The leadership of the House of Representatives is eyeing tighter coordination with the Palace and the Senate to avoid even a single presidential veto of bills to be approved by the 18th Congress, Majority Leader and Leyte Rep. Martin Romualdez said on Tuesday.
Romualdez made the statement following a small group meeting of the Legislative-Executive Development Advisory Council (LEDAC) last Monday with Congress leaders and Cabinet secretaries at Malacañang, even as the Leyte congressman disclosed that the executive and the legislative agreed to hold a “regular monthly meeting” to ensure a better shepherding of President Rodrigo Duterte’s priority measures.
“We decided to hold a regular monthly meeting, it just a small group. This would smoothen the process and avoid the unfortunate experiences of having vetoed measures, especially those declared as priority measures by the Executive,” said Romualdez. “This is an effort to make sure that we have better linkages, synergy and coordination to fast-track, facilitate and harmonize measures, especially those actually spelled out by the President as priority measures.”
“We are eyeing zero veto for all bills to be approved by the Senate and the House. Hopefully, we can avoid any possibility of a presidential veto by working closely with Cabinet members and Senate officials,” Romualdez, president of the Lakas-Christian Muslim Democrats and Philippine Constitution Association (Philconsa),said.
“The House leaders will exhaust all means possible to make sure that the executive and the legislative departments are in sync with regard to priority and certified bills filed in the 18th Congress. We do not want to put to waste all the money, time and effort which are normally spent in passing bills,” Romualdez said.
The small group meeting was presided by Executive Secretary Salvador Medialdea and attended by Speaker Alan Peter Cayetano, Romualdez, Senate President Vicente Sotto, Senate Majority Leader Juan Miguel Zubiri, House Minority Leader Bienvenido Abante, Senators Ralph Recto and Sonny Angara, Albay Rep. Joey Salceda, Deputy Speaker and Camarines Sur Rep. LRay Villafuerte, Davao City Rep. Isidro Ungab, Finance Secretary Carlos Dominguez III, Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello III, former acting Budget Secretary Janet Abuel, newly-named acting Budget Secretary Wendel Avisado, Presidential Adviser on Legislative Affairs Secretary Adelino Sitoy and among others.
Romualdez said some of the initial priority measures that the small group agreed to approve immediately include the 2020 national budget, creation of the Department of overseas Filipino workers (OFWs), amending the Public Service Act, higher excise tax rates on alcohol, institutionalizing “Malasakit centers” and creating a Tax Reform for Attracting Better and High-Quality Opportunities or Trabaho.
In the 17th Congress, President Duterte exercised his veto prerogative on nine bills approved by the Senate and the House including the 2018 General Appropriations Act. The President vetoed only parts of the budget bill, including the provisions allocating P95.3 billion for public works projects.
These are: HB 5554 – An Act declaring December 9 of every year a special working holiday in the province of Dinagat Islands in commemoration of the birth anniversary of Ruben Ecleo, Sr.; HB 8552 – An Act further strengthening the Philippine Coconut Authority; HB 5745 – An Act creating the Coconut Farmers and Industry Trust Fund, providing for its management and utilization; HB 8239 – An Act promoting positive and non-violent discipline, protecting children from physical, humiliating or degrading acts as a form of punishment; HB 7376 – An Act further strengthening the Office of the Solicitor General; HB 8637 – An Act creating the Regional Investment and Infrastructure Coordinating Hub of Central Luzon; HB 7820 – An Act granting survivorship benefits to the dependent children of a deceased retired member of the Commission on Audit, Civil Service Commission, Commission on Elections, and the Ombudsman; The Security of Tenure (SOT) or the anti-endo bill.
“We were informed by Palace officials that the President was not against the approval of most of the bills. The Executive department has issues only with certain provisions which Congress could have accommodated with proper representation and coordination,” Romualdez, a lawyer, said.
“This is the reason why we are now adopting best practices from previous Congresses as well as innovative mechanisms to avoid miscommunication between the Palace and Congress. Tighter coordination between the Executive and legislative departments may be the key to avoid any possibility of a Presidential veto,” Romualdez said.
Romualdez said he will recommend to Senate Majority Leader Zubiri the reactivation of a joint congressional technical working group that will monitor the progress of legislative action on priority and certified measures.
“The technical working group will not only help fast-track the passage of the President’s priority bills, but will assist in spotting red flags for possible Presidential veto,” the House leader said.
“We aim to work closely also with the PLLO (Presidential Legislative Liaison Office) so that they can alert us what are the certain provisions of the bills that may need thorough discussion with Cabinet members concerned,” he added.
Romualdez said the Congressional Planning and Budget Office estimates that at least P3 million are being spent for the approval of any bill until third reading. The amount covers the salary of congressmen and House personnel involved in the process as well as government resources used in the proceedings.
“We do not want to waste the people’s money. A well-crafted legislative measure, discussed thoroughly with Cabinet members and other stakeholders, will ensure that government resources are spent wisely and prudently,” Romualdez said.