InterviewRep.Consuelo DY

First day

dilemma

November 2006

Vol. 3, No. 3

Official Newsletter of the

House of Representatives

Republic of the Philippines

p.7

p.6

p.3

p.4

p.8

StretchingPDAF’smileage

p.7

ISSN 1656-507X

House OKs trillion-peso GAA

Continued on page 8

Busymonthsahead

LAW VS. “DIRTYMONEY”explained

Settlers tobuy landfrom gov’t

Continued on page 2

HAVANA – Philippine

Speaker Jose de Venecia

addressed the 14th summit of

the Non-Aligned Movement in

this city, last September, calling

for interfaith dialogues at the

regional and national levels to

mediate conflicts and “isolate

those who advocate terrorism in

the name of religion.”

CEBU CITY – The ASEAN

I n t e r - P a r l i a m e n t a r y

Organization (AIPO) concluded its

27th General Assembly last month,

determined to accelerate the pace

of regional integration and to “fight

poverty and the worst forms of

AIPO to hasten regional integration

Continued on page 6

human degradation” by endorsing

debt relief among the poorest 100

countries.

Responding to AIPO

President and Speaker Jose de

Venecia’s initial call for an “epoch-

making transformation” of the

organization, lawmakers from eight

Southeast Asian member-

parliaments, agreed to accelerate

the political, economic, and

cultural integration of ASEAN and

set the creation of an ASEAN

NAM Summit

JDV calls forinterfaithdialogues

By Diony P. Tubianosa

DELIVERING on its

commitment to the

Filipino people, the House of

Representatives simultaneously

approved on third and final

reading the trillion-peso national

budget for 2007 after a marathon

session, which lasted 18 hours

and ended early Friday morning

on October 13.

The House voted 198 in favor

versus seven, without abstentions

on the P1.126-trillion spending

measure certif ied urgent by

Malacañang.

Speaker Jose de Venecia

presided over during the crucial

hours of the plenary action on the

1,131-page national outlay

contained in House Bill 5794. The

trillion-peso budget is “a prelude

to our march towards a balanced

budget” before 2010, the time

frame of the Philippine Medium

Continued on page 2

THE P46.426-billion

supplemental budget,

which the House of

Representatives approved even

before the proposed 2007

budget was taken up in

plenary, was signed into law

last October 17.

Now Republic Act 9358,

the supplemental budget

covers the funding gaps

between the 2005 reenacted

budget and the 2006 General

Appropriations bill.

Supplemental

budget inked

LEADERS OF PARLIAMENT from eight ASEAN member-countries vow to reinforce their fight against terrorism andpoverty at the conclusion of the 27th AIPO general assembly in September in Cebu City. Philippine Speaker Jose deVenecia Jr. called for AIPO’s “epoch-making transformation” into a regional assembly to help accelerate the SoutheastAsia’s political, economic and cultural integration, fight terrorism and defeat poverty.

‘Banks do notlend to poor’

Speaker JDV bats fornetwork of micro-

finance banks as heorganizes one in

Pangasinan

Continued on page 5

THE HOUSE of Represen-

tatives will immediately call

a caucus of its leaders to embark

on its main course of action—the

activation of “Plan B” or a

Constituent Assembly of all

members of Congress, which

will consider the shif t to a

unicamera l -par l iament ar y

system.

Majority caucus on Charter reform upSpeaker Jose de Venecia

made the call after the Supreme

Court dismissed consolidated

petitions for a people’s initiative

to amend the 1987

Constitution.

De Venecia stressed “there

are other constitutional remedies

available,” saying that “we will

not let this setback stop us.”

He expressed regret that the

High Court has focused on

technicalities, rather than on the

“real and urgent political

problems that impoverish the

masses of Filipinos, demoralize

our idealistic young people, and

cause our country to lag behind

its vigorous neighbors in the

world’s fast-growing region.”

SPEAKER JOSE DE VENECIA is joined by House Members at the rostrum at 5 a.m. of October 13 following thechamber’s third reading approval of the first nation’s trillion-peso budget.

2 November 2006

House OKs budgetContinued from page 1

US-RP PACT. US Sen.Daniel Inouye (left)assured SpeakerJose de Venecia hewill endorse thelatter’s proposal fora RP-US free tradepact to be threshedout during deVenecia’s proposedRP-US free tradeagreement and global anti-terrorism summit. De Venecia conferred Inouye,who played a key role in the RP-US defense reform program, the CongressionalMedal of Achievement for his tireless sponsorship of bills in the US Senatepromoting Filipino veterans’ rights, Mindanao tuna exports, and peace inMindanao. US House foreign relations committee chair Rep. Henry J. Hydeled the US delegation that included Reps. Dana Rohrabacher, Eni Faleomavaega,Melvin Watt, Jeff Flake and Daniel Coughlin.

Development Plan of the Arroyo

administration.

“Approving the spending

measure is a fulfillment of our

contract with our constituents

who have sent us here,” said de

Venecia. “(It) is backed by P100-

billion from the EVAT law

resulting in a much-reduced

deficit.”

The measure next goes to the

Senate, with de Venecia expressing

confidence that the Senate would

be able to approve it before the

Christmas break. “I believe that

the Senate will be circumspect,

and the senators are statesmen,”

he said.

The measure is expected to

reduce the national deficit and

finance most of the financial

requirements of President

Macapagal-Arroyo’s social and

economic reforms, the Speaker

said.

Before adjournment, de

Venecia thanked all House

Members, particularly

Appropriations Chairman Rep.

Joey Sarte Salceda, who led the

sponsorship of the measure in

plenar y together with the

members of his committee.

Congress resumes session on

November 6.

As Malacañang originally

proposed, DepEd got the biggest

allocation of P132.9 billion;

DPWH - P73.6-billion; DILG -

P51.1-billion; DND - P49.5-

billion; and DA, inclusive of its

Agricultural and Fisheries

Modernization Program

component - P18.5-billion.

De Venecia initiated an

amendment allocating P550

million to the Off ice of the

Ombudsman to strengthen its

capacity against corruption. The

move added P50 million to

Minority Leader Rep. Francis

Escudero’s plenary amendment to

add P500 million to the Office of

the Ombudsman to help

accelerate the investigation and

prosecution of corruption cases.

The opposition , likewise,

succeeded in realigning some

P2.6 billion additional funds to

the Department of Education and

P200 million to the Philippine

Atmospheric, Geophysical and

Astronomical Services

Administration (PAGASA).

The other departments and

their respective allocations are: the

DOTC - P17.5 billion; DAR

including ARF P15.6 billion;

DoH - P11.7 billion; Comelec -

P9.8 billion; and the Judiciary -

P9.7 billion.

By sectoral allocation, social

services gets the highest priority

for 2007 with P329,382 billion,

followed by interest payments at

P328.733 billion. A few notches

below is economic services with

P223.173 billion. General public

services is P182.097 billion,

defense - P53.853 billion and net

lending - P9.101 billion, for a

grand total of P1,126.339 trillion.

Only interest payments did not

post an increase from 2006’s

P339.998 billion.

De Venecia commended the

majority coalition led by Deputy

Speakers Raul del Mar, Reps. Eric

Singson, Emilio Espinosa, and

Gerry Salapuddin; Majority Leader

Prospero Nograles and deputies

Reps. Del de Guzman, Arthur

Defensor, Hussin Amin, Fredenil

Castro, Luis Villafuerte and Edcel

Lagman, among others.

