Aquino hoping for lawmakers' support on 23 priority bills

President Benigno Simeon Aquino III on Monday morning expressed hope that Congress will act favorably on the 23 bills he wanted to be given priority. Aquino said this as he presided during the first Legislative-Executive Development Advisory Council during his term. The LEDAC is supposed to convene at least once every quarter. However, Aquino, who began his term on June 30 last year, convened the LEDAC only now, or nearly eight months into his term. “We look forward to a responsive collaboration…toward common legislative agenda," the President said in his opening speech. In his speech, the President said he was happy that many of the priority bills have been filed already. “At the end of today’s meeting, we may agree to meet more regularly or as may be necessary to address developmental issues affecting our country," Aquino said. Ochoa will be presenting the framework as well as the features of the 23 items in the proposed legislative agenda, the President said. He added Paderanga will also be presenting the Medium Term Philippine Development Plan for 2011 to 2016. “It’s a blueprint of our development agenda which we have been crafting with different sectors. Created in 1992, the LEDAC has as regular members the President as chairman, the Vice President, the Senate President, the House Speaker, seven Cabinet members, three senators, three House members, and one representative each from the local government, the youth, and the private sector. It serves to help the President integrate his legislative agenda with the national development plan, among others. Among those present in the LEDAC meeting at Malacañang were Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile, Senators Ralph Recto, Franklin Drilon, Jinggoy Estrada and Vicente “Tito" Sotto III. House Speaker Feliciano Belmonte, Minority Leader Edcel Lagman, Majority Leader Neptali Gonzales II, Deputy Speaker Lorenzo Tanada III, House appropriations committee chairman Joseph Emilio Abaya, and Rep Hermilando Mandanas also attended the meeting. The members of the Cabinet present were Executive Secretary Paquito Ochoa III, Justice Secretary Leila de Lima, Interior Secretary Jesse Robredo, Budget Secretary Florencio Abad, Finance Secretary Cesar Purisima, Presidential Communications Operations head Herminio Coloma and socio economic and planning secretary Cayetano Paderanga. Also present were presidential spokesperson Edwin Lacierda, Secretary Ricky Carandang and Defense Secretary Voltaire Gazmin. – VVP, GMA News