REELECTED Leyte 1st District Rep. Martin Romualdez on Monday filed three priority measures supporting President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s key policy directions in food security, healthcare, and pandemic preparedness.
Topping the list is House Bill No. 1 or the “Rice Industry and Consumer Empowerment (RICE) Act,” which seeks to amend the Rice Tariffication Law and restore regulatory powers to the National Food Authority (NFA).
The bill empowers the NFA to curb rice hoarding, stabilize market supply, and protect farmers by enforcing fair farmgate prices. It grants the agency authority to license and inspect grain warehouses, seize hoarded stocks, maintain buffer stocks sourced locally, and enforce a floor price for palay. The bill also imposes penalties of up to P2 million and two years in prison for violators, and a lifetime public office ban for officials involved in profiteering.
Romualdez also filed House Bill No. 2 to exempt overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) from paying PhilHealth premiums. The bill mandates shared contributions between the government and employers and prohibits diverting PhilHealth funds to unrelated expenditures.
Lastly, House Bill No. 3 proposes the creation of the Philippine Centers for Disease Prevention and Control, a lead agency tasked with disease surveillance, public health research, and emergency preparedness through four specialized divisions.
