Congressional Record

Vol. 1 Monday, August 9, 2010 No. 7

Congressional RecordPLENARY PROCEEDINGS OF THE 15th CONGRESS, FIRST REGULAR SESSION

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

CALL TO ORDER

At 4:00 p.m., Speaker Feliciano Belmonte Jr. called thesession to order.

THE SPEAKER. The session is now called to order.

NATIONAL ANTHEM

THE SPEAKER. Everybody will please stand for thesinging of the Philippine National Anthem.

Everybody rose to sing the Philippine NationalAnthem.

THE SPEAKER. Please remain standing for theInvocation to be led by Hon. Emmanuel D. Pacquiao,Congressman from the Lone District of Sarangani.

Everybody remained standing for the invocation.

INVOCATION

REP. PACQUIAO. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.Let us put ourselves in the presence of the

Lord.Sa ngalan ng Ama, ng Anak at ng Espiritu Santo.

Panginoong Diyos, maraming salamat sa araw naito. Kami ay nagagalak at nagbubunyi dahil kami ayIyong pinagpala.

Panginoong Diyos, gabayan Mo po kami dahilkami ay nandito ngayon upang gampanan ang amingmga tungkulin bilang Mambabatas ng aming mgabayan.

Bilang mga tao, bawat isa po sa amin ay mayiba’t ibang opinyon at may iba’t ibang pananaw.Gayon pa man, tulungan Mo po kami na magkaisapara sa kapakanan ng nakararami. We pray forwisdom in making decisions. Give us knowledge inweighing things. Teach us to be humble. Most ofall, teach us to put our trust in You.

Inaalay po namin sa Iyo ang sesyon sa araw naito.

Maraming salamat sa tagumpay na Iyonggagawin sa aming mga buhay. Ito ang aming samo’tdalangin.

Sa ngalan ng Ama, ng Anak at ng EspirituSanto.

Amen.

THE SPEAKER. The Dep. Majority Leader is recognized.

REP. ROMULO. Mr. Speaker, with the permission ofthe Members of the House, may we first be allowed toacknowledge the presence of some guests of theMembers.

THE SPEAKER. Yes, go ahead.

REP. ROMULO. Mr. Speaker, may we acknowledge thepresence of the guests of Hon. Emmanuel D. Pacquiao: WorldChampion Gerry Peñalosa, and former PBA player ZaldyRealubit and family. (Applause)

Mr. Speaker, may we also acknowledge the presence ofthe guests of Cong. Raymond Democrito Mendoza of theTUCP Party-List: workers from PAL, the officers and membersof the Philippine Airlines Employees Association or PALEA,led by its president Gerry Rivera. (Applause)

Mr. Speaker, may we request our guests to stand upwhen they are acknowledged.

Mr. Speaker, may we also recognize the members of theInfanta Municipal Cooperative Development Council, FirstDistrict of Quezon. They are the guests of CongressmanWilfrido Mark Enverga. (Applause)

Mr. Speaker, may we also recognize the guests of Cong.Rodolfo B. Albano of the First District of Isabela, headed byVice Governor Rodolfo T. Albano III: former CongressmanSantiago Respicio; and the board members of the SecondDistrict – Hon. Ric Justice Angobung, Hon. Rolly Tugadeand Hon. Kit Bello. (Applause)

Also present here are the guests of Cong. Ana CristinaSiquian Go of the Second District of Isabela: board membersMitchy Cumigad and Atty. Cesar Purugganan. May wealso acknowledge the presence of the guests of Cong.Napoleon S. Dy of the Third District of Isabela: Boardmembers Atty. Karen Abuan, Hon. Manuel Alejandro andHon. Jaime Atayde. They are also the guests ofCongressman Aggabao of the Fourth District of Isabela.(Applause)

Board members Hon. Leoncio Kiat; Hon. Matt Alindada;Atty. Noel Lopez, Provincial Administrator; Mr. NapoleonHernandez, ABC President; Mr. Niño Cumigad, SangguniangKabataan President; and Mr. Santos, SangguniangPanlalawigan Secretary, are, meanwhile, all guests of thehonorable Congressman Rodolfo Albano of the First Districtof Isabela. (Applause)

Mr. Speaker, may we also acknowledge the presence ofthe guests from the Western Mindanao State University. Theyare the guests of our Representative from the First District of

2 MONDAY, AUGUST 9, 2010

Zamboanga City, Dep. Speaker Maria Isabel G. Climaco.(Applause)

THE SPEAKER. The House acknowledges all of thedignitaries who are visiting us this afternoon.

REP. ROMULO. Mr. Speaker, may we also recognize thestudents from UP Diliman. They are part of the PoliticalScience 14 class headed by Prof. Miriam Coronel Feffer andare the guests of Hon.Kaka Bag-ao. (Applause)

THE SPEAKER. The House welcomes them.

SUSPENSION OF SESSION

REP. ROMULO. Mr. Speaker, may we have a few minutessuspension of the session.

THE SPEAKER. The session is suspended.

It was 4:06 p.m.

RESUMPTION OF SESSION

At 4:07 p.m. the session was resumed.

THE SPEAKER. The session is resumed.

