THE House of Representatives will center its legislative work on the urgent needs of ordinary Filipinos as it opens the 20th Congress, with a focus on food, employment, education and public health.
“We will build an economy not just for the top 1%, but for the struggling 99% — an economy where ordinary people don’t just survive, they succeed,” Speaker Ferdinand Martin G. Romualdez said in a speech during the resumption of session Tuesday.
Speaker Romualdez emphasized that the goal of the House is to bring government closer to the people by aligning its agenda with the priorities laid out by President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. in his recent State of the Nation Address (SONA).
“Ang Kongreso ay hindi dapat maging tahanan ng mga pribilehiyo, kundi sandigan ng pangkaraniwang Pilipino,” Speaker Romualdez declared.
He then laid out key areas that the chamber would prioritize in the new session, starting with food security.
Speaker Romualdez said the House would pass the Rice Industry and Consumer Empowerment Act or RICE Act to ensure a stable supply of affordable rice while protecting farmers from exploitation.
He added that smuggling, hoarding and price manipulation must be eliminated through better law enforcement and agricultural reforms.
Walang karapatang magutom ang mamamayan
“Sa bayan ng masisipag na magsasaka, walang karapatang magutom ang mamamayan,” Speaker Romualdez said.
He also announced plans to expand irrigation and post-harvest infrastructure, alongside efforts to modernize farming to make agriculture more profitable.
The Speaker said the House would institutionalize the Walang Gutom Program in the 2026 national budget through monthly electronic food credits for vulnerable families.
On employment, Speaker Romualdez said legislation must generate dignified and sustainable work, particularly through support for small businesses, TESDA programs and access to capital.
He also backed the President’s push to develop industries like automotive, electronics, biotechnology and construction to create long-term jobs.
“Ang trabaho ay hindi lamang kabuhayan. Kakambal nito ang dangal, ito ang kinabukasan,” he said.
To uplift the 99%
Speaker Romualdez stressed that the House would build an economy that uplifts the 99 percent. He said lawmakers must resist systems that reward only the elite and instead ensure that ordinary workers and families benefit from economic growth.
In education, he committed to bridging the gap for underserved learners by passing the Last Mile Schools Act and amending the E-GASTPE Law.
The Speaker also vowed to expand the ARAL Program and strengthen mental health support in schools.
“Ang edukasyon ay hindi dapat premyo sa may kaya, kundi karapatan ng bawat bata,” he noted.
On health care, Speaker Romualdez reiterated the House’s goal to achieve zero billing and eliminate out-of-pocket costs in all government hospitals.
He said this would be matched by the deployment of more health workers in remote areas and improved access to essential medicine.
“Ang tunay na malasakit ay nasusukat sa oras ng pangangailangan. Sa ospital ng gobyerno, walang dapat maghirap para lang mabuhay,” he said.
Peace and order as central priority
Speaker Romualdez also identified peace and order as a central priority, saying that laws must guarantee not only the absence of conflict but also the presence of justice and opportunity.
He said this included support for local peace and order councils, law enforcement and national electrification.
“Kapag may kapayapaan, may kinabukasang tiyak,” he said.
He committed to fast-tracking defense modernization and disaster resilience, citing the need to protect lives, not just territory.
Speaker Romualdez also echoed the President’s call for full household electrification by 2028 and promised the House would allocate the resources needed to meet that target.
On governance, the Speaker called for a shift toward a more responsive bureaucracy. He said the House would pass laws to digitalize services, eliminate red tape and professionalize public service.
“Hindi na sapat ang ‘puwede na.’ Ang kailangan ng Pilipino: mabilis, maayos at may malasakit na serbisyo,” he said.
Turning point
Speaker Romualdez urged lawmakers to make this Congress a turning point, not only in lawmaking but in restoring faith in government.
“Let the 20th Congress be a turning point — not just in the laws we pass, but in the lives we changed,” he said.
He added that the chamber must not settle for laws that look good on paper but fail to deliver impact.
“Hindi sapat ang mga batas na mahusay. Kailangang ito ay may puso. Hindi sapat ang batas na maganda sa papel — dapat ito’y may saysay sa buhay,” he said.
Speaker Romualdez ended his address with a call to action, urging his colleagues to legislate with compassion and to earn the public’s trust through meaningful reforms.
“We are the House of the People. Let us be remembered for being worthy of that name,” he said.
