By Luisa Cabato, February 10, 2026; Philippine Daily Inquirer

https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/2180077/fwd-marcos-on-ledac-priority-measures

Manila, Philippines — President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has approved 21 priority measures of the Legislative-Executive Development Advisory Council (Ledac), including the abolition of travel tax, Palace Press Officer Undersecretary Claire Castro announced on Tuesday.

These were approved during the 3rd LEDAC Full Meeting of the 20th Congress at Malacañang earlier in the day and are expected to be passed by June this year.

“Included among the President’s priorities to be passed by June are the following: the Travel Tax Abolition, the Expanded Anti-Online Sexual Abuse or Exploitation of Children and Anti-Child Sexual Abuse or Exploitation Materials Act of 2026, the Fake News and Digital Disinformation measure aimed at also shutting the door on perpetrators of various online crimes, and the BARMM [Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao] elections,” Castro said at a press briefing.

Also listed are the Anti-Political Dynasty Law, CADENA Act, Independent People’s Commission Act, Party-List System Reform Act, National Center for Geriatric Health and Research Institute Act, and Classroom-Building Acceleration Program Act, among others.

The rest of the priority proposed laws are the Amendments to the Bank Deposits Secrecy Law/ Banking Reform for Integrity, Good Governance, Honesty, and Transparency Act; Right to Information Act; Amendments to the Coconut Farmers and Industry Trust Fund Act; Amendments to the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program Act; Amendments to the Masustansyang Pagkain Para Sa Batang Pilipino Act; Amendments to the Government Assistance to Students and Teachers in Private Education Act.

Also included in the priority legislations are the Waste-to-Energy Bill/Waste Treatment Technology Act; Amendments to the Electric Power Industry Reform Act-Energy Regulatory Commission Strengthening Bill; Amendments to the Rice Tariffication Law/Rice Industry and Consumer Empowerment Act; Department of Water Resources; and Estate Tax Amnesty.

Present at the meeting were Sen. Risa Hontiveros, House Speaker Faustino “Bodie” Dy III, lawmakers, and other Cabinet members.

Zero travel tax to boost tourism
The abolishment of travel tax is seen to improve the country’s economy and tourism industry, according to Castro.

“The President saw that this would help ease the burden on our tourists and on our fellow citizens who will be traveling,” she said.

The Philippine travel tax is allocated to the Tourism Infrastructure and Enterprise Zone Authority (50 percent) for tourism-related projects, the Commission on Higher Education (40 percent) for tourism courses, and the National Commission for Culture and the Arts (20 percent).

Castro said these agencies will be funded instead under the General Appropriations Act once the travel tax has been abolished.

Earlier this month, House Majority Leader and Ilocos Norte Rep. Sandro Marcos filed a bill seeking to abolish the travel tax, saying it has become an unnecessary burden on travelers and no longer serves its original purpose.

Meanwhile, Castro said that the measure on combating fake news and digital disinformation will not hinder freedom of speech.

“The President only said that this should be balanced, because it might encroach on freedom of expression, and that there must be a clear definition of what we mean by fake news and disinformation,” Castro said.

“The President will not allow any form of freedom of expression or freedom of speech of our fellow citizens to be trampled upon,” she also said.