The Senate will prioritize the passage of the remaining six priority measures identified by the Marcos administration during Legislative-Executive Development Advisory Council (LEDAC) meeting.

Escudero said these six LEDAC priorities, which are now set for plenary deliberation and approval on final reading in the Senate, are the proposed Blue Economy Act, Enterprise-Based Education and Training Framework Act, amendments to the Universal Health Care Act, establishment of the Department of Water Resources, Open Access in Data Transmission Act, and Corporate Recovery and Tax Incentives for Enterprises to Maximize Opportunities for Reinvigorating the Economy or CREATE MORE.

The Senate leader said the upper chamber will prioritize approvel of these six of the remaining 10 priority measures identified by the LEDAC, along with three key Senate priority bills, when session resumes next month.

“The Senate is committed to working diligently toward the passage of these essential measures. We aim to address critical areas that will enhance our economic framework, environmental sustainability, and governance,” Escudero said, after emerging from his first LEDAC meeting as Senate President.

The Senate chief said he also pushed for the inclusion of three Senate priority measures in the LEDAC’s Common Legislative Agenda (CLA) and these are the proposed amendments to the Right-of-Way Act (Republic Act 10752), the Investors’ Lease Act (R.A. 7652), and the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Law (R.A. 6657).

He said the proposed amendments to the Right-of-Way Act aim to make it easier to grant Right-of-Way for public projects, while changes to the Investors Lease Act would allow leasing private lands for up to 99 years to attract foreign investments.

The amendments to the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Law aim to lift restrictions on the ownership and transfer of lands awarded under the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program to boost agricultural productivity.

“The amendments to these laws will provide the necessary legal framework to expedite infrastructure projects and attract more foreign investments, thereby creating more jobs and boosting our economy,” the senator explained.

“Lifting restrictions on agrarian reform lands will also help increase agricultural productivity and improve the lives of our farmers,” he stressed.

Escudero also described his first LEDAC meeting with President Marcos and House Speaker Martin Romualdez as “productive.”

He said he is also committed to prioritize essential and meaningful legislation in the remaining 73 session days of the 19th Congress.

“The talks between the House and Senate was productive, likewise, with the Executive, especially with regards to the most important proposed laws that we need to focus on for the last 73 days of session days. We are hopeful and confident that we can do this,” Escudero said.