LEDAC ExCom wants rice tariff approved this year
In its first meeting under the Duterte administration, the Legislative-Executive Development Advisory Council Executive Committee (LEDAC-ExCom) identified rice tariffication and 12 other legislative agenda as urgent.
A bill amending the Agricultural Tariffication Act of 1996, which is currently pending in Congress, is part of the list that will be endorsed to the Council in its next meeting for adoption, as well as for the approval and certification by the President as urgent.
Socioeconomic Planning Secretary Ernesto M. Pernia said that, by identifying them as urgent, “we mean that we would want them passed into law possibly within the year.”
“We need rice tariffication because the import quantitative restriction (QR) allowed by WTO already ended. This is to prevent uncertainty as to what the demands of WTO members will be following the lapse of the QR,” Pernia said.
In 2014, the WTO allowed the Philippines’ extension of the rice import QR until June 30, 2017.
Pernia added that earnings from the proposed law will also be used to improve the productivity of farmers and the agriculture sector — as specified in the Philippine Development Plan 2017-2022, which aims to expand economic opportunities in agriculture.
In the LEDAC ExCom meeting chaired by Pernia, the body agreed to endorse the Unified National Identification System Act, the Security of Tenure Bill (End of Endo/Contractualization), along with Utilization of the Coconut Levy Fund.
LEDAC ExCom also endorsed the National Transport Act to address transport traffic crisis, the Budget Reform Act, the National Land Use Act, the Rightsizing of the National Government, Amendments to the Anti-Cybercrime Act and Amendments to the Agricultural Tariffication Act of 1996.
Lastly, the council endorse the Amendments to the NIA Charter RE: Free Irrigation Act, Amendment to Public Service Act, Ease of Doing Business Act/Fast Business Permit Act and Government Procurement Reform Act Amendments.
The ExCom also strongly endorsed the passing of the Tax Reform bill, which was already certified as urgent by President Rodrigo R. Duterte in May. The 14 bills are part of the 28 measures included in the proposed Common Legislative Agenda (CLA) reviewed and vetted by the NEDALEDAC Secretariat, for final approval of the Council.
The CLA consists of measures which were prioritized based on the President’s Legislative Agenda (PLA) and the Common Legislative Priorities of Congress (CLPC).
The LEDAC is a widely represented and the highest consultative and advisory body to the President on economic and development matters to integrate the legislative agenda with the national development plan.
The Council is composed of highlevel officials from the government’s executive and legislative branches, with representatives from the private sector, youth, and local government units.
RA 7640 provides that the LEDAC shall meet at least once every quarter but it may be convened by the President for special meetings as may be necessary.