NEDA CHIEF URGES PASSAGE OF REFORM BILLS BEFORE 18TH CONGRESS ENDS

With just two weeks left before the current 18th Congress comes to a close, the country’s chief economist on Wednesday urged legislators to pass a number of reform bills still pending despite the Duterte administration’s push.

“We did not finish all the reforms that we wanted to do, primarily because the pandemic hit us and we have to reprioritize our time, money and effort,” Socioeconomic Planning Secretary Karl Kendrick Chua told the Kapihan sa Manila Bay online forum.

Chua said the remaining priority bills included the tax reform measures on property valuation and financial taxes, water sector reforms, as well as the proposed national land use act.

“Land is the resource that will never increase, so we better know how to use it properly,” Chua noted.

Chua, who heads the state planning agency National Economic and Development Authority (Neda), urged the current 18th Congress to fast-track these pending priority bills; otherwise, he said the next 19th Congress, which starts session in July, can take a look at continuing the reform agenda.

The 18th Congress will end its session on June 3. The Neda chief was also pushing for an apprenticeship bill “to provide better opportunities to our graduates.”

Also pending in the Senate was the corn, livestock and poultry bill that Chua said “will address our issues with high meat prices.”

Also, Chua urged the Senate to ratify the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership free-trade agreement. “This is one the biggest trade agreements that will bring in more opportunities,” he said.

In all, Chua said these reform measures will not only temper the prevailing elevated inflation but also accelerate economic growth.