President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. will convene the Legislative-Executive Development Advisory Council (LEDAC) today to discuss the status of his administration’s legislative agenda, which he presented in his maiden State-of-the-Nation Address (SONA) last July 25.
The priority measures the LEDAC is expected to tackle include the National Government Rightsizing Program (NGRP); the Budget Modernization Bill; the Government Financial Institutions Unified Initiatives to Distressed Enterprises for Economic Recovery (GUIDE); and the Unified System of Separation, Retirement, and Pension.
Chaired by the President, the 20-member council counts Vice President Sara Duterte-Carpio, seven members of the Cabinet designated by Mr. Marcos, three senators designated by the Senate President, three members of the House of Representatives designated by the Speaker, and representatives from local government units (LGUs), the youth sector, and the private sector.
In a statement, Malacanang said 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 (PIFITA), 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 (ROTC) and National Service Training Program (NSTP); the establishment of a Medical Reserve Corps, the National Disease Prevention Management Authority, the Virology Institute of the Philippines, and the 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 (Republic Act No. 9136), and amendments to the Build-Operate-Transfer (BOT) Law.
The priority legislative measures of the Senate and House will also be presented by Senate President Juan Miguel Zubiri and Speaker Ferdinand Martin Romualdez.
Included in the legislature’s agenda are possible amendments to the COVID-19 Vaccination Program Act (RA No. 11525).
The LEDAC, created through RA 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.
Monday’s meeting will be the first LEDAC meeting under the administration of President Marcos Jr.
R.A. 7640 provides that the council shall meet at least once everyquarter, but it may be convened by the President for special meetings as may be necessary.