By Brian Campued
President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. is pushing for the passage of more than 20 priority bills by June next year as he convened the Legislative-Executive Development Advisory Council (LEDAC) full meeting in Malacañang on Thursday.
According to the Presidential Communications Office, President Marcos Jr. sought to align the administration’s common legislative agenda with Congress under the leaderships of Senate President Sherwin Gatchalian and House Speaker Faustino “Bojie” Dy III.
“Muling pinagtibay ng LEDAC ang iisang direksyon ng Ehekutibo at Kongreso sa pagpapatupad ng mga prayoridad na repormang magpapalakas sa ekonomiya, magpapahusay sa serbisyo ng pamahalaan, at magbibigay ng mas maraming oportunidad para sa bawat Pilipino,” the PCO said in a social media post.
One of the legislative measures discussed during the meeting was the temporary suspension and/or possible amendments of the Real Property Valuation and Assessment Reform Act (RPVARA) to prevent additional property-related costs for businesses, support investments, and allow for a smooth transition to the new valuation system.
During his 5th State of the Nation Address (SONA) last month, President Marcos Jr. urged lawmakers to pass another set of priority legislations, which includes amendments to the Electric Power Industry Reform Act (EPIRA) to abolish the system loss charges passed by distribution utilities and electric cooperatives to the consumers; the Sariling Kuryente Act; and the Waste-to-Energy Bill or Waste Treatment Technology Act.
He also called for amendments to the National Building Code as well as the passing of the Promoting Growth, Revenue, and Equity towards Socio-Economic Sustainability (ProGRESS) bill to exempt employees earning up to P350,000 annually from paying income tax and the General Tax Amnesty, including Estate Tax Amnesty.
Other bills that are targeted to be passed under the 20th Congress include the:
- Anti-Political Dynasty Law;
- Party-List System Reform Act;
- People’s Freedom of Information/Right to Information Act;
- Amendments to the Bank Deposits Secrecy Law, or the Banking Reform for Integrity, Good Governance, Honesty, and Transparency (BRIGHT) Act;
- Philippine Budgeting Code;
- Travel Tax Abolition;
- Amendments to the Coconut Farmers and Industry Trust Fund Act;
- Amendments to the Fisheries Code;
- Amendments to the Masustansyang Pagkain para sa Batang Pilipino Act, or the Expanded National Nutrition Program Act;
- Classroom-Building Acceleration Program Act;
- Amendments to the Government Assistance to Students and Teachers in Private Education (GASTPE) Act;
- Amendments to the Universal Access to Quality Tertiary Education Act;
- Presidential Merit Scholarship Program;
- National Coordinating Council for Education (NCCE) Act;
- Anti-Online Sexual Abuse or Exploitation of Children and Anti-Child Sexual Abuse or Exploitation Materials Act, or the Child Online Safety and Protection Act;
- National Center for Geriatric Health Act;
- Assistance to Individuals in Crisis Situation (AICS) Act;
- Amendments to the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps) Act;
- National Reintegration Law or Bagong Balikbayan Act.
LEDAC serves as the primary consultative and advisory body that harmonizes the legislative priorities of the executive and legislative branches of government to support the country’s socioeconomic development.
-jpv