He also lauded the active

participation and constructive

fiscalization by the opposition led

by Minority Leader Rep. Francis

Escudero, and opposition stalwarts

Rolex Suplico, Ronaldo Zamora,

Darlene Antonino-Custodio,

Agapito Butz Aquino, Alan Peter

Cayetano, Gilbert Remulla,

including party list members.

Congress supported BIR and

BOC reform initiatives, “but now

they must remain answerable to

the Filipino people for a

deplorable performance,” de

Venecia said.

The government has been

operating on a reenacted budget

for the last two years. De Venecia

and Senate leaders, particularly

Sen. Franklin Drilon (now

chairman of the Senate Finance

Committee) and Senate President

Manuel Villar in separate pre-

approval statements saw no

problem in having a new budget

by January 1, 2007.

If approved, this will be the

country’s first-ever trillion-peso

GAA. Last year’s proposed trillion-

peso budget, although approved

by the House on third reading, did

not get through the bicameral

conference committee.

Salceda, in his plenar y

defense, warned that another

reenacted budget “will deprive our

constituents of their right to be

paid back in kind, considering

that the proposed 2007 budget

contains several new items, which

may not be implemented if we fail

to enact a new budget. We have

to finally put up the long overdue

investments in infrastructure,

education and health, among

others.”

The proposed GAA is

focused on this firm course “so

that every Filipino in the ‘super

regions’ of the country can have

the opportunity to rise from where

he is,” Salceda said.

“Super Regions” refer to the

North Luzon Quadrangle, which

prioritizes agribusiness

investments; Metro Luzon Urban

Beltway, which serves as a globally

competitive urban, industrial and

services center; Central

Philippines, which prioritizes

tourism investments; Mindanao,

which is the priority for

agribusiness investments in the

south; and Cyber Corridor, to

boost telecommunications,

technology and education and run

the length of all “super” regions,

from Baguio to Cebu to Davao.

Salceda said of the P1.126

trillion proposed expenditure

program for 2007, only 22 percent

or P248 billion may be subject to

debate while the other 78 percent,

or P878 billion, represents

mandatory expenses which seem

to be out of Congress’ discretion.

The 78 percent, he said,

consists of P357 billion for

personal services, P184 billion for

Internal Revenue Allotment, P318

billion for interest payments and

about P19 billion for other

mandatory expenditures.

The balance of 22 percent,

Salceda said, will support the

regular operations or MOOE of

the various agencies of

government leveling at about P140

billion and about P108 billion for

capital outlays.

Of the P108 billion some P84

billion will be for infrastructure

development, and only about P24

billion for the acquisition of basic

office equipment.

Interfaith dialogues

Continued from page 1

At the same time, de Venecia

proposed a formula to break the

deadlock in the World Trade

Organization (WTO) negotiations,

as he assumed leadership of the

Philippine delegation following

President Arroyo’s departure after

a brief stop here.

The Philippine President and

Speaker de Venecia also proposed

the holding of a special NAM-

sponsored interfaith dialogue in

Davao City in 2009, following the

success of dialogues between

religious leaders of Muslim

Mindanao and Philippine

Christian churches.

“My government seeks NAM’s

sponsorship of an Interfaith

Council that would be created

within the United Nations system

to organize, coordinate, and assess

these interfaith dialogues,” de

Venecia told the summit. He asked

NAM to “begin holding interfaith

dialogues intensively at regional

and national levels” to complement

UN-sponsored dialogues already

under way.

A total of 118 leaders, mostly

presidents and prime ministers,

gathered in this historic city for the

summit during which Malaysian

Prime Minister Badawi turned over

chairmanship of the “re-launched

movement” to Cuba and its ailing

leader, Fidel Castro. Only two

Speakers of Parliament, one of

them de Venecia, were invited to

the summit.

The summit endorsed

interfaith dialogues as proposed by

the Philippine Speaker, and Ms.

Arroyo’s proposal for a high-level

dialogue on migration and

development to enable countries to

take proactive steps for

BY A DECISIVE VOTE of 173-

32 with one abstention after an

overnight marathon debate, the

House of Representatives struck

down on the second attempt to

impeach President Gloria

Macapagal-Arroyo.

After the 17-hour televised

proceedings, which started on

August 23 and ended

midmorning the following day,

Speaker Jose de Venecia

immediately reached out to the

opposition “to put negative

politics behind us.”

The vote upheld Committee

Report 1886 of the Justice

Committee, chaired by Rep.

Simeon Datumanong (2nd Dist.,

Maguindanao), declaring the

complaint filed against the

President as insuff icient in

substance.

“The House decision saved

the nation from a far larger crisis,

tension and chaos. Common

sense has prevailed in the House.

I hope that when the air clears, we

can pursue a government of

national unity,” de Venecia said as

he lauded Datumanong for his

brilliance and statesmanship in

guiding the impeachment process

to its logical conclusion.

“We should not anymore

allow the cycle of boom and bust

to reign in the nation’s economic

life. We owe it to our people.

National reformation must start

now,” he said.

With the impeachment over,

de Venecia said wider avenues can

open toward national economic

development and pave the way for

needed fundamental political

reforms in the country—the shift

from the presidential to the

unicameral-parliamentary form of

government.

Last year, the first bid to

remove the President from office

was also decisively crushed by the

House but this year’s

impeachment complaint gathered

far fewer votes than the 51 it

gained last year.

No to impeachment

international cooperation to

protect the rights of migrant

workers.

The Philippines has more than

eight million migrant workers,

scattered mostly in North America,

the Middle East, Europe and

Southeast and East Asia, who have

remitted as much as $12 billion

annually to the Philippine

economy.

In proposing a compromise

formula to re-start the Doha round

of WTO negotiations, de Venecia

urged the NAM to seize the

initiative and propose a “phased

reduction of the trade-distorting

subsidies that the rich-country

governments award their

agricultural sectors.”

He said the phased reduction

could start by 20 percent every two

years and will be combined with

tariff concessions over a longer

time frame.

The FORUM is published by the PUBLISHINGAND DESIGN SERVICE, Public Relations andInformation Department, House of Representatives,with offices at Constitution Hills, Quezon City andTelephone Nos. 9315335 and 9315001 local 7651 or7552.

Editor: Dep. Sec. Gen. Emmanuel A. Albano

Managing Editor: Dir. Ferdinand M. Bolislis

Assistant Editor: Melissa M. Reyes

Design & Layout Editor: Waldemar T. Alvarez

Assistant Managing Editor: Virginia B. Rizardo

Writers: Diony P. Tubianosa, Abigail M. Macabeo,Raymond G. Pasiliao, Michelle M. Sapnu, JacquelineRey-Juliano, Isagani C. Yambot Jr., Ronald M. Ytem,Enrico R. Rosario

Photography: Tobias F. Engay, Jeremias E. Ereño,Perfecto C. Camero, Marceliano C. Achanzar,Genaro C. Peñas

ISSN 1656-507X

Production and Circulation Supervisor: Cynthia A.Bagaforo

Administrative and Circulation Staff: Maricar S.Magbitang, Vanessa T. Valdez, Fedes Maria C. Cruz,Crispin E. Mendiola, Rey A. Sinco, Federico Garcia

Editorial Board: Dep. Sec. Gen. Emmanuel A. Albano,Exec. Dir. Ma. Bernadette de la Cuesta, Dir. MyrnaBelmonte, Dir. Ferdinand Bolislis

Entered as second class mail matter at the BatasanPambansa Post Office. All rights reserved.

