Marcos orders Ledac to finalize 20th Congress priority bills

MANILA, Philippines — Upon the instruction of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., Executive Secretary Ralph Recto convened the Legislative-Executive Development Advisory Council (Ledac) ad hoc team on Aug. 3 to finalize the administration’s priority legislative agenda for the 20th Congress.

“The proposed measures are anchored on the president’s vision for a more responsive, transparent, and inclusive government,” the Office of the Executive Secretary (OES) said in a statement Tuesday.

According to the OES, the additional priority measures focus on accelerating economic growth, providing tax relief to workers and businesses, lowering electricity costs, strengthening food and energy security, expanding social protection, intensifying the fight against corruption, and improving public service delivery through key institutional and political reforms.

It said the new key legislative measures align with the policy directions Marcos outlined during his fifth State of the Nation Address (Sona), including measures to expand income tax exemptions, provide tax relief for small businesses, grant tax amnesty, and reduce power costs by eliminating system loss charges.

READ: House to prioritize passage of Ledac measures

The Ledac ad hoc team meeting served as a preparatory session for the upcoming full Ledac meeting, where the Executive, Senate, and House of Representatives will discuss and adopt a common legislative agenda to fast-track the passage of priority measures.

Joining Recto at the meeting were Department of Economy, Planning, and Development Secretary Arsenio Balisacan and recently appointed Presidential Legislative Liaison Office Secretary Joey Salceda.

Malacañang, however, has yet to announce the date of the next full Ledac meeting.

Created through Republic Act No. 7640, Ledac serves as a consultative body to the president. During Ledac meetings, lawmakers and Cabinet members are expected to discuss priority policies and government programs that would improve the country’s socioeconomic conditions.

Ledac should meet at least once every quarter, but the president may convene special meetings as necessary.

READ: EXPLAINER: Marcos’ priority bills mentioned in his 2026 Sona

During the third full meeting of Ledac on Feb. 10, Marcos approved 21 priority measures to be passed by Congress by June.

Of the 52 current Ledac priority bills, only two have been signed into law: RA 12316, Authorizing the President to Suspend or Reduce Excise Tax on Petroleum Products; and RA 12317, Resetting the First Regular Elections in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao.

The bill amending the Universal Access to Quality Tertiary Education Act has already hurdled the bicameral conference committee deliberations with Congress, and is in the process of being enrolled into its final version and to be submitted to Malacañang.

The fourth full meeting of Ledac was supposed to happen on May 19, but was canceled following the changes in the Senate leadership. /mcm