The third and last Regular Session of the 19th Congress has opened for President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s third State of the Nation Address (SONA) on Monday.
The Senate under the leadership of Senate President Francis Escudero adopted the following four proposed measures:
• Senate Resolution No. 1061 informing the House of Representatives that a quorum is present
• Senate Resolution No. 1062 informing President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. that a quorum is present
• House Concurrent Resolution No. 27 providing for the Senate and the House of Representatives to hold a joint session to hear the message of the President of the Republic of the Philippines
• Senate Concurrent Resolution No. 19 creating a joint committee of the Senate and the House of Representatives to notify the President of the Philippines that the 19th Congress of the Philippines is now ready to hear his State of the Nation Address in a joint session of both Houses
The session was suspended after Escudero delivered his speech.
Only 23 senators responded to the Roll Call as former Sen. Sonny Angara assumed his post as Education Secretary on July 19.
Prior to the opening of the session, the senators had their “Red Carpet Walk,” the first time in the Senate led by Escudero and socialite wife Heart Evangelista.
Meanwhile, House Speaker Ferdinand Martin Romualdez vowed to prioritize the discussion and approval of the P6.35-trillion national budget for fiscal year 2025 as well as the remaining Legislative Executive Development Advisory Council (LEDAC) priority bills.
The House reported approving all 17 priority measures mentioned by Mr. Marcos in his previous SONA.
Five of which have since been enacted into law, namely LGU Income Classification Act, the Ease of Paying Taxes Act, the Tatak Pinoy Law, the New Government Procurement Reform Act, and the Anti-Financial Account Scamming Act.
Congress adjourned last May 22.
