THE leadership of the House of Representatives yesterday vowed to push the approval of 23 priority measures of President Benigno C. Aquino III and other important bills such as the controversial Reproductive Health (RH) Bill as Congress resumes session today.

House Deputy Speaker Lorenzo “Erin” Tañada III, senior House Deputy Majority Leader Janette Garin (Iloilo) and Assistant Majority Leader Karlo Alexei Nograles (Davao City) said the leadership will continue deliberating the unfinished business when Congress adjourned last month for Holy Week break.

“We will discuss the 23 bills during the Legislative-Executive Development Advisory Council (LEDAC). We will also tackle even the RH bill which is not among the President’s priority,” said Tañada.

In a related development, An Waray Rep. Florencio “Bem” Noel, chairman of the House committee on accounts, disclosed that the leadership is planning to adopt four times a week session like what has been practiced before where lawmakers were holding session during Thursday morning to discuss local bills.

“This is still subject to the approval of the House leadership,” said Noel, adding that session today will be consumed on passing resolutions and delivering privilege speeches, including honoring Filipino boxing icon and Sarangani Rep. Manny “Pacman” Pacquiao who won over Shane Mosley at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas yesterday.

Garin said “definitely the RH measure will be discussed though it was not among the 23 priority bills. Nobody can stop a lawmaker from asking the leadership to debate the issue which is pending for second reading approval.”

Speaker Feliciano “Sonny” Belmonte Jr. said some of the priority measures like the resetting of August 2011 Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) elections had already been approved and some are being deliberated.