Several House of Representatives leaders show support for Speaker Alan Peter Cayetano (center)
MANILA, Philippines — Several House leaders believe that 2019 was a “big win” for Speaker Alan Peter Cayetano as the chamber was “productive” under him, “not because of the quantity, but because of the quality of the bills passed,” Deputy Speaker and Surigao del Sur 1st District Rep. Prospero Pichay said.
Under Cayetano’s speakership, several House leaders agreed that President Rodrigo Duterte “now truly has a House of Representatives that is a partner for change.”
Deputy Speaker and Antipolo 1st District Rep. Roberto Puno said Cayetano has “inspired his fellow lawmakers to work hard and restore the image of the House as a responsible and reliable legislative body.”
“If we want to sustain this momentum of accomplishments that has earned the House the respect of the public, then we can all agree that keeping Alan (Cayetano) as Speaker is the best way to do it,” Puno said.
In the first five months of Cayetano’s leadership, the House churned out “relevant pieces of legislation that aim to sustain the Philippines’ high growth trajectory, attract more investments and create more jobs. This is the kind of Speaker we all want, ” Pichay said.
Among these measures are the tax reform bills that President Duterte urged the Congress in his fourth State of the Nation Address (SONA) to approve at the soonest possible time. These include the Corporate Income Tax and Incentive Rationalization Act and Passive Income and Financial Intermediary Taxation Act (PIFITA), which both aim to enhance the Philippines’ competitiveness in attracting foreign investments and generate more jobs.
Another tax reform package on reforming the property valuation system was in the period of interpellation in the House and is set to be approved in 2020.
Another leader from Mindanao, Deputy Speaker and Misamis Occidental 2nd District Rep. Henry Oaminal said that Cayetano has made sure that infrastructure projects outlined in the 2020 national budget are included based on their importance and necessity.
“This is why we are confident that under Speaker Cayetano, Mindanao will not be left out and will continue to be developed not only through the big-ticket railway projects under the President’s ‘Build, Build, Build’ (BBB) program but also through projects specific to communities that badly need infrastructure the most,” Oaminal said.
Deputy Speaker and Ilocos Sur Rep. Deogracias Victor Savellano said “we had witnessed how Cayetano would work long hours, even on weekends, to get the job of the House done and done well.”
As a result, the House was able to approve two major legislative measures that will help fund the Universal Health Care Program starting in 2020, and at the same time, discourage the youth smoking and binge drinking—Republic Act 11346 or the Tobacco Tax Reform Act, and another bill that imposes higher taxes on alcohol products and e-cigarettes, which is now up for the President’s signature.
Deputy Speaker and Cebu 3rd District Rep. Pablo John Garcia said Cayetano has made the House a better legislative chamber, instilling discipline among its members not by fear but by leading by example.
“Speaker Cayetano has set the example among his peers by practicing what he preaches. He has repeatedly said that he wants to transform the House into a relevant, responsible and reliable congress, which he has done so not with empty declarations but by showing his fellow lawmakers how hard work and dedication pays off in the end,” Garcia said.
Deputy Speaker and Sorsogon 1st District Rep. Evelina Escudero said that under Cayetano’s leadership, the bill creating a Department of Disaster Resilience, another priority measure of President Duterte, was passed swiftly by the House committees on government reorganization and disaster management.
“This Department has long been awaited by provinces in the Bicol Region and in other disaster prone areas in the country. We are optimistic that with Cayetano as Speaker, the bill will be passed early next year when Congress resumes session,” she said.
Several economic reform bills have also made significant progress in the first six months of Cayetano’s speakership. These include the amendments to the Foreign Investments Act which was approved by the House last September 9; and the amendments to the Retail Trade Liberalization Act and amendments to the Public Service Act.
Before Congress adjourned for its traditional Christmas break, the House also passed a new Salary Standardization Law that aims to increase the pay of government workers starting 2020. The bill is now up for the President’s signature.
House Appropriations Committee chairman and Davao City Rep. Isidro Ungab said he considers the timely approval of the 2020 General Appropriations Bill that is “pork-free and without any parked funds” as “among the most notable achievements of the House during Cayetano’s first six months as Speaker.”
The public has noticed how the House has changed for the better under Cayetano’s leadership as shown by his historic high performance and trust ratings, which rose from an already respectable 64 percent in September to 80 percent in December. During the same periods in comparison, his trust rating rose from 62 to 76 percent.
The public’s approval of Cayetano has spilled over to the House as an institution, whose performance rating rose from 60 percent in September to 66 percent in December.