Job security, national ID system among Duterte admin legislative agenda

MANILA, Philippines — Bills on federalism, national ID system, job security and procurement reforms were among the measures in the common legislative agenda of Malacañang and Congress.

 

The common legislative agenda was approved during a meeting of the Legislative Executive Development Advisory Council (LEDAC) in Malacañang Tuesday night. President Rodrigo Duterte presided over the meeting, which was attended by Cabinet members, lawmakers and representatives from the local governments, private and youth sectors.

 

The common legislative agenda has 28 measures, based on the list provided by presidential spokesman Ernesto Abella Wednesday. But the list was no longer updated as it contained the Free Higher Education Act, which was already signed into law by the president this month.

 

Duterte has been advocating a federal type of government believing this would spur development in neglected far-flung areas and solve the decades-old conflict in Mindanao.

 

Under a federal set-up, local governments will be given additional powers including taxation and the setting up of courts. Duterte has said the unitary form of government, wherein much of the policies emanate from the central government in Manila, was introduced by colonizers and is not responsive to the Philippines’ situation.

 

READ: Federalism: What Filipinos need to know

 

The president has warned that the problems plaguing Mindanao would not end if federalism is not adopted. He has also promised to step down once a federal government is instituted.

 

Officials have also expressed support for a national ID system, believing it would streamline government transactions.

 

The Duterte administration has allotted P2 billion from next year’s budget to enable the Philippine Statistics Authority to roll out the biometrics-based national ID system.

 

Duterte has said the national ID system would help ensure that only the rightful recipients would benefit from anti-poverty programs.

 

Procurement reforms, meanwhile, aim to ensure the timely delivery of quality government supplies. Duterte, in particular, wants to do away with the lowest bid requirement, which he claimed has resulted in corruption and the purchase of substandard supplies.

 

Also in the common legislative agenda was the security of tenure bill, which aims to put an end to labor contractualization and the National Transport Act, which aims to address the traffic crisis.

 

Other measures in the common legislative agenda were:

Members of the LEDAC have also agreed to endorse a proposal to create a separate housing department.

 

The creation of the Department of Housing and Urban Development would be included in the government rightsizing bill, a measure that seeks to streamline the bureaucracy and cut costs.

 

READ: Tax reform, national ID top Senate priorities

 

At present, the Housing and Urban Development Coordinating Council is under the Secretary to the Cabinet.

 

The LEDAC also approved the designation of its sectoral representatives namely Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry president George Barcelon for the private sector; Taguig Mayor Lani Cayetano for local governments and National Youth Commission chair Aiza Seguerra for the youth.

 

 

READ: Alvarez opens Congress with list of priorities, accomplishments

 

The council’s next meeting will be held on Sept. 20.