Legarda behind 5 of 7 laws passed by 20th Congress

Photo courtesy of Senator Loren Legarda

MANILA, Philippines — Senator Loren Legarda has played a key role in five of the seven laws enacted so far in the 20th Congress, highlighting her legislative work in education, fiscal policy, governance, and veterans’ welfare.

As vice chairperson of the Senate Committee on Finance and a former finance committee chair, Legarda helped shape the P6.793-trillion General Appropriations Act for Fiscal Year 2026, or Republic Act (RA) 12314. The law allocated P1.34 trillion for education, equivalent to 4.4 percent of gross domestic product, including P37.4 billion for the Universal Access to Quality Tertiary Education program.

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Legarda also authored and principally sponsored RA 12315, which extends the Second Congressional Commission on Education (EDCOM II). As EDCOM II co-chair, she worked with educators and policymakers on reforms addressing learning gaps identified by the commission.

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She likewise authored and co-sponsored RA 12316, or the Fuel Tax Relief Act, which authorizes the suspension of excise taxes on petroleum products amid rising fuel prices. The measure seeks to ease transport and electricity costs for households.

In governance and peace-building efforts, Legarda authored and co-sponsored RA 12317, the BARMM Governance Act, which moves the first regular elections in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao to September 2026.

The senator also principally authored and sponsored RA 12320, or the Philippine Veterans’ Month Act, which institutionalizes programs honoring Filipino veterans through education, remembrance, and benefits.

Together with these measures, two other laws — the naturalization of athletes Maodo Diouf (RA 12318) and Elizabeth Jeanette Means (RA 12319) — complete the seven laws enacted so far in the 20th Congress.

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“In the Senate, every decision carries weight. Laws must always deliver real relief, open doors for learning, and honor those who gave their lives for the country. My duty is to stand firm, to act with conviction, and to make sure that the work we do leaves a lasting impact on the lives of our people,” Legarda said.

Legarda said her legislative output has accelerated during the first regular session of the 20th Congress. She has authored 170 bills, surpassing the 146 measures she filed during the entire three-year term of the 19th Congress. She has also authored 15 resolutions covering education, agriculture, innovation, fiscal reform, climate action, culture, governance, social protection, defense, and veterans’ recognition.

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Among the measures that advanced before the close of the first regular session were the proposed Aklan Piña Museum and Cultural Center Act, the bill institutionalizing Schools of Living Traditions, and the Geographically Isolated and Disadvantaged Areas Schools Act, which reached the enrolled bill stage after bicameral action.

During a special session on June 17, 2026, the Senate approved on third reading Legarda’s Waling-Waling bill, which she principally authored and sponsored. She also participated in the passage of priority measures, including amendments to the Universal Access to Quality Tertiary Education Act, as well as bills concerning barangay health workers, anti-political dynasty reforms, and agricultural cooperatives.

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“The measure of our work is in the lives we uplift and the institutions we strengthen. I will remain relentless in this work, because public service demands persistence, purpose, and the will to see reforms through,” Legarda said. /dm