1Tahanan Partylist Nathan Oducado urged fellow public officials to “prioritize the wishlist of ordinary Filipinos this Christmas,” primarily the lowering of prices, creation of regular jobs, and ending corruption.
“While we echo the President’s call to welcome this Christmas with simple celebrations in our homes, we also echo the desire of ordinary Filipinos for better, more secure, lives,” said Cong. Oducado.
Oducado pointed to the fact that Filipinos welcomed Christmas with an inflation rate of 1.5 percent and the rise of unemployment to 5 percent, as reported by the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) this December. “Meanwhile, Filipinos are overwhelmed daily with news of corruption and controversies amid investigations,” said Cong. Oducado.
But Cong. Oducado remains hopeful that “greater public awareness incentivizes lawmakers and the rest of the government to be more transparent and decisive in addressing issues.”
“The extension of deliberations on the General Appropriations Bill is a sign that both Houses of Congress are willing to work towards a budget that responds to the call against corruption,” said Oducado. “And the arrest of Sarah Discaya is a signal that holding those responsible accountable is possible.”
At the same time, Cong. Oducado urged fellow lawmakers to “sustain efforts against corruption” while passing laws to “address the daily needs of Filipinos,” including his authored bills HB 6984 which would cut value-added tax on electricity by half, from 12 to six percent.
“We win back public trust not just by working against corruption, but also by working to improve the lives of the People,” said Oducado. “For example, lowering power costs will have a huge positive impact as it will lower not just electricity bills of Filipino households, but will also lower the cost of doing and investing in business.”
Oducado also called on fellow members of Congress to pass laws that would create regular jobs, build industry, and support Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) in order to “provide livelihood, financial security and opportunities for social mobility,” like his authored bills HB 6960 which would “regularize casual and contractual employees after five years of continuous, efficient service,” HB 2597 and 2598 which would strengthen Ship Building and Ship Repair Industry in the Philippines, and HB 6968 which would extend and ease credit and financing to MSMEs.
