Marcos to convene first LEDAC meeting

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. will convene the first Legislative-Executive Development Advisory Council (LEDAC) under his administration on Monday, Press Secretary Officer-in-Charge Cheloy Garafil said Sunday.

Chaired by the President, the 20-member council is expected to discuss the status of the executive department's legislative agenda, which was presented by Marcos in his maiden State-of-the-Nation Address last 25 July.

Garafil said priority measures that are expected to be discussed include the National Government Rightsizing Program; Budget Modernization Bill; Government Financial Institutions Unified Initiatives to Distressed Enterprises for Economic Recovery and the Unified System of Separation, Retirement and Pension.

Economic bills that are expected to be discussed include the E-Governance Act; National Land Use Act; Tax Package 3: Valuation Reform Bill; Passive Income and Financial Intermediary Taxation Act and the Internet Transaction Act or E-Commerce Law.

In the area of national security, the LEDAC will tackle the National Defense Act; Mandatory Reserve Officers' Training Corps and National Service Training Program; the establishment of a Medical Reserve Corps, National Disease Prevention Management Authority, Virology Institute of the Philippines, and Department of Water Resources.

Also included in the LEDAC agenda are the enactment of an enabling law for the natural gas industry; amendments to the Electric Power Industry Reform Act or EPIRA and amendments to the Build-Operate-Transfer Law.

The priority legislative measures of the Senate and House of Representatives will also be presented by Senate President Juan Miguel Zubiri and House Speaker Ferdinand Martin Romualdez.

Included in the legislature's agenda are possible amendments to the COVID-19 Vaccination Program Act.

The LEDAC, created through R.A. 7640 on Dec. 9, 1992, serves as a consultative and advisory body to the President as the head of the national economic and planning agency for further consultations and advice on certain programs and policies essential to the realization of the goals of the national economy.

Under the Republic Act 7640, the council shall meet at least once every quarter but it may be convened by the President for special meetings, as may be necessary.

LEDAC members include the Vice President, seven members of the Cabinet designated by the President, three members of the Senate designated by the Senate President, three members of the House of Representatives designated by the Speaker of the House, a representative of the local government units, a representative from the youth sector and a representative from the private sector.