The Marcos Jr administration is making a strong push for the passage of crucial priority measures focused on connectivity, investment, and healthcare during the remaining six session days of the 19th Congress. This commitment was reaffirmed by the Legislative-Executive Development Advisory Council (LEDAC) during its 8th meeting on Thursday, May 29.
Seven vital bills under the LEDAC Common Legislative Agenda are slated for deliberation in the Bicameral Conference Committee. These include:
- Amendments to the Foreign Investors’ Long-Term Lease Act
- Rationalization of the Mining Fiscal Regime
- Amendments to the Universal Health Care Act
- E-Government Act / E-Governance Act
- Konektadong Pinoy Act
- Virology Institute of the Philippines Act
- Blue Economy Act
Department of Economy, Planning, and Development (DEPDev) Secretary Arsenio M. Balisacan extended his gratitude to the leadership of both the Senate and the House of Representatives, stating, “We thank the leadership of both the Senate and the House of Representatives for their dedication in crafting sound, strategic, coherent, and responsive policies for our country. We remain hopeful that the remaining set of bills will be passed just in time before the end of the 19th Congress.”
Secretary Balisacan specifically highlighted the significance of the Konektadong Pinoy Act, a bill championed by DEPDev. “We look forward, in particular, to the Konektadong Pinoy Act – a critical bill that DEPDev has been championing for some time. We firmly believe this measure holds immense promise in transforming the lives of all Filipinos by ensuring reliable and affordable Internet access,” he added. The Konektadong Pinoy Act is designed to enhance market accessibility, upgrade physical and digital infrastructure, and enable full participation of individuals and businesses in the digital economy, ultimately aiming to provide affordable and reliable internet access for every Filipino.
Additionally, two other significant bills – the National Government Rightsizing Program and the Amendments to the Right-of-Way Act – are also being eyed for passage before the 19th Congress concludes.
To date, 32 out of the government’s 64 Common Legislative Agenda bills have been successfully enacted into law. Secretary Balisacan expressed confidence in the unified efforts of the Executive and Legislative branches to increase this number by the end of the 19th Congress and into the 20th Congress.
The 19th Congress will resume its session on June 2 for six days before adjourning sine die on June 13. The 20th Congress is scheduled to convene its first session on July 28.
LEDAC serves as the President’s primary consultative and advisory body, playing a crucial role in harmonizing executive development planning with congressional budgeting. For the 19th Congress, the Council identified 64 bills intended to advance the country’s socioeconomic and development goals.