COPYRIGHT NOTICE

Section 176 of the RA 8293 provides:“No copyright shall subsist in any workof the Government of the Philippines.However, prior approval of thegovernment agency or office whereinthe work is created shall be necessaryfor exploitation of such work for profit.”

3November 2006

Regulating HMOs

A BILL

p r o m o t i n g

quality health

care and

affordable health

insurance by

regulating health

m a i n t e n a n c e

organizations (HMOs) passed on

second reading in plenary.

Reps. Emilio C. Macias II (2nd

Dist., Negros Oriental), Rodriguez

D. Dadivas (1st Dist., Capiz), and

Nanette Castelo-Daza (4th Dist.,

Quezon City) introduced HB 5119

to recognize HMOs as unique

health care insurance entities that

combine the financing,

management and coordination of

health services.

The bill also establishes the

regulatory framework for HMOs

while recognizing and protecting

the rights of HMOs, service

providers and their members.

“We need to regulate HMOs

to prevent the continued operation

of unscrupulous companies that

are involved in illegal activities,“

Eidul Adha nextnational holiday?

OTHER than

Eidul Fitr,

another Muslim

holiday may be

soon be included

a m o n g

n a t i o n a l l y

o b s e r v e d

Philippine holidays—the Eidul

Adha.

Approved on third reading,

HB 981 declares Eidul Adha—the

end of Muslim annual hajj in

Mecca, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia—

a national holiday.

The Philippines’ regular

holidays and nationwide special

days at present are associated with

the observance of events by the

predominant Christians in the

country, like Christmas and Lent.

Declaring Eidul Adha a

holiday is in accordance with the

government’s commitment to

continuing national reconciliation

and unity by bridging better

understanding among Muslims

and Christians in the country, said

Rep. Abdullah D. Dimaporo (2nd

Dist., Lanao del Norte), the bill’s

principal author.

“Government’s recognition of

the rich Filipino-Muslim cultural

heritage will definitely advance

peace efforts, mutual

understanding, unity and

prosperity among Filipinos,”

Dimaporo said.

REP. NUR G. JAAFAR takes his oath of office from Speaker Jose de Venecia,to represent the Lone District of Tawi-Tawi. Jaafar won back his seat twoyears after he filed a complaint of electoral fraud against his opponent withthe House Electoral Tribunal, which decided in his favor. A former adviser ofthe GRP Panel during the GRP-MNLF peace talks, Jaafar served as Tawi-Tawiprovincial governor from 1975 to 1986. He served three consecutive terms ascongressman, from 1992 to 2001, was appointed Presidential Adviser forMuslim Communities, and was designated crisis manager at the height of theSabah deportation crisis, assisting returning Filipino deportees from Sabah.

Macias said. “We also need to give

legitimate HMOs an incentives

program to encourage their growth

and truly deliver quality health care

services to the public.”

As proposed, an HMO shall

secure its license from the

Insurance Commission, which

shall supervise and regulate HMOs

and other entities possessing the

characteristics of HMOs, except the

Philippine Health Insurance Corp.

An HMO intending to

operate a medical clinic or hospital

shall secure a license from the

DOH. All existing HMOs shall

secure a new license to operate

from the Commission within one

year from effectivity of the measure.

The HMO’s license shall be

suspended when agreements with

members or when the decision of

the Commission on cases for

arbitration are not honored. The

ground for the revocation of license

is repeated suspension of an

HMO’s license.

Penalties include P50,000

every time the HMO’s license is

suspended. Payment of the

P50,000 shall not absolve the

HMO from its obligations under

an agreement. The assets and

funds of the suspended HMO

whose license has been revoked

shall be frozen to protect investors,

providers and members. Isagani C.Yambot Jr.

Macias

Dimaporo

Venue specified forlibel cases

JOURNALISTS

are often forced

to answer libel

cases, which are

sometimes filed

far away from

their place of

work.

Under the law, the

complainant may file the case in

the venue of his or her choice.

However, complainants

usually file the case in a venue as

far away as possible from the

defendant’s place of work, making

it inconvenient to make his or her

appearance, resulting in the

miscarriage of justice

Rep. Raul V. Del Mar (1st Dist.,

Cebu), therefore, introduced HB

77, which mandates that such cases

be filed in the Regional Trial Court

of the province or city of the

defendant’s principal office or

place of business.

“We want a venue that would

safeguard the right of the accused

to defend the case, which considers

the financial, distance, travel and

time constraints,” he said.

The court may eventually

throw out the case, but that the

damage would have been done. “It

already punishes the journalist and

his publication with excessive costs

of litigation and inconvenience.”

The bill seeks to provide relief

and correct the unfairness caused

by this loophole in the law often

exploited and taken advantaged of

by offended parties. HB 77 is now

awaiting Senate approval. Ronald M.

Ytem

Del Mar

Hajj is one of the five pillars

of Islam and is performed at least

once in the lifetime of every

Muslim worldwide. Jacqueline Rey-

Juliano

Enforcing transportsecurity

TRANSPORT

terrorism has

taken its toll on

human lives and

property, sharply

focusing on the

need to

formulate a

comprehensive plan that would

secure the country’s air, water and

land transport systems.

Such attacks using modes of

transportation include the 9/11

plane hijackings in the US, the

Madrid train bombing, and car

bombs set off in Bali, Indonesia.

Incidents at home include the

Super Ferry sinking, LRT Rizal Day

train bombing, and the attack on

the Davao International Airport.

Rep. Roilo S. Golez (2nd Dist.,

Paranaque), in HB 1869, said

transport terrorism has succeeded

in disrupting global air commerce,

as well as diminished confidence in

aviation safety and security.

HB 4997 and 5014, or the

Golez

Transportation Security Act of

2004, as filed by Reps. Roque R.

Ablan Jr. (1st Dist., Ilocos Norte)

and Monico O. Puentevella (Lone

Dist., Bacolod City), respectively,

create the Philippine

Transportation Security Authority

(PTSA), as the single law

enforcement power in this area, in

full compliance with international

agreements and conventions. It will

enforce security measures in all

ports, harbors, terminals,

infrastructure and facilities.

The agency shall embody a

comprehensive Civil Aviation,

Maritime, Land and Rail National

Security Program, ran with law

enforcement and allied agencies.

With the agency’s birth,

measures shall prevent

unauthorized boarding of

weapons, explosives or other

dangerous materials, persons,

elements, devices and cargoes

which may and can be used to

commit terrorism. Melissa M. Reyes

‘No bidding’ policy formass housing

C O N G R E S S

passed on third

reading the “no

bidding” sale

policy on

g o v e r n m e n t

p r o p e r t i e s

occupied by

informal settlers to make the

government’s socialized housing

program affordable to its target

sector—the poor.

“The demand for adequate and

decent housing remains unmet

despite government efforts,” Rep.

Benjamin DC. Abalos Jr. (Lone

Dist., Mandaluyong) said. “Available

housing units are still insufficient

and costs unaffordable, particularly

for low income families who have

no access to housing credit.”

To hasten shelter delivery, HB

3834 shall eliminate the bidding

process on government properties

certified as socialized housing

areas. The bill shall allow direct

purchase by occupants of

government-owned property for

socialized housing dispensing with

public bidding.

