SPEAKER Ferdinand Martin G. Romualdez has assured every Filipino household of access to decent housing, better education and quality jobs under the administration of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.

He made the assurance in remarks marking the end of the second regular session of the 19th Congress.

“Hindi tayo titigil sa trabaho hangga’t hindi natutupad ang pangarap ni Pangulong Marcos: ang mabigyan ng bahay ang bawat pamilyang Pilipino,” he said during the adjournment sine die.

According to Romualdez, legislative actions have been taken to ensure the provision of over one million affordable housing units, giving every Filipino the opportunity to own a home and improve their living conditions.

He said the overwhelming passage of House Bill 1017 or the National Housing Authority Act further demonstrates this chamber’s strong desire to serve the underprivileged, homeless, and low-income households.”

He reported that the House has also approved House Bill 9506 or the Rental Housing Subsidy Program Act which seeks to establish a rental housing subsidy program for informal settler families to further alleviate their plight.

He added that the House has also approved measures that have become laws to enhance the healthcare system and citizen welfare.

He mentioned Republic Act No. 11959 or the Regional Specialty Centers Act.which simplified healthcare services, ensuring that specialized medical care is accessible to regions outside Metro Manila; and Republic Act No. 11965 or the Caregivers’ Welfare Act which provides necessary protections and benefits to caregivers, recognizing their invaluable contribution to society.

There is also House Bill 8461 which seeks to strengthen the national health program for senior citizens through a comprehensive nutrition and wellness program to prevent poor nutrition and related illnesses in the elderly.

Another measure, House Bill 7447 proposes to strengthen local health boards by ensuring the representation of barangay health workers, whom we continue to recognize as essential front-liners in health promotion and advocacy.

In the area of education, Romualdez said Congress has enacted Republic Act 11984 or the “No Permit, No Exam Prohibition Act,” to ensure that financial constraints do not hinder our students’ academic progress.

The House has passed House Bill 8210 or the Academic Recovery and Accessible Learning (ARAL) Program Act to address and resolve the gap between current and expected learning competencies;

House Bill 10142 or the Early Childhood Care and Development (ECCD) System Act was also passed which aligns early childhood care and development services with maternal, child health, and nutrition programs, aimed at nurturing our youngest citizens from the earliest stages of their development.

On social welfare, he said the House social welfare initiatives “are designed to uplift marginalized communities and ensure equitable access to resources.”

He cited three proposed laws.– HB 8463 or the Disaster Food Bank and Stockpile Act which provides for the establishment of disaster food banks and stockpiles throughout the country to speed up the delivery of relief goods and other supplies during calamities; HB 9506 or the Rental Housing Subsidy Program Act which seeks to establish a rental housing subsidy program for informal settler families to further alleviate their plight; and HB 9978 or the Moratorium on Payment of Student Loan Act, which proposes to postpone the collection of student loans for a reasonable duration.

He said the House has approved House Bill 8456 or the Philippine Downstream Natural Gas Industry Development Act to increase the share of renewable energy in our power mix and promote sustainability, reflects our commitment to address climate change and ensure a resilient future for our nation; and

House Bill 9663 or the National Water Resources Act which calls for the establishment of the Department of Water Resource Management and enhances disaster preparedness measures.