LEDAC approves legislative agenda for 17th Congress

August 30, 2017

In its second meeting under the Duterte administration Tuesday, the Legislative-Executive Development Advisory Council (LEDAC) approved the Common Legislative Agenda (CLA) for the 17  th Congress.

The CLA consists of 28 priority measures, 14 of which were recommended by the LEDAC Executive Committee as urgent last July to emphasize the necessity of having them passed into law within the year.

“We are pleased that the approved CLA responds to what the Philippine Development Plan 2017-2022 has laid out. In fact, 21 out of the 28 measures are identified as priority legislations in the PDP. This development only shows that the whole of government is moving forward in the same direction,” Socioeconomic Planning Secretary Ernesto Pernia said Wednesday.

He said the necessary bills have been filed for all measures in both houses of Congress, and 10 are in the advanced stages of legislation, as follows:

Comprehensive Tax Reform

National Land Use Act

Rightsizing of the National Government

Amendments to the NIA Charter RE: Free Irrigation Act

Ease of Doing Business Act

National Mental Health Care Delivery System

Occupational Safety and Health Hazards Compliance

Strengthening the Balik-Scientist Program

Philippine Qualifications Framework

Social Security Act Amendments

Pernia added that the Common Legislative Priorities of Congress (consisting of 39 common priorities of both Houses of Congress) and the President’s Legislative Agenda (consisting of 55 proposed legislations) were the bases of the prioritization.

The council, chaired by the President, also approved the LEDAC Organizational Structure that listed the composition of LEDAC, the Executive Committee, and the LEDAC Secretariat-Technical Working Group.

The LEDAC is the highest consultative and advisory body to the president on economic and development matters to integrate the legislative agenda with the national development plan. DMS