The bill amends the Urban

Development and Housing Act of

1992, which states that LGUs or

the National Housing Authority

shall acquire government-owned

and foreclosed properties

primarily through negotiated

purchase.

The NHA and LGUs shall

provide a list of direct beneficiaries

who have resided in the property

for at least 10 years. The bill further

stipulates that land evaluation shall

be marked at prices within reach

of the beneficiary. Michelle M. Sapnu

Abalos

Single or married?

T H E

COUNTRY’S

75-year-old “Civil

Registration Act”

has raised

concerns that the

civil statuses of

Filipinos living

inside and outside the Philippines

are inaccurately reported.

To make the Civil Registry

Law more responsive, House Bill

4905, or the “New Civil

Registration Act” has been

endorsed by Committee on

Revision of Laws.

Once enacted, the law shall

evolve a new system that is simple

and harmonizes with other laws

and regulations, said Rep. Roberto

C. Cajes (2nd Dist., Bohol) principal

author of the bill.

The DepEd, PRC, GSIS, SSS,

DFA, BIR, including embassies

and foreign consular offices have

strict requirements on

certifications concerning the name,

status of a person and the

document stating thus have

become binding and essential to all

Filipinos and to the whole world.

A civil register is established

to record the civil status of persons,

which shall contain births, deaths,

marriages, annulment of marriages,

divorces, legitimates, adoptions,

acknowledgment of natural

children, naturalization, changes of

name, correction of entries, and

other court decrees or orders

affecting civil status.

The Act shall undergo a

mandatory review on its provisions

every 10 years to update and make

the law more responsive. Ronald M.Ytem

Cajes

Protecting Pinoyinterior designers

A BILL amending the “Philippine

Interior Design Act of 1998” has

been filed to protect the rights and

welfare of Filipino interior

designers, whose livelihood are

endangered by the inf lux of

foreign interior designers who

practice the profession in the

Philippines even without a

working permit.

The Committee on Civil

Service and Professional

Regulation has approved HB 1267

regulating the entry of foreign

interior designers in the country,

ready for plenary.

Under the bill, a foreigner who

intends to work in the Philippines

to perform professional services

either as an interior designer or

consultant should first secure a

special temporary permit from the

Professional Regulation

Commission (PRC) through the

Board of Interior Design.

He must also come from a

country that reciprocally allows

Filipino professionals to practice

their profession within such

country, and may not engage or

work on a special project without

a duly licensed Filipino

counterpart whose competence is

established by the Board of Interior

Design.

The bill’s principal author,

Rep. Imee Marcos (2nd Dist., Ilocos

Norte) sees the bill’s urgency amid

the growing number of foreign

firms engaged in the country’s

design and construction industry.Jacqueline Rey-Juliano

5November 20064 November 2006

Rep. JANETTE L. GARIN(1st Dist., Iloilo)

Rep. MARY ANN L. SUSANO(2nd Dist., Quezon City)

Should wemove theschool openingfrom June toSeptember?

Rep. FAYSAH RPM DUMARPA(1st Dist., Lanao del Sur)

Rep. RAUL T. GONZALES JR.(Lone Dist., Iloilo City)

I would rather leaveit as it is. Movingthe opening of the

school calendar from June toSeptember, just l ike theInternational School, may haveseveral disadvantages. Malakiang magiging chain reaction.

For one, it means less schooldays for the kids because thereare more holidays beginningSeptember. Besides, kids arealready used to the presentsystem. It may be very difficult forthem to adjust.

This may also affect ourtourism industry. Summer is thebest time to enjoy travel tours allover the country. It is morepleasant, exciting and safe. If wemove the school break to June,July and August, it won’t behealthy to go on vacation nor safeto travel considering that thePhilippines is frequently visited bystorms during these months. It isvery hard, if not impossible, totravel especially by sea or land,which are the affordable means oftransportation for ordinaryFilipinos.

On the economic aspect,school enrollment in Septemberthen Christmas season byDecember may be too much forthe ordinary Filipino family. Underthe present school calendar, atleast, we have five months toprepare for Christmas.

The onset ofthe rainyseason in our

country is June. It has beenobserved that classes aredisrupted by inclement weather ormonsoon rains under the existingschool calendar, which is June toMarch for elementary, secondaryand tertiary levels. Flash floodsare experienced in most parts ofthe country, especially in MetroManila.

Due to the unpredictability ofour weather, the educationdepartment is at a loss when todeclare a suspension of classesduring the rainy season. Students,teachers and parents have towade through floods, caused bypoor garbage disposal systems,aggravating health concerns.

To complete the requirednumber of school days lost due toinclement weather, specialclasses are conducted onweekends, causing muchphysical, social and financialinconvenience for both parentsand students.

I have, therefore, filed HouseBill 4370, an Act seeking tochange the school year for theelementary, secondary and

Rep. FELIX R. ALFELOR JR.(4th Dist., Camarines Sur)

Basically, I amopposed becausethe Penafrancia—

the most important and well-attended religious festivity in Bicolregion—is in September,participated in by various schoolsand universities in Bicol. Thecadets train for militarycompetitions and studentsprepare for the selection of MissPenafrancia, and other activitieslike the fluvial processions.

The reason I oppose themove to shift the beginning of theschool year from June toSeptember is the weather. It usedto rain starting in June, but thissituation no longer holds becausewe encounter as much rain inSeptember as we do in June.

Corporations usually recruitstudents for summer jobs in April,May and June. If we shift toSeptember, businesses will haveto recast their hiring calendar,disrupting their operations orbusiness cycles. Another thing,school supplies, food, andclothing like uniformsmanufacturers and stores have toadjust their schedules. Thetransportation sector will also beaffected. The shift will cause achain reaction that will affectbusinesses and families.

It isn’t necessary.We have our ownseasons we should

follow. Our summer starts fromMarch to May. If we move ourvacation to synchronize with theAmericans and other Westerncountries, our vacation would fallon the rainy months. No one wantsto go to the beach when it israining.

I recognize the advantage ofsynchronizing with theAmericans—so students fromabroad who come here to studywould not be affected much by thesudden change in the schoolcalendar. But again, no one wantsto go to school when it’s really hot.We want to go to the beach.

My suggestion is we leave theschool calendar as is. Australia’sschool year is different from thoseof the Americans for the simplereason that their summer starts inDecember. If it’s winter in America,it ’s summer in Australia andthey’re okay by it.

This repre-s e n t a t i o nconcurs with

the proposal to change theopening of classes from June toSeptember.

By its geographical location,the province of Lanao del Sur isgreatly affected by the onset of therainy and typhoon seasons, thus,the consequent schoolinterruptions. The regular numberof school days is unnecessarily cutoff by the weather condition.When this happens, the studentsare duly deprived of qualityeducation.

The province is consideredone of the most depressedprovinces in the country today andlags behind educationally. Most

The government calendaralso starts in June, our fiscal year.The SONA is usually held on thelast Monday of July. Congressstarts sessions in July to wait forthe SONA.

During the dry season, thestudents in Bicol are an abundantlabor source with the start of theplanting cycle because schoolends in March when studentssimply prepare for graduation.They are free from April, May toJune. If we start in September,July and August lang ang walangklase.

