GMA to convene LEDAC

President Arroyo will convene tomorrow the Legislative-Executive Development Advisory Council (LEDAC) to push for the immediate passage of pending priority bills in Congress, officials said yesterday.

The LEDAC would be convened a day after Mrs. Arroyo’s arrival from a 10-day trip to Spain, London and Kuwait.

Presidential Legislative Liaison Office chief and Senior Deputy Executive Secretary Joaquin Lagonera said the meeting will tackle pending priority bills in Congress in the wake of recent economic developments.

“Hopefully, we can get some of the priority bills, including the Cheaper Medicines Bill, approved before Congress takes a break on December 21,” Lagonera said.

He said the proposed P1.227 trillion national budget for 2008 would be the main agenda of the LEDAC meeting.

Lagonera said Speaker Jose de Venecia Jr. and Senate President Manuel Villar had confirmed their attendance to the LEDAC which will be held in Malacañang.

The last such meeting was held in August where both Malacañang and congressional leaders agreed to prioritize the passage of 28 pending bills.

Before Mrs. Arroyo left for Spain last Dec. 1, she stressed the need to convene LEDAC to find ways to overcome obstacles delaying the passage of vital bills.

Apart from the Cheaper Medicine Bill and the proposed budget, other urgent measures often mentioned by Mrs. Arroyo that need immediate approval include the Japan-Philippines Economic Partnership Agreement (JPEPA), and amendments to the Electric Power Industry Reform Act (EPIRA). – Paolo Romero