Press Release
August 7, 2007

ROXAS: LEDAC WAS PRODUCTIVE
PERO DAPAT HINDI LANG "PURO DAKDAK"

Senator Mar Roxas said that the Legislative-Executive Development Advisory Council (LEDAC) meeting he attended earlier was "productive," but the next important step would be to actualize priority measures discussed in the meeting.

"Sa tingin ko ay productive ang LEDAC. Marami napag-usapan at na-prioritize ang mga panukala na pagtutulung-tulungan namin," Roxas said.

"The committees now have been organized in the Senate. We expect the Senate to hasten the deliberation of these measures. Likewise in the House. I'm quite optimistic that there will be a great deal of productive legislative action in the coming months," he added.

Among many bills that have been discussed during the LEDAC, Roxas said he is pleased with the consensus to prioritize measures that are already in the pipeline, including the Affordable Medicines Bill.

Other items discussed include the Japan-Philippines Economic Partnership Agreement, agrarian reform, and the environmental challenge due to global warming, which is connected to the drought being experienced at present.

Roxas is also "very happy" about proposed significant increases for education, for additional classrooms and teacher training, in the proposed budget for 2008.

"This is part of the social payback that the people are waiting for, especially since they paid quite a large amount coming from the EVAT. We've collected P80 billion of EVAT, and we have always been advocating that this money should be invested in education and health," he said.

Furthermore, Roxas noted there were no divisive issues discussed in the LEDAC, such as new tax measures and the proposed emergency powers for the President in light of the impending water and energy crisis.

However, Roxas stressed that the challenge is for these promises to bear fruit through the action of Congress, with a meaningful and transparent dialogue with all stakeholders and constituents concerned. As an opposition solon, Roxas said he will not only push for social reforms but also governance reforms, including the proposed Free Information Act and other bills included in the Liberal Party's Affirmative Action Plan.

"Maniniwala lang ang sambayanan na ang LEDAC ay di lang puro dakdak kung ang mga panukalang ito ay magiging batas," he said.

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