Marcos: LEDAC meeting ‘productive’

The first Legislative-Executive Development Advisory Council had been "productive", President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. said on Monday.

"Ang Legislative-Executive Development Advisory Council o LEDAC ang nagsisilbing consultative at advisory body pagdating sa mga panukalang batas at programa na naglalayong maitaas ang antas ng ekonomiya ng bansa. Maraming salamat sa isang produktibo ng pagpupulong ngayong umaga!" Marcos wrote in a social media post.

Office of the Press Secretary officer-in-charge and undersecretary Cheloy Garafil said the 20-member council, chaired by the President, was able to discuss the entire executive department's legislative agenda.

Among the priority measures are 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.

Also included in the agenda are several economic bills, national security matters, possible amendments to the Electric Power Industry Reform Agenda or EPIRA Law, and the Build-Operate-Transfer Law, among others.

House lawmakers and senators presented their respective priority legislative measures such as possible amendments to the Covid-19 Vaccination Program Act to the meeting.

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.

House pledges support

House Speaker Martin Romualdez, for his part, assured the President of the lower chamber's commitment to passing the measures endorsed during the LEDAC meeting as its Common Legislative Agenda.

"The House is in full support of the President's entire legislative agenda, including the key priority measures for legislation he has asked Congress to consider. We will act on these with dispatch," he said.

"With the guidance and support of President Marcos Jr. and the Presidential Legislative Liaison Office, these priority measures will become Laws, which the Filipino people can benefit from."

Romualdez, the President's cousin, said the House will continue to invoke Rule 10, Section 48 of the House of Representatives for the swift approval of some of the 30 CLA measures.

"We have the internal mechanism for an expeditious approval process that is enshrined in the House rules of procedure," Romualdez said.

The House chief added that Rule 10, Section 48 authorizes the committees to dispose of priority measures already filed and approved on the third reading in the immediately preceding Congress.

He said the use of this particular rule would greatly hasten consideration and endorsement by any committee of any covered bill and its eventual plenary approval.

Romualdez said that more bills might be included in the 30 priority bills under CLA in the coming months.

Senate vows swift action

Senate President Juan Miguel "Migz" Zubiri disclosed that Congress has agreed to pass at least six proposed measures within the year.

Zubiri said the proposed bills the Senate and House of Representatives agreed to prioritize are the National Disease Prevention Management Authority/Center for Disease Prevention and Control; Virology Science and Technology Institute of the Philippines and Mandatory Reserve Officers' Training Corps.

Likewise, the Congress will also commit to passing legislative measures such as National Service Training Program; Amendments to the Build-Operate-Transfer Law, and Condonation of Unpaid Amortization and Interest on Loans of Agrarian Reform Beneficiaries, by year-end.

He called the LEDAC meeting a "success," adding that it was "timely" as the Senate starts the deliberations for the proposed 2023 national budget of P5.268 trillion.

"It's very timely that we had our first LEDAC right before the budget season. That is going to be taking up most of our time in the plenary once we resume the session, and we needed this LEDAC to identify the bills we must make room for alongside the budget," he said. "This LEDAC was a success in that regard."

"We have had a productive meeting where we reaffirmed our commitment to a common legislative agenda. We have pledged passage of bills which will accelerate our pandemic recovery, insulate our hardworking families from the inflationary fallout from global disruptions, and anchor our regions and sectors on stronger fundamentals to build resiliency and secure our future."

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