LEDAC Targets 33 Priority Bills for 20th Congress Ahead of June 2027 Deadline

NEWS | The Legislative-Executive Development Advisory Council (LEDAC) has finalized a high-stakes roadmap for the 20th Congress, approving a list of 33 priority bills under its Common Legislative Agenda (CLA). Presided over by President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., the council has set an aggressive target to pass all 33 measures into law before June 2027, just ahead of the administration’s final State of the Nation Address (SONA).

The comprehensive legislative package spans structural overhauls in governance, energy security, tax system normalization, and human capital development. According to executive officials, the measures have been strictly vetted based on their alignment with the Philippine Development Plan 2023–2028 and their immediate potential to impact the daily lives of Filipinos.

Historic Political and Governance Reforms

Taking center stage in this legislative push are landmark governance measures aimed at rebuilding public trust and intensifying anti-corruption protocols. For the first time in recent legislative cycles, the council has elevated the long-debated Anti-Political Dynasty Law to its top-priority list. Complementing this reform are three other foundational integrity acts:

The Party-list System Reform Act: Designed to return the system to its original constitutional intent of representing marginalized sectors.

The People’s Freedom of Information / Right to Information Act: Aiming to institutionalize absolute transparency across all arms of government.

The Banking Reform for Integrity, Good Governance, Honesty, and Transparency (BRIGHT) Act: Seeking necessary amendments to the Bank Deposits Secrecy Law to enhance state capacity to track illicit financial tracks.

Relieving Utility Costs and Boosting Energy Security

In response to direct consumer pressures, the LEDAC is fast-tracking critical adjustments to the country's energy architecture. Chief among these are proposed amendments to the Electric Power Industry Reform Act (EPIRA). The revisions seek to drastically lower electricity costs by completely prohibiting the pass-through of utility "system loss charges" and their associated value-added tax (VAT) onto retail consumers.

Furthermore, the agenda includes the Sariling Kuryente Act, an initiative empowering individual households to mitigate energy expenses by simplifying the installation and grid-integration of rooftop solar panel systems and home battery storage.

Socio-Economic Relief and Comprehensive Revenue Overhauls

On the economic front, the council introduced the Promoting Growth, Revenue, and Equity towards Socio-Economic Sustainability (ProGRESS) Bill. In a significant relief move for the local workforce, this bill proposes to completely exempt employees earning an annual income of up to ₱350,000 from paying personal income tax.

To broaden the tax base and normalize asset reporting, the administration is simultaneously seeking a broad-based General Tax Amnesty, which includes a dedicated window for Estate Tax Amnesty.

Reinforcing Social Safetynets and Education Access

The remaining portion of the priority list heavily favors human capital development, with several measures targeting systemic deficiencies in education and child safety. Key entries include:The Classroom-Building Acceleration Program (CAP) Act: Aimed at erasing the historical public school infrastructure backlog.

The Basic Education Voucher Program Act: Expanding the financial aid reach under the Government Assistance to Students and Teachers in Private Education (GASTPE) framework.

The Social Media Safety for Children Act: Formulated to safeguard underage digital users from predatory algorithmic practices and systemic online exposure.

A Unified Legislative Front

This latest iteration of the CLA marks the first full LEDAC assembly attended by the newly installed legislative heads, Senate President Sherwin Gatchalian and House Speaker Faustino "Bojie" Dy III. Both chambers have committed to sustaining strict alignment to ensure the thorough vetting and swift plenary advancement of these measures.

With less than a year remaining before the mid-2027 deadline, legislative committees have been directed to operate under an accelerated schedule to convert these 33 key blueprints into enforceable national laws.

Courtesy: PCO