THE HOUSE of Representatives approved six out of 15 priority bills that President Rodrigo R. Duterte had outlined in his 2019 state of the nation address before Congress goes on a Christmas break.

These are the measures that will postpone the May 2020 village and youth elections, create a Department of Overseas Filipinos, simplify taxation for passive income earners, lower corporate income tax, standardize government salaries and set up a Department of Disaster Resilience.

Still unapproved are bills that will reinstate the death penalty for henious crimes, create a magna carta for villages, trim the government bureaucracy, establish a Water department and modernize fire protection.

Also pending are measures that will rationalize land use, allot coconut levy funds to farmers, boost national defense and require students to undergo military training.

Both chambers of Congress also ratified the P4.1-trillion national budget for 2020, which House Majority Leader and Leyte Rep. Ferdinand Martin G. Romualdez said was “one of the highlights” of both chambers.

“We were able to steer the approval of the 2020 national budget in record time through creative initiatives never before experienced in the House of Representatives,” he said.

Mr. Romualdez also cited the swift passage of tax reform measures that seek to promote the country as a “viable investment destination.”

The House of Representatives also passed on third and final reading a bill lowering the retirement age of government workers to 56 from 60 years. — Genshen L. Espedido

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