Cost of living, jobs, infrastructure among Senate priorities
MANILA, Philippines — The Senate will prioritize measures aimed at lowering the cost of living, creating jobs and accelerating infrastructure development, alongside the timely passage of the proposed 2027 national budget.
Senate President Sherwin Gatchalian made the announcement yesterday during his opening address at the start of the second regular session of the 20th Congress.
“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.
He noted that the Development Budget Coordination Committee had lowered the country’s 2026 economic growth forecast to 3.5 percent to 4.5 percent from the earlier five percent to six percent, while the International Monetary Fund and the Asian Development Bank also downgraded their projections for the Philippines.
Gatchalian said the Senate’s immediate priority is the approval of the 2027 national budget, describing it as the government’s most powerful tool to stimulate economic activity and fund essential services.
Beyond the budget, Gatchalian identified five legislative priorities: curbing the rising prices of basic commodities, increasing workers’ take-home pay, reducing electricity costs, expanding infrastructure and transportation and strengthening job security through support for micro, small and medium enterprises.
To address food prices, the Senate will prioritize amendments to the Rice Tariffication Law to ensure adequate rice supply, stabilize prices and protect farmers’ incomes.
Gatchalian also pushed for the proposed Ginhawa Bill, which seeks to increase workers’ take-home pay by exempting individuals earning up to P400,000 annually from income tax while raising the tax-free ceiling for bonuses and removing taxes on overtime pay, holiday pay, night-shift differential, hazard pay and service charges.
On energy costs, he said the Senate would prioritize the proposed ERC Strengthening Act to improve regulation of the power industry and amendments to the Downstream Oil Industry Deregulation Act to increase transparency in fuel pricing.
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