MANILA – Agriculture, social protection, and education reforms will take center stage in the 20th Congress as President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. and congressional leaders firmed up 44 priority measures under the Common Legislative Agenda during Tuesday’s Legislative-Executive Development Advisory Council (LEDAC) meeting in Malacañang.
Toplining the list are amendments to the Rice Tariffication Law and the Fisheries Code to boost farmers’ and fisherfolk’s competitiveness, along with proposed changes to the Coconut Farmers and Industry Trust Fund Act.
Social protection and welfare measures include amendments to the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps) and the Universal Health Care Act, the proposed Assistance to Individuals in Crisis Situations (AICS) Act, and the establishment of a National Center for Geriatric Health.
Education-related priorities cover upgrades to the Masustansyang Pagkain para sa Batang Pilipino Act, reforms on student and teacher assistance in private schools, and improvements in teacher professionalization.
Energy and environmental security also form part of the core agenda, with the Waste-to-Energy Bill, the Department of Water Resources bill, amendments to the Electric Power Industry Reform Act (EPIRA), the National Land Use Act, and an excise tax on single-use plastics.
Governance and transparency measures include the Progressive Budgeting Act, the Right to Information Act, amendments to the Anti-Money Laundering Act, and a comprehensive review of the Local Government Code.
Marcos stressed that amendments to the Local Government Code and Rice Tariffication Law should be among the first to move, saying these are “critical to improving governance efficiency and protecting agricultural competitiveness.”
Other listed priorities cover digitalization, disaster resilience, economic reforms, and institutional modernization.
Both the Executive and Legislative branches said the 44 measures are aimed at addressing immediate needs while laying the foundation for long-term development.
The 44 Common Legislative Agenda measures are:
1. Amendments to the Coconut Farmers and Industry Trust Fund Act
2. Amendments to the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps) Act
3. Department of Water Resources (DWR) Bill
4. Waste-to-Energy Bill
5. EPIRA Amendments: Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC) Strengthening Bill
6. National Land Use Act
7. Excise Tax on Single-Use Plastics
8. Blue Economy Act
9. Amendments to the Bank Deposits Secrecy Law
10. Progressive Budgeting for Better and Modernized Governance Act
11. Right to Information Act
12. Amendments to the Anti-Money Laundering Act
13. Philippine Civil Registration and Vital Statistics Act
14. Amendments to the Universal Health Care (UHC) Act
15. National Center for Geriatric Health
16. Assistance to Individuals in Crisis Situations (AICS) Act
17. Amendments to the Masustansyang Pagkain Para sa Batang Pilipino Act
18. Amendments to the Government Assistance to Students and Teachers in Private Education Act
19. Amendments to the Universal Access to Quality Tertiary Education Act
20. Amendments to the Teachers Professionalization Act
21. Amendments to the Local Government Code (Comprehensive)
22. General Tax Amnesty
23. Extension of Estate Tax Amnesty
24. Amendments to the Fisheries Code
25. Amendments to the Rice Tariffication Law or Rice Industry and Consumer Empowerment (RICE) Act, including AAES Act minor amendments (Comprehensive)
26. Amendments to the Downstream Oil Industry Deregulation Law
27. Amendments to the Biofuels Act
28. Cybersecurity Act
29. Amendments to the National Building Code
30. Amendments to the Magna Carta for MSMEs
31. National Reintegration Bill
32. Reprogramming of Seal of Good Local Governance
33. Digital Payments Act
34. Masterplan for Infrastructure and National Development
35. Classroom-Building Acceleration Program Act
36. Requiring Civil Servants to Waive Bank Secrecy
37. Law on Online Gambling
38. Disaster Risk Financing Insurance
39. Strengthening the Bases Conversion and Development Authority
40. Presidential Merit Scholarship Program
41. Disqualifying Relatives of Officials (4th degree) in Government Contracts
42. Fair Use of Social Media, AI and Internet Technology in Elections
43. Modernizing the Bureau of Immigration
44. Magna Carta for Barangays. (PNA)
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