First Legislative summit held; common agenda eyed

Senate President Juan Ponce-Enrile. INQUIRER/LYN RILLON

MANILA, Philippines — Congressional leaders on Thursday held the first ever Legislative Summit aimed at arriving at a common agenda, which included a possible discussion of amending the economic provisions of the 1987 Constitution.

Senate President Juan Ponce-Enrile and Speaker Feliciano Belmonte Jr. led the summit at the Shangri-La hotel in Manadaluyong City.

Also present were Senate Majority Leader Vicente Sotto III, House of Representatives Majority Leader Neptali Gonzales III, Senators Gregorio “Gringo” Honasan and Ferdinand “Bong-Bong” Marcos and other House members.

Notably, no opposition member from either the Senate or the House was present.

Enrile was quick to say that the summit was not meant to preempt the priority measures set during the Legislative-Executive Development and Advisory Council or LEDAC.

“We are not inhibited from doing this in order to arrive at a common legislative agenda that will help the executive. This is not to preempt the executive. It is to assist under the principle of coordination between the three branches of government,” said the Senate leader before the summit.

Asked if the summit meant dissatisfaction over the approved priority measures by the LEDAC, Enrile said, “No, no because they have their point of view, their nnotion of what’s important to the nation.”

“As far I’m concerned, we recognize that the obligation, responsibility and duty and prerogative to design the program of government belongs to the executive. But it does not mean that the legislature or any member of Congress is forclosed from proposing any additional laws that the proponents believe to be needed by the country.”

But Sotto had a different view on why there was a need for a separate meeting by the House and the Senate.

“Perhaps, I’m not saying it is, it’s the common sentiments of both houses that the LEDAC was not elaborate enough,” he said.

“It merely gave  us a list of the priorioty bills of the President or the executive department without necessarily  asking both houses what is our common agenda. And we should arrive at a common legislative agenda,” he further said.

In the summit, Sotto said the Senate would present to House leaders the 11 bills that were passed by the chamber, 11 pending measures, and 43 others proposed as priority by other senators.

Enrile raised the possibility that the proposed Charter change would also be tackled in the summit.

“It’s possible that we will discuss the issue…the suggestion of Speaker and I to consider to the possibility of amending the economic provisions of the Constitution,” he said.

“It’s possible because we have other matters here,” said Enrile.