I don’t see any overwhelmingreason to change the schoolcalendar. Sa akin, ayos na yongdating school calendar. I can livewith it. If we change it, a lot ofschedules will be changed. I don’tsee any major advantage, exceptfor the weather, and even that isno compelling reason to changebecause of the way the weatheris changing.

Also, I’m concerned aboutthis move because our familyowns a university in Iriga City andthree colleges in various parts ofCamarines Sur. I, myself, own acollege in Goa and eight othercomputer schools. We would bedirectly affected. Interview byMelissa M. Reyes

There is a persistent clamor of

undetermined popularity which seeks to

discard the existing June-to-March school

calendar and move the school opening to

September, on the pretext of avoiding the

rainy part of the year or monsoon season.During the wet season, school administrators and

education officials are often caught doing a

balancing act of whether or not to suspend classes on

account of heavy rain or worse, a typhoon. If they

suspend classes and the typhoon does not come to

pass, a school day is wasted. But if classes are

suspended and the typhoon blows in, this naturally

imperils the health, lives and limbs of students, as well

as their parents and the teachers, many of whom

have to wade through floodwaters and brave the

winds to get to and from school and home.

Before the typhoon Milenyo came to town, we

gathered the views of six House Members, three of

whom have filed bills opting to change the school

calendar.

Speaker Jose de Venecia charged

that “banks as a rule do not lend

to the poor” as he asked President

Arroyo and provincial business and

political leaders to build a national

network of micro-finance banks as

“weapons against poverty.”

He said he is honoring his

friend Muhammad Yunus,

Bangladeshi founder of the

Grameen Bank who won the

Nobel Prize, for his pioneering

work in lifting millions of people

out of poverty via small loans in

Bangladesh.

De Venecia said he and more

than 3,000 urban and rural folks/

stockholders in Dagupan City and

Pangasinan are launching this

month the First Dagupan Micro-

finance Bank, with a license from

the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas,

patterned after the multi-awarded

Grameen Bank.

He said the micro-finance

bank to be led by Catholic lay

leader Jose Oviedo would have a

paid-up capital of P17.5-million,

with P1-million capital

contribution from the Catholic

Church Cooperative of Dagupan

City, and contributions from

barangay officials, tanods, barangay

health workers, tricycle and jeepney

drivers, farmers, fishermen, labor

unionists, and women leaders.

De Venecia said he is

supporting the project with

matching funds from his Priority

Assistance Development Fund and

financial support for values-

formation training programs. He

said he would involve Couples for

Christ and the successful Gawad

Kalong for their successful values

formation programs.

De Venecia said micro-

f inance banks should be

established in Luzon, Visayas and

Mindanao to complement the

work of the rural banks, owned by

a few families. A large number of

the rural banks f loundered

because of bad, non-performing

loans and are now enroute to

painful rehabilitation.

De Venecia said Yunus’

Grameen Bank, which he

personally visited in Dacca, has

now 6.6 million borrowers, 97% of

whom are women, and the loan

repayment rate is a near-perfect

98.5%. The Nobel Peace Prize said

in Bangladesh, among rich

borrowers, the recovery is at 45%

to 50%.

De Venecia said the Grameen

Bank and the scheduled First

Pangasinan Micro-finance Bank,

with shareholdings from Dagupan

City, Mangaldan, San Fabian, and

San Jacinto, and from Western and

Eastern Pangasinan, would not

require real estate and other

collaterals but “the signature of the

borrower and two co-makers” based

on peer pressure and trust.

Continued from page 1

Rep. REMEDIOS L. PETILLA(1st Dist., Leyte)

It is preferableand justifiableto change the

school calendar in all levels ofeducation (primary, secondary,tertiary) from June through Marchto September through May for thefollowing reasons:

To be in harmony with theInternational School CalendarOpening to attract foreign studentswho would want to continue theirschooling in Philippineeducational institutions withoutdisrupting their school calendar,and vice versa for Filipinos whowould want to pursue theireducation in foreign educationalinstitutions;

tertiary levels from June throughMarch to September throughJune, to spare the children fromthe hassles of the rainy seasonand avoid undue pressure tomake up for lost school days.

The proposed law amends forthe purpose Republic Act 7797entitled, “An Act to Lengthen theSchool Calendar from 200 Daysto Not More Than 220 ClassDays.”

The proposal is acceptable tomany sectors of our society asseasonably adaptable in ourcountry. Interview by Michelle M.Sapnu

schools are in remote and far-flung barangays.

As roads and highways inmetropolitan areas suffer from theever-worsening traffic congestionat the onset of the rainy season,the roads in our province could notbe traversed because theybecome muddy. Pupils wouldrather stay home than walkthrough the muddy paths.

Further, during the rainyseason, schoolbuildings areusually utilized as evacuationcenters.

If this proposal materializes,there will be greater preservationof life and limb and health costs,among other things, if the schoolcalendar is changed. On thebudgetary aspect, moreclassrooms and schoolbuildingscan be constructed as allocationsare usually released during thesecond quarter of the year.

With the rationale givenabove, I am in full support of thesaid proposal. Interview byRonald M. Ytem

True, nahihirapan ang mgastudents natin during the rainyseason. But it’s been our calendarsince the American regime, sowhy change it now? We wentthrough the same thing. Weshould show them these are ourseasons in this country, so theyhave to adjust. We should notcoddle and treat them like babies.

I remember when I was inschool, we had daylight savingstime to save on power. We wereforced to get up one hour early.Then somebody proposed toremove the DST allegedlybecause nahihirapan ang mgaestudyante. What’s the differencebetween the students then andnow? Besides, if they get up onehour early, that means they willalso retire one hour earlier.

What I’m most worried aboutis our tourist economy. They willnot only be affected, they will beseverely impacted by loss ofincome. Let’s say our students arefree in June and July, but again,who wants to go to the beachwhen it is raining?

If it’s true there is globalwarming and that seasons arechanging, we have to establishthat first. The problem is, thatwould mean hotter summermonths of March, April and Maythan before. Interview by MelissaM. Reyes

To avoid disruption of classesdue to severe weather andmonsoon rains usually occurringin the months of June, July andAugust, thus, eliminating frequentsuspension of classes declaredduring the said months; and,

To spare the students fromsuffering illnesses and poor healthconditions when braving thestormy weather.

These reasons are in line withthe policy of the State to protectand promote the right of allcitizens to quality education at alllevels and to take appropriatesteps to make educationaccessible to all. Interview byJacqueline Rey-Juliano

The timing should also beconsidered for practical economicreasons. Summer is planting andharvesting season when most kidsin the provinces help their parent-farmers. Summer gives them theopportunity to earn for their tuitionand school needs come June.

There would be a lot ofsummer jobs for kids. They cansell ice cream, ice candy, ice buko,palamig and lots more. If wechange the school calendar, thesethings will not happen, to thedisadvantage, especially ofthe already, disadvantaged kids.Interview by Isagani C. Yambot Jr.

‘Banks do notlend to poor’

6 November 2006

Busy before yearendBy Ronald M. Ytem

THE LAST

quarter will be

busy months

ahead for the

Congressional

S p o u s e s

Foundation Inc. (CSFI), said

Georgina “Manay Gina” P. de

Venecia, CSFI president and

spouse of Speaker Jose C. de

Venecia, during the CSFI’s 5th

General Assembly last September

5.

