Alvarez wants to scrap PLLO, Congressional Spouses Foundation

Mara Cepeda

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Alvarez wants to scrap PLLO, Congressional Spouses Foundation
Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez says the Presidential Legislative Liaison Office's function is redundant since the LEDAC already exists

MANILA, Philippines – If he had his way, Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez would abolish the Presidential Legislative Liaison Office (PLLO) as well as the Congressional Spouses Foundation Incorporated.

Alvarez said this in an ANC Headstart interview on Monday, February 13.

“Sa totoo lang, hindi talaga kailangan ‘yun (PLLO). Kaya nga I recommended to the President [Rodrigo Duterte] for their abolition. Kasi, ang nangyayari kasi, halimbawa, ‘yung LEDAC (Legislative Executive Development Advisory Council), ‘yun na ‘yun, kami nag-uusap kami directly with the Senate, kung ano ‘yung mga priority bills namin, ipi-present namin ‘yun sa LEDAC,” said Alvarez.

(In truth, the PLLO is not needed. That’s why I recommended to President Rodrigo Duterte for their abolition. Through the LEDAC, the House and the Senate are already able to talk directly and present our priority bills.)

“‘Yung executive naman, doon sa LEDAC ay nag-pi-present noong mga priorities nila na legislation. So, doon pa lang, alam na namin ‘yun. So, ano pa ang kailangan ng liaison diyan?” he added.

(The executive branch is also able to present its priority measures during the LEDAC meeting. So from there, we already know these things. What’s the need for a liaison?)

In its official website, the PLLO said its mandate is the “promotion of presidential legislative initiatives and other administration-sponsored priority policy reforms and development programs through a strategic information dissemination campaign and sustained day-to-day collaboration with the two chambers of Congress, as well as with other interest groups.”

In the same interview, Alvarez said he also wants to scrap the Congressional Spouses Foundation Incorporated because it is supposedly “occupying a big space” at the House which can be used as offices for lawmakers instead.

“It is not a function of Congress, but they are occupying a big space… Pero ang nangyari kasi, nagdagdag ng mga congressmen, maraming party-list ang pumasok. Kailangan ko po ng mga opisina (What happened is that there are other congressmen and parties that were added. Offices are needed),” said Alvarez.

His wife Emelita, however, is the current president of the foundation. 

According to its website, the Congressional Spouses Foundation Incorporated is a “cause-oriented organization” that is “committed to support and complement the legislative and public service mandate of the House of Representatives and its members through socio-civic and other developmental initiatives.” – Rappler.com

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Mara Cepeda

Mara Cepeda specializes in stories about politics and local governance. She covers the Office of the Vice President, the Senate, and the Philippine opposition. She is a 2021 fellow of the Asia Journalism Fellowship and the Reham al-Farra Memorial Journalism Fellowship of the UN. Got tips? Email her at mara.cepeda@rappler.com or tweet @maracepeda.