THE House of Representative is gearing up for the Legislative Executive Development Advisory Council (Ledac), said Speaker Feliciano Belmonte.
On Monday, Belmonte said the executive and legislative branches are expected to talk more about the priority measures after Congress adjourns sine die on June 13.
"We don't have yet schedule for Ledac but it will be conducted soon [because] Executive Secretary Paquito Ochoa said that the Palace already had its list of priority measures," he said. "I'm sure it will be scheduled after the break."
Belmonte said that among the Palace's priority bills are: Bangsamoro Basic law, Freedom of Information bill, Philippine Fair Competition Act, Rationalization of Fiscal Incentives, Electricity Power Industry Reform Act, Cabotage Law, and an act liberalizing scope and entry of foreign banks.
Malacanang is also pushing for the consumer protection measure against lemon products, Philippine Maritime Zones Act or the Archipelagic Sea Lanes Act, amendments to the Human Security Act, Civil Service Commission Reform Act, amendments to Sandiganbayan Law, the Land Administration Reform Bill and amended to Magna Carta for the Poor.
"We are happy to note that a lot of them (priority bills) have already been tackled by the House and some of them or most of them have been tackled by the Senate," Belmonte said.
The legislative and executive branch draw up a list of priority measures in Congress during the Ledac meetings.
The Ledac board is chaired by President Benigno Aquino III.
Also participating in the Ledac meetings are Vice President Jejomar Binay, Senate President Franklin Drilon, Belmonte, seven Cabinet members, three senators, three House members and one representative each from the local government units, the youth and the private sector.
Belmonte said that the Congress list of their priority bills was agreed during the recent meeting with Drilon, Senate President Pro-Tempore Ralph Recto, Senate Majority Leader Alan Peter Cayetano, Deputy Minority Leader Senator Vicente Sotto III, House Deputy Speaker Neptali Gonzales II, House Minority Leader Ronnie Zamora, and House committee on ways and means chairperson Romero Quimbo.
The Speaker said the priority measures for approval by both chambers until adjournment, covered the following areas of concerns: economic development and trade; national security, public order and safety; promotion of good governance; revitalizing education and human resource competitiveness; enhancing social protection; expanding access to health to achieve higher productivity; and climate change adaptation, among others.
The list includes the bill extending the corporate life of the Philippine National Railways (HB 4089), Mandating Telecommunications Service Providers to send free mobile alerts in the event of natural and man-made disasters and calamities (HB 353), Amendments to the Sandiganbayan Law, Sangguniang Kabataan Reform, Ladderized Education Program (post secondary) (HB 3575), Providing for an Open High School System for out of school youth (HB 4085), and Open Learning through Distance Education in Post-Secondary and Tertiary Levels Act.
Also included in the Congress' list are National Student Loan Program (Unifast) Act, Special Education Center, Iskolar ng Bayan, Providing for mandatory PhilHealth coverage for all senior citizens, Picture Based health Warning Law, Strengthening the Anti-Illegal Drugs Law (HB 2285) and Fisheries Code amendment.
"We have to prioritize and synchronize our actions in the House with that of the Senate to maximize output for the remaining 1st regular session of the 16th Congress," Belmonte said.
Belmonte and other House leaders earlier met with their Senate counterparts to identify vital pieces of legislation, which could be possibly fast-tracked within the remaining session days of the first regular session, which ends on June 13.
"There are various legislative measures which really need to be given appropriate action, but we have to prioritize what could be listed as common concerns within a limited time frame," the Speaker said.
Belmonte said that to make their legislative reforms possible closer coordination with the Senate and executive department are needed. (Sunnex)