The CSFI, the off icial

organization of the spouses of

members of the House of

Representatives, will undertake a

string of projects, including the

inauguration of a women’s

WHIRLWIND OF PROJECTS. Georgina “Manay Gina” Vera Perez de Venecia(left, seated), CSFI president and spouse of Speaker Jose de Venecia Jr.,leads the spouses of House Members in planning their activities for the lastquarter. The group enumerated a long list, including the inauguration of awomen’s gym for The Haven in Alabang and the regional center for childrenin Cagayan, its annual livelihood fair at SM Megamall, a shellcraft livelihoodproject, and an open forum on disaster preparedness.

“Manay Gina” chats with resident-victims of the Mayon volcano eruptionduring her visit to Albay last August. Realizing the need for informationdissemination on disaster preparedness, she immediately initiated an openforum on disaster and calamity preparedness.

WHEN Manay Gina went to

Albay last August to visit the

residents affected by the imminent

eruption of Mount Mayon, she

realized the tremendous call for

proper information dissemination

on disaster preparedness.

In response to this need, she

initiated an open forum on the

subject during the CSFI’s general

assembly last September 5, with

Renato U. Solidum Jr., Philippine

Institute for Volcanology and

Seismology (Phivolcs) director, as

guest speaker.

Solidum lectured on the

precautions needed in preparing

for disasters and calamities such

as earthquakes, volcanic eruptions

and f loods. At least five

earthquakes occur each day in the

archipelago.

The Philippines has more

than 200 volcanoes, 22 of which

have been determined to be active,

based on the recency of their

eruptions. These include Mt.

Mayon, which is one of the six

most active volcanoes in the

country. The others are Taal

(Batangas). Bulusan (Sorsogon),

Pinatubo (on the boundaries of

Zambales, Pampanga and Tarlac in

west Luzon), Kanlaon (Negros

Oriental) and Hibok-Hibok

(Camiguin).

Disaster-ready in Bicolgymnasium in The Haven in

Alabang, a halfway house for

distressed women, and the

Regional Center for Children in

Cagayan. Also slated is a

livelihood project making shell

craft items.

The gymnasium inauguration

at Alabang will coincide with the

11th Anniversary Celebration of

The Haven for Women, a halfway

house for women in crisis, a cause

Manay Gina fervently espouses.

The Regional Center for

Children in Solana, Cagayan will

be the third center to be

inaugurated this year, after others

inaugurated in Tarlac City and

Dagupan City.

The “Kabuhayan para sa

Kaunlaran 2006” trade fair ad hoc

committee is composed of CSFI

member and Monetary Board

member Nelly Villafuerte as chair,

and Lita Hizon and DTI

Undersecretary Carissa Cruz-

Evangelista, as vice chairpersons.

The livelihood project, which

will teach clients of The Haven for

Women and Marillac Hills in

Alabang the production of shell

craft items such as plates,

placemats and trays from capiz,

shall be undertaken by Manay

Gina’s friend, Virginia V. Chan of

Shell Arts Co. Inc.

Chan has volunteered to

provide subcontract assignments

and livelihood opportunities to

the participants. The clients will

be paid for their products and

services.

Economic Community by 2020.

The major objectives were

spelled out in a Joint Communiqué

approved by 300 delegates in

plenary. Following the signing of

the document, Deputy Speaker

Raul del Mar turned over the AIPO

gavel to Datuk Lim Si Cheng,

Deputy Speaker of the House of

Representatives of the Malaysian

Parliament, host of the 28th

General Assembly. Speaker de

Venecia had earlier left for Cuba

to address a summit of the Non-

Aligned Movement in Havana.

Senior Luzon lawmakers led

by Ilocos Norte Rep. Roque Ablan

Jr., Paranaque Rep. Eduardo

Zialcita, and Bulacan Rep. Lorna

Silverio said the new emphasis in

fighting poverty and regional

integration on multiple fronts

“revitalizes AIPO and puts it right

in the middle of dynamic regional

and global events.”

Two leaders from Mindanao,

Reps. Robert Ace Barbers and Juan

Miguel Zubiri, noted the high

priority the Assembly has given to

the search for energy security in the

region, in particular the

development of renewable sources

of fuel such as biofuels.

AIPO seeks to step up the

dramatic reduction of poverty in

the region, following the UN

Millennium Development Goals,

by adopting concrete steps such as

the promotion of regional centers

of growth like the Mekong River

and the Brunei-Indonesia-Malaysia-

Philippines East Asian Growth

Area (BIMP-EAGA), the setting of

common legislation on improving

the quality and production of

agricultural goods, and the

promotion of renewal energy

resource development suitable for

each country.

It called upon developed

countries to provide affordable debt

relief services to enable borrower

countries to repay their debts and

to encourage creditor countries and

institutions to reinvest in the

economies of 100 debtor-countries

half of the agreed-on portions of

debt service payments.

To hasten Asean integration,

AIPO endorsed intensified

internal trade cooperation through

the ASEAN Free Trade Area, the

ASEAN Investment Area and the

proposed ASEAN Charter,

specifically by opening up more

economic sectors, removal of non-

tariff barriers, and reduction of the

cost of doing business, technology

and investment linkages and

provisions for greater regional

connectivity.

In tackling regional security,

the delegates stressed a “human-

centered approach” to counter the

spread of terrorism through

continuing inter-faith dialogue,

tolerance and respect for

differences in beliefs, awareness of

religious rights, and inter-faith

studies in schools.

Among imminent dangers

necessitating immediate inter-

country cooperation, the delegates

cited cyber terrorism, maritime

piracy, and drug trafficking as major

threats to be defeated by stringent

lawmaking and law enforcement.

The Indonesian delegation

championed a resolution

condemning terrorism, violence

and destruction in the Middle East

and calling for the immediate

cessation of hostilities between

Israel and the Hezbollah of

Lebanon, while supporting the

deployment of UN interim forces

in Lebanon.

AIPO delegates also

recognized the need to combat the

trafficking of women and minors

in the region, using the case of

Vietnam as a model to find

solutions and responses. They also

sought stronger regional networks

in fighting the spread of HIV/

AIDS, in disaster management in

the national and international

levels, and in promoting

environmental protection through

effective implementation.

In separate dialogues, AIPO

advanced parliamentary relations

with legislators from its dialogue

partner-countries Australia,

Canada, European Parliament,

Japan, Korea, New Zealand, Papua

New Guinea, and the Russian

Federation.

In 2007, the AIPO will evolve

into an Assembly, tentatively called

the ASEAN Inter-Parliamentary

Assembly (AIPA), to ref lect its

transformation into a “more

effective and closely integrated

institution” 27 years from its

inception as it makes further

internal changes to meet its goal to

integrate itself as ASEAN’s

parliamentary component.

The AIPO committees were

headed by Philippine Reps. Matias

Defensor (political matters),

Herminio Teves (economic

matters), Nerissa Soon Ruiz (social

matters), Josefina Joson (Women in

AIPO), and Edgar Chatto

(organizational matters), with Reps.

Ramon Durano VI, Eduardo

Zialcita, Emmylou Talino-Santos,

Milagros Magsaysay and Vincent

Garcia as rapporteurs, respectively.

In the dialogues, panel

discussions were led by Reps. Juan

Miguel Zubiri (Australia), Edgar

Chatto (Canada), Robert Ace

Barbers (China and Japan), Ramon

Durano VI (European Parliament),

Matias Defensor (Korea), Eduardo

Zialcita (New Zealand), Catalino

Figueroa (Papua New Guinea), and

Herminio Teves (Russian

Federation).

