HOUSE leaders are pushing stronger coordination between the House of Representatives and the Senate to accelerate the passage of Legislative-Executive Development Advisory Council (LEDAC) priority measures, with one senior lawmaker proposing the revival of a leadership caucus that previously helped both chambers align their legislative calendars.
Marikina City Rep. Miro Quimbo, chair of the House Ways and Means Committee, said during a press conference with Assistant Majority Leaders Antonino Roman III of Bataan and Agatha Paula “Agay” Cruz of Bulacan that the House and Senate could move more priority bills if both chambers had a regular mechanism where leaders directly discuss which measures are ready for action.
“Base sa karanasan ko noong time ni Speaker [Feliciano] Belmonte, mas marami kaming naipapasa noon because meron talaga kaming formal structure na binuo, ‘yung Joint Legislative Leadership Caucus,” Quimbo said.
Quimbo said the caucus was composed of top leaders from both chambers, including the Speaker, Senate President, majority leaders, minority leaders and key finance and tax committee chairs, giving Congress a practical venue to line up priority bills and resolve bottlenecks before they reached the floor.
“Nagmi-meet yun every month para ilatag kung ano yung mga bills na pwede na natin talakayin at the same time. Siguro ito yung isang bagay para mas maraming magawa over the next two years,” Quimbo said.
The call came as the House reported that 20 of the 52 LEDAC priority measures have already been approved on third and final reading, with six more measures targeted for possible final approval before Congress adjourns sine die if the calendar proceeds as planned.
“We are happy and proud to advise all that out of the 52 LEDAC measures, meron na po 20 na naipasa na po on third and final reading. And we hope before po tayo mag-adjourn ng ating session ay makapagpasa po kami ng additional na six na mga priority LEDAC measures,” Cruz said.
The 20 LEDAC measures already approved by the House include the following:
A. Enacted into Law (1) Resetting the First Regular Elections in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM)
B. Under Conference Committee (4)
National Center for Geriatric Health
Amendments to the Government Assistance to Students and Teachers in Private Education Act
Amendments to the Universal Access to Quality Tertiary Education Act
Assistance to Individuals in Crisis Situations (AICS) Act
C. Approved on Third Reading (15)
EPIRA Amendments: ERC Strengthening
Waste-to-Energy (Waste Treatment Technology and Regulatory Framework)
Amendments to the National Building Code
Blue Economy Act
National Reintegration Bill
Amendments to the Teachers Professionalization Act
Presidential Merit Scholarship Program
Extension of Estate Tax Amnesty Period
Department of Water Resources Bill
Amendments to the Bank Deposits Secrecy Law
Travel Tax Abolition
Digital Payments Act
Amendments to the Biofuels Act
National Land Use Act
Amendments to the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps) Act (Strengthening and Expanding) 1
Roman said the House also posted strong legislative output last week, with 36 bills approved on third reading and 29 measures approved on second reading as the chamber tried to move priority legislation before the end of session.
“Nakakatuwa, last week po, meron po kaming mga on third reading, 36 ang pumasa, five ang national, 31 ang local. At meron hong 29 na panukalang batas na pumasa sa second reading, eight ang national at 21 ang local,” Roman said.
Roman said the House is eyeing final approval of six more LEDAC measures this week:
Anti-Political Dynasty Act
Right to Information Act.
Bill strengthening the Bases Conversion and Development Authority
Anti-OSAEC and CSAEM Act amendments
Anti-Fake News and Disinformation Act
Amendments to the Masustansyang Pagkain Para sa Batang Pilipino Act.
“Ang nais po sana namin mangyari, bago ho mag-adjourn, ay maipasa na ho on third reading yung six LEDAC measures na pumasa ho ng second reading last week. So tuloy lang po yung aming trabaho,” Roman said.
In reference to the Senate’s LEDAC pace, Roman noted that the upper chamber has also acted on several priority measures, with House officials counting around nine LEDAC bills approved so far or already moving through advanced stages such as bicameral conference proceedings.
Roman identified Senate action on eight LEDAC measures such as the BARMM elections reset, National Center for Geriatric Health, GASTPE amendments, Universal Access to Quality Tertiary Education amendments, AICS, Right to Information, Classroom Building Acceleration and the Citizen Access and Disclosure of Expenditures for National Accountability, or CADENA Act, while House leaders stressed that the goal is to build on areas where both chambers are already moving rather than dwell on gaps.
Cruz emphasized that several LEDAC measures are already under conference committee and that House members are ready to work with their Senate counterparts to reconcile differing versions of the bills.
“There are several measures already under conference committee sa Senado and kami siyempre we always look forward lahat kami ng mga members from the House of Representatives, meeting with our counterparts so that we can harmonize the possible different versions of the bill,” Cruz said.
Asked whether Senate tensions could affect the LEDAC timetable, Quimbo expressed hope that political developments would not get in the way of legislative work, especially since LEDAC measures are priority bills jointly identified by the Executive and the Legislature.
“I wish. Sana maitawid natin yung mga LEDAC measures. I mean, these are circumstances that the public is keenly observing,” Quimbo said.
Quimbo said the public expects Congress to keep legislation at the center of its work, regardless of institutional noise or political pressure surrounding either chamber.
“We have to remember at all times, we have to keep work at the center and work is really legislation. So there are LEDAC measures for a reason because they’re a priority of the Executive and the Legislature,” Quimbo said.
