‘It is one thing to make a list, but certainly, fleshing out this list into viable and comprehensive legislation is hard work, even for the most senior of our representatives and senators.’
IT was Senate President Juan Miguel Zubiri who first urged President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. to convene the Legislative-Executive Development Advisory Council (LEDAC) to discuss the overall direction of the Executive branch in terms of legislation, even before the 19 priority bills that BBM wanted were mentioned in his State of the Nation Address.
The Chief Executive enumerated his 19 priority measures thus:
– National Government Rightsizing Program
– Budget Modernization Bill
– Tax Package 3 Valuation Reform Bill
– Passive Income and Financial Intermediary Taxation Act
– E-Govt Act
– Internet Transaction Act or E-commerce law
– GFI Unified Initiatives to Distressed Enterprises for Economic Recovery
– Establishment of Medical Reserve Corps
– National Disease Prevention Management Authority
– Creation of Virology Institute of the Philippines
– Department of Water Resources
– Unified System of Separation, Retirement and Pension
– E-Governance Act
– National Land Use Act
– National Defense Act
– Mandatory ROTC and National Service Training
– Enactment of Enabling Law for Natural Gas Industry
– Amendments to EPIRA
– Amendments to BOT Law
It is one thing to make a list, but certainly, fleshing out this list into viable and comprehensive legislation is hard work, even for the most senior of our representatives and senators.
On the National Government Rightsizing Program (NGRP) for instance, Zubiri said he needed to seek clarification first with the departments of finance and budget and management to be able to realize a complete picture of the program in his mind.
“What is important is that we convene the LEDAC right after the SONA so we can discuss the direction and request of the executive department in terms of legislation,” Zubiri said.
The President is the chairman of the LEDAC and the only one who can call the council to a meeting. Members of the LEDAC are the Vice President; Senate President and three senators; the Speaker and three lawmakers from the House of Representatives; seven Cabinet members that the President will choose; and representatives of local governments, the youth and the private sector.
Since practical legislation needs the cooperation of the House and the Senate, along with policy guidance from Malacañang Palace, the LEDAC is where legislative ideas are vetted, tightened and winnowed, hopefully to pass measures that would less likely be vetoed by the President.