AIPO

Continued from page 1

KABUHAYAN PARA SA KAUNLARAN2006. President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo and Gina de Venecia (4th fromleft) lead the ribbon cuttingceremonies for the CSFI’s annuallivelihood trade fair at the SM Megamalllast October 6-8. Joining them (fromleft) are Speaker Jose de Venecia, tradefair ad hoc chair and Monetary Boardmember Nelly Villafuerte, AceChungalao, Rep. Anna Bondoc, MD,vice-chair DTI Usec. Carissa Cruz-Evangelista, Vicky Ablan and SMpresident Tessie Coson-Sy.

7November 2006

Republic Act 9160

Anti-money laundering

Stretching PDAF’s mileage

AMERICAN SHELF. Speaker Jose de Venecia leads the ribbon-cutting ritesestablishing the American Shelf at the House of Representatives’ CongressionalLibrary, commemorating the 60th anniversary of Philippine-AmericanFriendship. Assisting Speaker de Venecia are US Embassy acting chief of missionScott Bellard (right), House Deputy Speaker Rep. Eric Singson (left) andnewly-appointed Education Secretary Jesli Lapus (2nd from left). Also gracingthe occasion are Elnora Conti of the Thomas Jefferson Information Center,House Secretary General Roberto Nazareno, Emma Rey, Congressional Libraryexecutive director, and Gloria Mae Tanya Regalado, House Legislative LibraryService director. Photo by Tobias Engay

By Melissa M. Reyes

WHEN four

ambulances

were delivered

in Bolinao,

Pangasinan last

September, Rep. Arthur F. Celeste

(1st Dist., Pangasinan) looked on

with pride and satisfaction.

Celeste was largely responsible

for the delivery of the ambulances,

the first of 10 to be delivered to his

district within the next few months.

The ambulances will be used by

Philhealth beneficiaries and local

residents in the local governments

(LGUs) of Agno, Burgos, Bolinao

and Dasol—all under Celeste’s

jurisdiction.

Made possible by an innovative

and modern idea which Celeste

conceived, the project is an excellent

example of how congressmen could

multiply their services for their

districts by, at least, two-folds using

their Priority Development

By Enrico R. Rosario

TO FILTER

illegally earned

money from the

banking system,

the Anti-Money

Laundering Act

makes it difficult for large amounts

of cash of suspicious origin to be

deposited in banks.

Republic Act 9160, approved

on September 29, 2001, targets

moneyed individuals who are

unable to show legitimate sources

of their wealth and is expected to

bring down crime by making it

difficult, if not impossible, for

criminals to stash the profits of their

lucrative activities in banks and

similar institutions.

With a lot of cash on their

hands, international and local

criminal syndicates and those

involved in organized crimes, are

turning to banks to keep their

earnings they have amassed illegally.

Secure that their cash is in good

hands, syndicates have even devised

a way to use the banking system to

lend legitimacy to their assets

through a process called money

laundering, enabling these criminals

to pass themselves off as bona fide

businessmen.

Thus, the need to curb money

laundering. RA 9160 and its

amending law, RA 9194, define the

crime as the process of transacting

the proceeds of an unlawful activity

through the banking system, making

them appear to have originated

from legitimate sources.

The anti-money laundering law

is violated the moment an

individual transacts any money or

property he knows was earned from

unlawful activities, as enumerated

under the law.

Unlawful activities are all acts

or omissions punishable by law,

particularly kidnapping for ransom,

illegal drugs peddling, graft and

corruption, plunder, robbery and

extortion, illegal gambling, piracy,

theft, swindling, smuggling and

hijacking.

Bank transactions involving

profits coming from any of these

unlawful activities are punishable

under the Anti-Money Laundering

Act, which defines in clear terms

what is meant by transactions as a

punishable act.

A bank transaction falls under

the coverage of the Act if it involves

a total of P500,000 within one

banking day, under certain

conditions determined by law.

Under RA 9160, the threshold

was originally set at P4 million, or

its equivalent in foreign currency,

transacted within five consecutive

banking days. But Congress deemed

it best to lower this to P500,000 to

better ensure the realization of the

objective of the law.

However, not all bank

transactions, although involving

greater amounts than P500,000,

fall within the ambit of the anti-

money laundering law, inasmuch

as banks are only required to

inquire into what is referred to in

the law as “suspicious

transactions.”

A transaction is considered

suspicious if it involves an amount

exceeding the threshold and the

client is not properly identified or,

even if such client is properly

identified, the amount is not

commensurate to his business or

financial capacity, or that the

present transaction is a deviation

from his past transactions with the

bank.

The transaction is also deemed

suspicious when it is made without

any manifest legal or trade

obligation, purpose or economic

justification, or suspected to be

related, in any way, to an unlawful

activity or criminal offense.

Tasked to implement the Act

is the Anti-Money Laundering

Council (AMLC), which was

simultaneously created with RA

9160’s enactment.

The council shall be

composed of the Bangko

Sentral ng Pilipinas

governor as chairman, the

Insurance Commissioner

and the Securities and

Exchange Commission

chairman, as members.

The council shall

investigate all charges of

violation of the law, and

shall be empowered to

apply for court

authorization to inquire

into bank accounts of

suspected violators,

notwithstanding the

prohibitions of any law regarding

bank secrecy.

Also, because money

laundering is of global concern, the

AMLC was also empowered to

Assistance Fund (PDAF).

“I have observed that we can

only infuse our PDAF in our

respective district projects only

once,” Celeste said. Usually, the

PDAF would go to hospitals, clinics,

day care centers or medicine. “But

then the funds would run out, and

our constituents would come back,

asking for more assistance.”

To solve this problem, Celeste

thought of a way to stretch PDAF’s

mileage—he used his PDAF as his

Philhealth contribution. In turn,

Philhealth put Celeste’s

contributions in Philhealth’s

capitation, a trust fund that finances

health projects and programs

through the rural health units

(RHUs) that administer health

services to the people in the

countryside.

Celeste is especially concerned

about health matters. Like most

other House Members, he would

use his PDAF to purchase medicine,

and help support and maintain

health services for indigent

constituents.

But the most common

complaint was indigent patients

having no transportation to go to

the hospital, especially during

emergencies.

The idea of using the capitation

to purchase the ambulances was

germinated in his office and

nurtured by the Philhealth Regional

Office (PRO) I-Dagupan office, with

AVP Ernesto V. Beltran.

The PRO I office said this is a

pioneering project. Normally, the

capitation goes directly to the

LGUs, but the Philhealth capitation

for District 1 from Celeste, coming

from his PDAF, was used to buy the

ambulances.

“The beauty of the pioneering

project is that it came from the same

fund already used by the less-

privileged constituents,” Celeste

said. It is a savings or, more

appropriately, “tubo sa puhunan,”

which keeps growing and increasing

every time Celeste makes the

contributions.

Celeste plans to use the

Philhealth capitation to finance

other projects in his district once the

ambulance project is completed.

“In her SONA, President

Arroyo called on all LGUs,

congressmen and government

financial institutions to work

together and provide innovative

services for their constituents for

countryside developments through

projects not traditionally done and

financed by the PDAF,” Celeste

said.

