The Upper House opens the 20th Congress today with a record legislative productivity momentum that Senator Francis Escudero hopes to maintain.
“We wasted no time in moving these very important pieces of legislation toward approval on third reading and enactment into law. These were the result of long hours of work from the senators and their staff and were crafted to benefit a wide range of sectors,” said Escudero, Senate President of the 19th Congress.
“Our people deserve no less from their elected officials in the Senate,” he added.
In the final stretch of the 19th Congress, senators collectively approved measures that addressed economic recovery, social welfare, national security, and digital transformation.
The third regular session alone saw 105 bills approved on third reading, 213 measures signed into law, and 39 others awaiting presidential action.
This surge in productivity eclipsed the combined legislative output of the first two regular sessions, which produced only 14 third-reading approvals and 73 laws signed by the president.
Committee work intensified as members worked through measures ranging from fiscal reform to infrastructure modernization, ensuring that bills were reviewed, amended, and passed with urgency.
The Senate’s passage of several LEDAC priority measures highlighted its alignment with national development goals and the administration’s economic recovery plan.
Among these key laws were the Public-Private Partnership Code, the CREATE MORE Act, the Real Property Valuation Reform Act, and the Tatak Pinoy Act.
“Given the growing economy, archipelagic landscape, expanding population, and rapid urbanization, the Philippines requires intensified infrastructure spending and better selected infrastructure investments to support a higher growth trajectory and improve quality of life in both urban and rural communities,” Senator JV Ejercito said during the approval of PPP bill.
Legislators also approved the Government Procurement Reform Act and the E-Governance Act, signaling a renewed commitment to digital efficiency and transparency in government processes.
“This bill is actually a product of the experience of the DICT in the last few years. This is to emphasize and articulate what they need,” Senator Alan Peter Cayetano said as the E-Governance bill passed its third reading.
Economic and agricultural reforms were a recurring theme, with senators pushing through the Anti-Agricultural Economic Sabotage Act and amending the Rice Tariffication Law to stabilize food security.
The New Agrarian Emancipation Act relieved more than 600,000 agrarian reform beneficiaries from decades-old debts, cementing the Senate’s stance on equitable land distribution and farmer support.
Lawmakers also prioritized education and workforce readiness through the Academic Recovery and Accessible Learning Act and the Lifelong Learning Development Framework Act.
These measures complemented other education-related initiatives, including the expansion of Philippine Science High School campuses to accommodate more students nationwide.
The Free Funeral Services Act and the Revised Animal Welfare Act were signed into law to improve public services and reinforce humane treatment standards across industries.
Even during midterm election breaks and the challenges of a politically divided landscape, senators maintained a focus on bipartisan legislative priorities.
The final months of the 19th Congress saw an accelerated pace of lawmaking, with senators passing six priority measures in quick succession before adjournment.
Among these were the Government Optimization Act, the Media and Entertainment Regulatory Charter updates, and the Digital Tax Simplification Act.
Legislators also championed consumer protection measures against online scams and cyber-enabled financial fraud.
With the 20th Congress set to open, senators are already preparing to revisit pending measures such as the National Land Use Act and the Department of Water Resources bill.
“If enacted, this legislation would provide a robust legal framework to guide development, enhance food and water security, mitigate disaster risks, and promote equitable and inclusive growth across the archipelago,” said Senator Panfilo Lacson as he proposed the National Land Use Act or S.B. 400.
