The Senate will pursue five legislative priorities aimed at supporting the Marcos administration’s economic agenda while lowering food and electricity costs, increasing workers’ take-home pay, improving infrastructure and securing jobs, Senate President Sherwin Gatchalian said Monday.

Opening the second regular session of the 20th Congress, Gatchalian said every measure to be taken up by the chamber must produce concrete solutions to the everyday concerns of Filipino families.

“Our work begins with the economy, because no vision of national progress can take hold while families struggle to meet their basic needs,” he said.

Gatchalian identified the Senate’s five focus areas as high commodity prices, reduced purchasing power, expensive electricity, infrastructure and transportation gaps, and employment insecurity.

He said economic progress must be measured not only through statistics but by improvements felt inside Filipino homes.

“Genuine economic recovery cannot be measured by growth figures alone. It must be felt in the things that really matter—affordable goods and services, secure jobs, and food on the table,” he said.

To keep rice affordable while protecting farmers, the Senate will prioritize amendments to the Rice Tariffication Law and ensure that the National Food Authority maintains adequate reserves.

Gatchalian noted that the average price of regular-milled rice, a staple in Filipino households, increased by nearly 20 percent over the past year.

The chamber will also prioritize the Ginhawa Bill, which would exempt workers earning up to PHP400,000 annually from income tax and increase the tax-free ceiling for bonuses.

The proposal would remove taxes on overtime pay, holiday pay, night-shift differential, hazard pay, and service charges.

“Simple ang layunin nito: dagdagan ang take-home pay ng ating mga manggagawa (Its objective is simple: increase the take-home pay of our workers),” Gatchalian said.

On electricity, the Senate will prioritize the Energy Regulatory Commission Strengthening Bill following a Department of Energy report that the Philippines recorded the highest average power rate among Association of Southeast Asian Nations countries in June.

Gatchalian said the measure would improve regulatory oversight, strengthen accountability among industry participants, and protect consumers from excessive charges.

The Senate will likewise work on amendments to the Downstream Oil Industry Deregulation Act to require greater transparency in pump-price components and determine whether increases reflect legitimate expenses or unreasonable margins.

For infrastructure, the chamber will prioritize the Masterplan for Infrastructure and National Development Bill, which would establish a 30-year framework connecting major roads, airports, hospitals and energy pipelines.

Gatchalian said coordinated infrastructure development would generate employment, attract investments and sustain long-term growth.

The fifth priority involves amendments to the Magna Carta for Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises, which account for 99.7 percent of registered businesses in the country.

The proposed reforms would expand access to capital, credit guarantees, shared machinery and technical support, while giving small businesses more opportunities to participate in government projects and ensuring faster payment for their services.

Gatchalian also proposed the creation of an ad hoc committee to help coordinate legislative action on economic growth, employment and the cost of living.

He said the five priorities are interconnected and require coherent reforms that would endure beyond a single administration.

The Senate chief likewise committed to the timely passage of the proposed 2027 national budget and the continuation of transparency reforms, including livestreamed bicameral deliberations and the publication of budget documents through the Senate Transparency Portal.

“Let us build an economy worthy of the strength of our people, one where work provides security, daily needs are within reach, and the fruits of growth are felt in every Filipino home,” Gatchalian said. (PNA)