On the opening day of the 20th Congress, Senator Mark Villar filed his top 10 priority bills, vowing to continue his multi-sectoral legislative advocacy with proposals that span digital innovation, public safety, and social welfare.

“In the upcoming Congress, we made sure that our priority bills will address various issues our country faces,” Villar said.

Three of the bills focus on strengthening the country’s digital and consumer protection framework.

The Scam Prevention Center Act proposes the creation of the Philippine Scam Prevention Center to coordinate efforts against financial scams.

Meanwhile, the Enhanced Protection for Consumer Act seeks to update the Consumer Act with stricter penalties and new provisions on illegal investment schemes and accurate labeling.

The Use of Digital Payments Act mandates the government to adopt safe, efficient digital payment systems for public transactions.

Addressing public safety, Villar filed the Abducted or Missing Persons Alert Act, modeled after the United States Amber Alert system, and the Road Safety and Comprehensive Drivers Education Act, which will introduce road safety training in K-12 curricula.

In line with his commitment to uplift everyday Filipinos, the senator filed the Magna Carta of Commuters to improve the country’s transportation infrastructure and the Universal Social Pension for Senior Citizens to provide standardized pensions for all elderly Filipinos.

He also pushed for the Educational Assistance Act for Children of Farmers and Fisherfolk, ensuring their access to basic educational needs.

Healthcare and grassroots governance also featured in Villar’s list. The Free Annual Medical Check-Up Act of 2025 will provide all Filipinos free yearly health exams through PhilHealth.

Finally, the Adjusted Benefits for Barangay Officials Act seeks to raise compensation and benefits for barangay leaders to boost service delivery and reduce corruption. /das