ICYMI: Things to know about PRRD’s first LEDAC meeting

Introduction

To seek support for the administration’s priority legislation, President Rodrigo Duterte convened the first Legislative-Executive Development Advisory Council (meeting) of the year last January 31, 2017 at Malacañang.

The LEDAC serves as a consultative and advisory body to the President as the head of the national economic and planning agency to provide advice on certain programs and policies essential to the realization of the goals of the national economy. It is composed of 20 members, with the President serving as chairman. The 20-member advisory body was formed under Republic Act No. 7640 during the administration of former president Fidel V. Ramos, who held its first meeting on May 19, 1993. The last LEDAC meeting prior to Duterte’s first was held on August 6, 2011 under the administration of former president Benigno Aquino III.

LEDAC members who attended this year’s meeting include of this include:

• Vice President Maria Lenonor “Leni” Robredo

• Senate President  Aquilino "Koko" Pimentel III

• Senate President Pro-Tempore Franklin M. Drilon

• Senate Majority Leader Vicente C. Sotto III

• Senate Minority Leader Ralph G. Recto

• Senator Alan Peter S. Cayetano

• House Speaker Pantaleon D. Alvarez

• House Majority Leader Rodolfo C. Fariñas

• Representative Dakila Carlo E. Cua

• Presidential Communications Operations Office (PCOC) Secretary Martin Andanar

• Housing and Urban Development Coordinating Council (HUDCC) Secretary Leoncio “Jun” Evasco Jr.

• Department of Agriculture (DA) Secretary Emmanuel Piñol

• Department of Finance (DOF) Secretary Carlos G. Dominguez

• Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) Secretary Mark Villar

• Presidential Peace Adviser Jesus Dureza

• NEDA Director-General Ernesto Pernia

• Department of Transportation (DOTr) Secretary Arthur P. Tugade

• Department of National Defense (DND) Secretary Delfin Lorenzana

Shortly after the first LEDAC meeting, President Duterte named National Youth Commission chair Cariza “Aiza” Seguerra and Taguig City Mayor Lani Cayetano as members of the body.

LEDAC 2017 agenda

As a member of the council under the law, Vice President Leni Robredo pushed for a total of eight measures, four of which are housing-related:

• National Food Security Bill

• Freedom of Information Bill

• People Empowerment Bill

• Land Use Bill

• On-site, In-city or Near-city Bill

• Department of Housing Bill

• UDHA Amendments on Eviction

• Anti-Discrimination Bill

Meanwhile, Congress presented a total of 39 joint list of priority:

• Revision of Constitution

• Income Tax Reform Act

• Estate Tax Reform Act

• Corporation Code of the Philippines

• Free Internet Access in Public Places Act

• Traffic and Congestion Crisis Act (Emergency Powers)

• Coconut Farmers and Industry Development Act

• Anti-Hazing Law Amendments

• Criminal Investigation Act

• Anti-Discrimination Act

• End of Endo/ Contractualization Act

• Expand Coverage of Local Absentee Voting Act

• Free School Feeding/Pagkaing Pinoy para sa Batang Pinoy Act

• Social Security Act Amendments

• Department of Housing and Urban Development Act

• Free Irrigation Services Act

• Free Higher Education Act

• Refusal of Hospital and Medical Clinics to Administer Medical Treatment in

• Emergency Cases

• Philippine Mental Health Act

• Ease of Doing Business Act/Fast Business Permit Act

• Public Service Act Amendments (Strengthen the Public Service Act as well as the National Tele-communications Commission)

• Allowable/ Recoverable System Loss Act

• Philippine Passport Act Amendments

• Salary Standardization Law IV

• Government Procurement Reform Act Amendments

• Family Code of the Philippines Amendments

• Legislative Franchise for Operating Railways

• National ID System

• Prohibit conversion of irrigated land

• Stiffer Penalty for Violating Minimum Wage Laws

• Revised Penal Code

• Amendment of Fair Election Act

• Occupational Safety and Health Standards Acts

• Enhanced Universal Healthcare Act

• Agrarian and Agricultural Credit Condonation Act

• Extension of Driver’s License Validity

• One Town: One Doctor Act

• Unified Uniformed Personnel Retirement Benefits and Pension Reform Act

• Community Service in Lieu of Imprisonment for the Penalty of Arresto Menor

The President also bared his own list that consists of 62 bills/measures. It specifically target the issues of participatory governance; security, peace and justice; human development and poverty reduction; economic development; climate change adaptation and mitigation. The bills are:

Participatory Governance

• Federalism

• Freedom of Information Bill

• Budget Reform Act

• Rightsizing the National Government

• Revised Base Pay Schedule of Military and Uniformed Personnel

• Unified National Identification System Act

• People’s Broadcasting Corporation Charter Bill

Security, Justice and Peace

• Amendment of Republic Act No. 9165 (Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002)

• Law for the Comprehensive Agreement on the Bangsamoro

• Juvenile Justice and Welfare Acts Amendments

• Reserve Officer Training Course (ROTC) Restoration

• AFP Modernization and Procurement Reform Act

• Human Security Act Amendments

• Amendments to the National Defense Act of 1935

• National Security Act

• Pension Reform for Uniformed Personnel

• Amendments to the Anti-Cybercrime Act

• Philippine Maritime Zone

• Philippine Archipelagic Sea Lanes

• Mandatory SIM Card Registration

• Professional Code of the Armed Services

• Review of the Ranks of the PNP vis-à-vis the AFP

Human Development and Poverty Reduction

• Strengthening of the Balik Scientist Program

• Occupational Safety and Health Hazards

• Coco Levy Funds Utilization (expressed strong support)

• Security of Tenure Bill

• Genuine Agrarian Reform Bill

• National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority

• Expanded Maternity Leave

• Philippine Qualifications Framework

• National Mental Health Care Delivery System

• Condonation of Land Amortization and Arrears on Interest Payment

• DWSD – Social Welfare and Development Agencies

• DAR – Amendments to the NIA Charter, re: Free irrigation

• NCCA – Department of Culture / Kagawaran ng Kultura

• OPA-OFW-Department of Overseas Filipinos

• PCW-Amendments to RA 8353 or the Anti-Rape Law of 1997

Economic Development

• Tax Reform Program

• Republic Act No. 7718: Build-Operate-And-Transfer (BOT) Law Amendments

• National Transport Act (to address transport traffic crisis)

• Amendments to the Bank Secrecy Act

• Amendments to the Anti-Money Laundering Act (AMLA) (Presidential Directive No. 2016-0126)

• Amendments to Republic Act No. 9136: Electric Power Industry Reform Act ( EPIRA)

• Amendments to the Agricultural Tarrification Act of 1996

• Amendments to the Public Service Act

• Modernization of Outdated ICT Policy and Regulatory Framework: Amendments to the Public Telecommunications Policy Act of 1995; reorganization of the NTC; among others

• Amendments to the Omnibus Investments Code

• NFA Reforms

• National Quality Infrastructure

• Amendments to the New Central Bank Act

• Payment Systems Act

• Amendments to the Fiscal Incentives Review Board

Climate Change Adaption and Mitigation

• National Land Use Act (expressed strong support)

• Apex Body for the Water Resources Sub-Sector (Proposed Department of Water Resources)

• Water Supply and Sanitation (WSS) Independent Economic/ Financial Regulator

• Integrated Coastal Management Strategy

• Land Administration Reform Act

• Sustainable Forest Management Act

• Delineation of the Specific Forests Limits

• Electronic Waste recycling

• Amendments the Toxic Substances and Hazardous and Nuclear Wastes Control Act

• Philippine Environmental Assessment System

Several measures were also agreed upon in terms of priorities which include the fast-tracking of the approval of the Palace-endorsed Comprehensive Tax Reform Program, as well as the amendments to the procurement law. Another concrete decision made during the meeting is that the LEDAC will be convened every quarter as mandated by law. The various committees under the LEDAC, meanwhile, will meet once a month. Senate President Pimentel III also revealed that once in a while, the council will convene together with the Judiciary; it will therefore be known as LEJDAC. Pimentel said that judiciary matters are essential for investments given that investors usually complain of slow court action and even interference in legitimate business contracts.

Meanwhile, no consensus have been made on whether the process of amending the Constitution’s provision limiting to 40 percent foreign ownership of businesses in certain industries would be done by Congress as a constituent assembly, or by elected delegates to a constitutional convention.