Philippine priority bills may risk missing structural fixes

PRESIDENT Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr.’s administration has set 44 priority measures for Congress, but critics say the package risks falling short of addressing the Philippines’ deep economic weaknesses despite promises of stronger governance, wider social services and energy security.

- By Chloe Mari A. Hufana Reporter

The Legislative-Executive Development Advisory Council (LEDAC) outlined the bills late Tuesday, framing them as a roadmap to attract investment and modernize state institutions.

The list includes a proposed general tax amnesty, amendments to the Bank Deposit Secrecy Law and Anti-Money Laundering Act and fresh levies such as an excise tax on single-use plastics.

Also on the agenda are the proposed Cybersecurity Act, National Land Use Act, Blue Economy Act and fiscal reforms requiring civil servants to waive bank secrecy rights. The palace said the measures would “modernize institutions, strengthen fiscal discipline and ensure energy security.”

But Jose Enrique A. Africa, executive director of the research group Ibon Foundation, said the package leaned heavily on investor-friendly reforms while offering little for agriculture, redistribution or industrial development.