<\/p>\n
SPEAKER Ferdinand Martin G. Romualdez on Friday welcomed the projection that the Philippines is poised to become an upper middle-income country by 2026, as reported by the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA).<\/strong><\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n He described it as a clear validation of the economic roadmap being implemented by President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. under the Bagong Pilipinas agenda.<\/strong><\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n But the Speaker stressed that the challenge now is to make sure that this economic status upgrade brings real, concrete improvements to the lives of ordinary Filipinos\u2014especially through more jobs, stable prices and accessible public services.<\/strong><\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cEconomic growth is important, but it cannot just be growth on paper. Ang dapat nating itanong: Mas magaan ba ang buhay ng bawat pamilyang Pilipino? May trabaho ba ang bawat tatay at nanay? Nakakakain ba nang tatlong beses sa isang araw ang bawat pamilya? That is the standard that matters,\u201d Romualdez said.<\/strong><\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n To help achieve that, Romualdez underscored the significant role of the House of Representatives in advancing legislation aligned with the Marcos administration\u2019s vision of inclusive and sustainable economic development.<\/strong><\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n Among the key laws and measures the House has passed under his leadership are the following:<\/strong><\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u2022 The Trabaho Para sa Bayan Act \u2013 to institutionalize job creation strategies that respond to market demands, close the skills gap and promote entrepreneurship, particularly among the youth and returning OFWs.<\/strong><\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u2022 The Public-Private Partnership Code of the Philippines \u2013 to fast-track big-ticket infrastructure projects nationwide, including roads, hospitals, transport terminals, water systems and internet connectivity.<\/strong><\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u2022 The Internet Transactions Act \u2013 to boost e-commerce while protecting online consumers and entrepreneurs, especially in rural areas.<\/strong><\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u2022 The Ease of Paying Taxes Act \u2013 to support micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs), which are the backbone of the Philippine economy, by streamlining the tax system.<\/strong><\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u2022 Increased funding for DSWD cash aid, scholarship grants and rural health infrastructure \u2013 through the 2024 General Appropriations Act that the House championed and passed on time.<\/strong><\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u2022 Support for the Rice Competitiveness Enhancement Fund and National Food Policy \u2013 to drive down the cost of rice and ensure stable food supply for all Filipinos.<\/strong><\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u2022 Expanded Tulong Trabaho Fund and Technical-Vocational Training programs \u2013 giving Filipinos, especially those from poor families, access to skills training for in-demand jobs.<\/strong><\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n Romualdez noted that these legislative measures are not abstract policies but \u201creal-life solutions\u201d to the most urgent needs of the Filipino people.<\/strong><\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cThis is what economic development with inclusivity means: kapag may bago tayong kalsada, mas madaling makapagnegosyo ang magsasaka. Kapag may bagong public hospital, hindi na kailangang bumiyahe pa ang pasyente ng ilang oras para magpagamot. Kapag may bagong batas sa trabaho, may pag-asa ang bawat Pilipino na umasenso,\u201d he said.<\/strong><\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n He also emphasized that the House remains committed to building strong foundations for long-term prosperity, including digital transformation, energy security and food self-sufficiency.<\/strong><\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cAs we rise toward upper-middle income status, we must also rise to the challenge of lifting every Filipino out of poverty. Hindi sapat na umangat ang ekonomiya\u2014dapat umangat ang kabuhayan ng bawat isa,\u201d Romualdez said.<\/strong><\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n Finally, the Speaker called on all sectors\u2014business, local government, civil society and the youth\u2014to rally behind President Marcos\u2019 call for a Bagong Pilipinas that is modern, inclusive and future-ready.<\/strong><\/p>\n <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" SPEAKER Ferdinand Martin G. Romualdez on Friday welcomed the projection that the Philippines is poised to become an upper middle-income country by 2026, as reported<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":13411,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[5],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/journaldailynewsonline.com.ph\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/13410"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/journaldailynewsonline.com.ph\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/journaldailynewsonline.com.ph\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/journaldailynewsonline.com.ph\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/journaldailynewsonline.com.ph\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=13410"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/journaldailynewsonline.com.ph\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/13410\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":13412,"href":"https:\/\/journaldailynewsonline.com.ph\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/13410\/revisions\/13412"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/journaldailynewsonline.com.ph\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/13411"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/journaldailynewsonline.com.ph\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=13410"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/journaldailynewsonline.com.ph\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=13410"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/journaldailynewsonline.com.ph\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=13410"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}