Deputy Speaker Paolo Ortega V of La Union on Thursday affirmed that the House of Representatives remains firmly on track to become one of the most productive in recent history, dismissing claims that the ongoing impeachment proceedings against Vice President Sara Duterte distract from urgent national concerns such as inflation, fuel prices and economic stability.
According to the Deputy Speaker, the House, under Speaker Faustino “Bojie” Dy III and Majority Leader Ferdinand Alexander “Sandro’ Marcos of Ilocos Norte, is operating on two tracks at full speed — legislation and accountability.
“Hindi pwedeng ipagpaliban ang pananagutan. Pero hindi rin pwedeng pabayaan ang pangangailangan ng taumbayan (Accountability cannot be set aside. But the needs of the people cannot also be abandoned). We are doing both — decisively and simultaneously,” he said in a statement.
The House, he stressed, has sustained a high-output legislative pace even as impeachment proceedings formally commenced.
“Let me be clear: impeachment does not paralyze the House. It activates our constitutional duty while we continue delivering results,” Ortega said.
He cited recent actions of the chamber that directly address everyday concerns of Filipinos, which include advancing fuel price relief measures, including authority for the President to suspend or reduce excise taxes on petroleum products; continuing legislative work on inflation mitigation, food security, and social protection; approving the abolition of the travel tax to reduce costs for Filipinos; pushing forward the Digital Payments Act to modernize government services; advancing reforms in education, public service delivery, and governance efficiency; and completing plenary deliberations on the Anti-Political Dynasty bill.
“These are not abstract policies. These are real interventions that respond to rising costs, improve services, and expand opportunities,” Ortega said.
Ortega also highlighted the House’s strong performance on the administration’s legislative agenda, with 18 out of 52 LEDAC priority measures already passed or advanced to the bicameral stage before the Holy Week break.
Key measures include the BARMM elections reset, Digital Payments Act, Travel Tax Abolition, EPIRA amendments and the Department of Water Resources bill.
“Even under pressure, the House is moving with discipline and urgency. That is what leadership demands,” he said, directly addressing criticism that the House should prioritize economic issues over impeachment proceedings.
He said addressing inflation and ensuring accountability are not competing tasks, but are both essential to governance.
“Clearly, the same House conducting impeachment is also advancing economic relief measures, particularly in response to global fuel price volatility and regional instability,” he noted.
“Kung may krisis sa presyo, may tugon ang Kamara. Kung may tanong sa pananagutan, may proseso rin ang Kamara. Hindi kami pipili — gagawin namin pareho (If there is price crisis, the House has a response. When there is a question on accountability, the House also has a process. We will not choose — we will do both),” Ortega said.
He also emphasized that the impeachment process will proceed based on constitutional mandate, regardless of political noise or individual participation.
“Institutions do not stop because one official chooses not to engage. The work continues, the process continues, and the service continues,” Ortega said. “This is where institutions are measured — not when it is easy, but when it is difficult,” he said. (PNA)