“It was in this context that I

embarked on this novel idea—to

further extend health and social

services to the less privileged.”

Rep. Arthur F. Celeste (2nd from right) happily poses in front of one of fourambulances delivered last October 7 in Bolinao, Pangasinan. The fourambulances are the first of 10 ambulances to be delivered to Pangasinan’sfirst district. Others in photo are (from left) Mabini Vice Mayor Titus Reyes,Burgos Mayor Domingo Doctor, Agno Mayor Letecia Rosete, Dasol MayorAngelita Jimenez, and Philhealth AVP Ernesto Beltran.

coordinate with other finance

agencies worldwide to look into

charges of money laundering

committed by foreign nationals

with local bank accounts.

Convictions include

imprisonment of seven to 14 years

and, at least, a fine of P3 million.

Persons who carry out

transactions shall be punished with

imprisonment from six months to

one year for failure on the part of

the bank or any of its employees to

maintain records of transactions.

Jail terms of six months to four

years shall also be meted those who

fail to report to the council a

purported violation of the law, or

if the report is made maliciously or

without sufficient ground.

Finally, to maintain

confidentiality of any investigation

being conducted by the AMLC, any

person, including members of

media, who should print or publish

details of such investigation face jail

from three to eight months.

ADAPTED FROM THE COMMITTEE ON DANGEROUS DRUGS’ MATERIALS

8 November 2006

� Interview with Rep. Consuelo A. Dy

Battle over billboards

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LONG before

T y p h o o n

Milenyo, Rep.

Consuelo A. Dy

(Lone District,

Pasay City) has already been quite

vocal and has, in fact, been waging a

continuing battle against “wayward”

billboards.

Dy is righteously indignant. Pasay,

a large city in Metro Manila, is

overwhelmed by outdoor signs. She said

billboards “could now be seen in almost

every conceivable place in Metro

Manila,” posing dangers to public safety

and security.

Neither have the provinces been

spared, she said. Outdoor

advertisements deluge even the remotest

areas of the countryside, particularly in

their main towns, where every member

of the dense populace is sure to see and

bump into the ads shouting the benefits

of their products, endorsed by larger-

than-life celebrities.

It was no coincidence, nor was

she reacting to Milenyo, when Dy filed

House Bill 5822, “An Act Setting the

Standards for the Design, Construction,

Location, Dimension and Content of

Outdoor Signs.” It was oddly prescient

that she would file it on October 2,

three days before Typhoon Milenyo.

“Actually, I and my staff have

been working on the bill months before,”

said Dy, chair of the House Special

Committee on Metro Manila

Development. “That (I filed the bill

without foreseeing Milenyo) only goes

to show that the bill is urgent and that

my instincts about billboards have been

right all along.”

Following are more of her views

on the issue:

What are your experiences

regarding billboards?

In Pasay, there was one

outdoor sign constructed by a

motel, supposedly pointing the way

to the Department of Foreign

Affairs on Roxas Boulevard. I

found it somewhat inappropriate

that a motel would volunteer to

point the way to the DFA.

Another is a tall billboard

covering the sides of an overpass

along EDSA touching Pasay.

Crimes, like snatching, holdups

and sexual harassment of women,

are committed behind those

billboards because they are hidden

from public view.

Such happen, not only in

Pasay, but also in other overpasses

in Mandaluyong, Makati and

Quezon City, wherever they are

covered by outdoor signs.

What prompted you to file

HB 5822?

Over the years, people have

complained about the proliferation

of billboards. Some have caused

accidents and mishaps way before

Milenyo did, mostly going

unreported.

There is growing public ire

against billboards. Most signs are

eyesores—blights to the scenery.

They distract, confuse and

block the view of motorists

and pedestrians from

traffic signs. It had to take

Milenyo to show that they

are public hazards—many

are near to electric wires.

One glaring example was a

billboard that fell on an

MRT cable. It stopped

MRT’s operations for

hours.

We have rules about

billboards, but apparently,

people don’t obey. This bill

seeks to regulate the

billboard advertising

industry and ensure the

implementation of the law.

Are you for a total

ban on billboards?

No. I am not for the outright

prohibition of billboard

advertising. It is not an option,

since the State, as a matter of policy,

recognizes the indispensable role of

the private sector and private

enterprise.

Moreover, outdoor signs are

necessary for public

announcements and for commerce

to grow. However, the growth of

commerce must go hand in hand

with social order. Therefore,

outdoor signs must conform to

certain standards to ensure balance

between commerce and social

order. We might go for regulation.

How will regulation be done?

The bill will regulate outdoor

advertising by laying down the

standards regarding design,

construction, location, dimension

or size, and content, among other

things.

Do you see the need to create

a separate body on billboards?

We can start by strengthening

certain provisions in the charter

of the Adboard, a private self-

regulating entity of advertisers.

From there, we will discuss the

possibility or need for a separate

body or, maybe, a task force.

How will you regulate

content?

Initially, we would require

that the advertising agency which

will construct the billboard, write

the data including the name of the

company which is advertising, the

name of the company which built

the billboard, date of

construction, where the permit to

construct the billboard was

obtained, and other pertinent

information.

I suggest that the data be

written near the bottom of the

billboard where the inspector or

the public would be able to read

such information.

We might also devise a way by

which to control or censor the

content of the billboard vis-a-vis

advertising ethics, public taste and

decency, and basic moral

standards. I believe this is quite

necessar y since ever ybody—

including small children—would

readily see and read the text and

graphics on the board without

parental control or guidance

unlike when you’re watching

television or movies, which have

age restrictions.

What are the outstanding

features of the proposed

regulation? How will this

preserve freedom of speech?

The proposed regulation

should be able to plug loopholes

in the present law. For example,

we have discovered that some

billboard contractors would build

the sign on private property. They

might just give the property owner

a fee and build a billboard that

violates every possible regulation

or standard.

We need a law that will cover

billboards built on private property.

But the industry need not

worry. We will preserve freedoms

under the Constitution. But in

writing the law, we must keep in

mind the interest and welfare of the

majority. To compromise the

greater good would be too great a

sacrifice to protect the welfare and

interests of a few.

In turn, I appeal to the

industry to abide by the law first

and foremost, listen to their

conscience and go by their moral

standards as they go about their

business. On our part, we shall do

the same.

“The (supplemental budget)

for government is imperative to

provide authority for expenditures

that are not in the reenacted budget

but are mandatory by virtue of law

necessary for the welfare of our

public servants, and to improve

public service,” Salceda said in

defending HB 5668.

In the reconciled version,

DAR gets P4.59 billion; DepEd -

P9.581 billion; State Colleges -

P500 million; DILG - P1.375

billion; DOST - P200 million;

DSWD - P269.5 million; DOTC -

P1.608 billion; Constitutional

Office - P730.2 million;

Miscellaneous Personnel Benefits

Fund - P4.922 billion; Allocation

to Local Government Units - P1.82

billion; Pension and Gratuity

Fund - P4.865 billion; ALGUs

(IRA) - P14.844 billion; Calamity

Fund - P1.117 billion, including

P867.4 million for the Guimaras

oil spill; and relief and

rehabilitation fund for the Mayon

Volcano eruption - P250 million.

The measure provides for a

Joint Congressional Committee to

oversee the utilization of at least P2

billion appropriated for the

Guimaras oil spill rehabilitation

project. Diony P. Tubianosa

Supplemental budget

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