26 measures too – that have been listed in the Legislative-Executive Development Advisory Council, and have since been transmitted to the Senate for concurrence and eventual approval.

The Ilocos Norte representative said the bills contain structural reforms that would support the programs of his father, President Marcos, and “help our people as well.”

“We will make sure that these bills will redound to the benefit of our people, as it is our duty to improve their plight.”

The younger Marcos also pointed out that another priority measure, like the proposed amendments to the Universal Health Care Act, is intended to benefit the Filipino people in general.

Lawmakers will also aim to streamline the implementation of these laws so the people can easily access the programs and benefits that Congress has provided for them in these pieces of legislation, Marcos added.

He said other bills are targeted at specific sectors, such as proposed changes in the Coconut Farmers and Industry Trust Fund Act and in the Magna Carta for Small and Medium-Scale Enterprises.

The House leader noted that other pending measures seek to promote transparency and good governance, such as proposed amendments in the Bank Secrecy Law and Anti-Money Laundering Act.

A status report released by the House committee on rules, which Marcos heads, shows the 26 bills that have been passed by the House include the proposal to reset the first regular elections in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao, which has been enacted into law.

Personal income tax relief

Amid the high cost of living due to persistent inflation, the House ways and means committee will be working on a measure that will “recalibrate” the government’s personal income tax system and help fixed income earners deal with soaring prices of commodities.

“The current personal income tax brackets took effect in 2018. Since then, inflation has significantly eroded purchasing power,” panel chairman Rep. Miro Quimbo said, as they aim to provide meaningful tax relief to millions of middle-income Filipinos.

“For a salaried worker, earning between P30,000 to P80,000 a month – the core of our urban middle class – this has meant that nominal income increases are often eaten up by higher living costs,” the Marikina lawmaker added.

The committee will also conduct a comprehensive review of the existing income tax brackets, including raising the tax-exempt threshold and reassessing the treatment of bonuses, allowances, and other mandatory deductions, to ensure that the tax system better reflects today’s economic realities while preserving government’s fiscal capacity.

“Our task in the next year and a half is to recalibrate the system as a whole – grounded in fairness, efficiency and credibility,” Quimbo said.

“The forthcoming hearings on personal income taxation will focus on the middle-income segment. They are compliant taxpayers but do not benefit from exemptions nor receive ayuda while bearing a disproportionate share of withholding taxes,” he added.