President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. on Monday spelled out the priority legislations that he wants backing from Congress, which include among others government rightsizing and budget modernization measures.

During his first State of the Nation Address, Marcos said the priority proposals include the National Government Rightsizing Program (NGRP), which seeks to enhance the government’s institutional capacity to perform and provide better services.

He also pushed for Budget Modernization Bill, which aims to institutionalize the cash-based Budgeting System (CBS) under Executive Order No. 91, Series 2019; and Tax Package 3: Valuation Reform Bill.

Also included in the President’s proposals were the Passive Income and Financial Intermediary Taxation Act (PIFITA), which seeks reform in the taxation of capital income and financial services; the E-Government Act, which aims to establish the E-Government Master Plan; and the Internet Transaction Act or E-Commerce Law, which bats for the establishment of effective regulation of commercial activities through the internet or electronic means to ensure consumer rights and data privacy protection.

Other priority legislations include the Government Financial Institutions Unified Initiatives to Distressed Enterprises for Economic Recovery (GUIDE); the establishment of a Medical Reserve Corps; the National Disease Prevention Management Authority; the creation of the Virology Institute of the Philippines, and the Department of Water Resources.

Marcos also seeks a unified system of separation and retirement pension.

He also seeks backing for the E-Governance Act, the National Land Use Act, the National Defense Act, the Mandatory Reserve Officers’ Training Corps (ROTC), and National Service Training Program (NSTP).

The chief executive also bats for the enactment of an enabling law for the Natural Gas Industry, as well as amendments to the Electric Power Industry Reform Act or EPIRA (Rep. Act No. 9136) and the Build-Operate-Transfer (BOT) Law. PND