MANILA, Philippines – The Legislative Executive Development Advisory Council (Ledac) is set to be convened in September or October, Socioeconomic Planning Secretary Ernesto Pernia said on Tuesday, August 23.

“This has been dormant in the previous administration so we are revitalizing and getting it active again. The Ledac is scheduled to convene in September or October,” said Pernia during a press conference at Malacañang Palace.

The Ledac is a consultative and advisory body to the President for programs and policies that are essential to the administration’s goals for national development.

But during the administration of President Benigno Aquino III, the Ledac met only twice despite a law that says Ledac meetings are supposed to happen at least once every quarter.

Established by Republic Act 7640 during the Ramos administration, the Ledac is a venue for executive and legislative branches to discuss needed laws. The Ledac is chaired by the President and its members include the Vice President, Senate President, House Speaker, 7 Cabinet members, 3 senators, 3 House members, and one representative each from local government, youth, and the private sector.

Pernia said convening the Ledac is necessary for the Duterte administration’s economic agenda since many of the proposed reforms will need to be introduced through laws.

The National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA), for instance, plans to submit a legislative agenda focused on economic policies to the Ledac.

One of the laws to be proposed is for the creation of a superbody that would manage the country’s water resources.

“The following will be submitted to the Ledac: the creation of an apex or superbody for the water resources sector, proposed to be the Water Resources Department or Authority. Secondly, the creation of an independent financial economic regulator for the water sector,” said Pernia.

Duterte’s economic team also wants amendments to the Build-Operate-Transfer law and its Internal Rules and Regulations, which is often the source of procurement problems “that tend to stymie the rapid processing and implementation of projects,” said Pernia.

They will also propose to the Ledac amendments to the Electric Power Industry Reform Act or Epira which was supposed to reform the power sector, and the 40-year-old Water Code of the Philippines. – Rappler.com