Reelected Leyte Rep. Ferdinand Martin G. Romualdez on Saturday vowed to push for the inclusion in the legislative agenda of the House of Representatives measures to reinforce the national goal of achieving upper-middle income (UMIC) status for the country by late 2025 or 2026.
Romualdez, Speaker of the recently concluded 19th Congress, shared Finance Secretary Ralph Recto’s optimism that the Philippines could reach UMIC status by the end of this year or in 2026, based on World Bank data and the country’s economic performance.
“I will espouse legislative priorities that would help sustain this momentum,” Romualdez said. “Our goal is to create a policy environment that supports job creation, raises incomes, and ensures that economic gains are felt across all sectors of society.”
To achieve this end, he said the 20th Congress—which opens later this month—should focus on measures that promote inclusive growth, improve public services, and support investments in infrastructure, digitalization, and human capital development.
Romualdez emphasized that legislative priorities should also include measures to strengthen food security, increase access to affordable health care and education, and expand infrastructure development through the Build Better More program.
“In support of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s vision for a Bagong Pilipinas, I and our allies in the House would work to ensure every law we pass brings us closer to an economy that works for all Filipinos,” said Romualdez, president of Lakas-CMD, the biggest political bloc in the House comprising about a third of the chamber.
He added that sound budgeting and responsible legislation go hand in hand and expressed confidence that the House would continue working with the administration to pass measures that enable broad-based progress and economic security, while staying mindful of inflation risks and fiscal sustainability.