REP. ROMULO. Mr. Speaker, may we acknowledge thepresence of the guests of Members of the House,specifically, the guests of Hon. Hermilando Mandanas, theGentleman from Batangas: Sulatan Esmael Kiram and hiswife; Mr. Abraham Ijirani, Secretary General of the Sultanateof Sulu; Atty. Liasin Omar Basa, Chairman of the RoyalAdvisory Council; Raja Abdul Wahab, member of the RoyalAdvisory Council; Colonel Samson Tocino, member of theRoyal Advisory Council; Mr. Hadji Ajid Estino, member ofthe Royal Advisory Council; and Ms. Sandra Hayre, memberof the Royal Advisory Council. Again, they are all guests ofthe Honorable Mandanas. (Applause)

THE SPEAKER. Sultan Kiram, Mrs. Kiram and allmembers of the party are acknowledged.

REP. ROMULO. Mr. Speaker, we have additional visitors,the guests of the Honorable Ocampos: Rayan Dy, generalmanager of Rewoco, Quezon City; Benjamin Uy, financemanager, Rewoco, Quezon City; Wilson Ong, generalmanager, Novawood Forest Industries; and Alex Ong, financemanager, Novawood.

THE SPEAKER. All the guests of the Honorable Ocamposare acknowledged and welcomed.



THE SPEAKER. The session is suspended.

It was 4:09 p.m.


At 4:13 p.m., the session was resumed with DeputySpeaker Jesus Crispin C. Remulla presiding.

THE DEPUTY SPEAKER (Rep. Remulla). The session isresumed.

The Dep. Majority Leader is recognized.

REP. BANAL. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.May we take this opportunity, Mr. Speaker, to

acknowledge the presence of some visitors of SpeakerBelmonte, namely: Mr. Nelson Tan, JCI SenatePhilippines,executive vice president; Mr. Ramon Nanadiego,secretary general of Junior Chamber, Quezon City Capitol;and the better Banal, Mr. Speaker, Jorge Banal Sr., past nationalpresident of the Philippine Jaycees, Senate. (Applause)

THE DEPUTY SPEAKER (Rep. Remulla). The gentlemenat the back are welcome to the House of Representatives.The Chair thanks the guests for coming over.

ROLL CALL

REP. BANAL. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.Mr. Speaker, I move that we call the roll.

THE DEPUTY SPEAKER (Rep. Remulla). Is there anyobjection? (Silence) The Chair hears none; the motion isapproved.

The Secretary General is directed to call the roll.

The Secretary General called the roll, and the result isas follows, per Journal No.7:

PRESENT

AbayonAcharonAcopAglipayAgyaoAlbanoAlcalaAlmarioAlmonteAlvarez (M.)Amante-MatbaAmatongAndayaAngaraAntoninoAntonioApacibleApostolAquinoArenasArnaizArquizaArroyo (D.)Arroyo (I.)

AsiloAumentadoBagatsingBaguilatBalindongBanalBarzagaBataoilBatocabeBautistaBelloBelmonte (F.)Belmonte (V.)BenaldoBenitezBernosBicharaBinayBironBonoan-DavidBrionesBulut-BegtangCabilao YambaoCagas

MONDAY, AUGUST 9, 2010 3

Calimbas-VillarosaCalixto-RubianoCanonigoCariCasiñoCasteloCastroCatamcoCelesteCeraficaCerillesClimacoCojuangco (C.)Cojuangco (E.)CollantesColmenaresCosalanCuaDalogDatumanongDazaDe JesusDe VeneciaDefensorDel MarDel Rosario (A.)DiazDimaporo (F.)Dimaporo (I.)DuranoDyEcleoEjercitoEmanoEnvergaEriguelEscuderoEspinaEstrellaEvardoneFabianFariñasFerrer (A.)Ferrer (J.)FloresFortunoFuaFuentebellaFuentesGarayGarbinGarcia (P.)Garcia (P.J.)Garcia-AlbanoGarinGatchalianGo (A.)Golez (R.)GomezGonzales (A.)Gonzales (N.)Gonzalez

QuimboQuisumbingRadazaRelampagosRemullaRobesRodriguez (I.)Rodriguez (M.)Rodriguez (R.)RomanRomarateRomualdezRomualdoRomuloSacdalanSahidullaSakaluranSalvacionSambarSan LuisSarmiento (C.)Sarmiento (M.)SemaSingson (E.)SocratesSuarez

GuanlaoGullasGunigundoHarescoHataman-SallimanHerrera-DyJaafarJalosjos (C.)Jalosjos (R.)Jalosjos (S.)JavierJosonKho (A.)Kho (D.)LabadlabadLacson-NoelLagdameo (A.)Lagdameo (M.)LagmanLapusLeonen-PizarroLimkaichongLoongLopez (C.)LoyolaMacapagal-Arroyo (G.)MadronaMagsaysay (E.)Magsaysay (M.)MaliksiMandanasMarañonMarcoletaMarcosMarianoMatugasMellanaMendoza (J.)Mendoza (M.)Mendoza (R.)MercadoMercado-RevillaMirafloresMontejoNoelNogralesObilloOcamposOlivaresOrtega (F.)Ortega (V.)OsmeñaPacquiaoPaezPalmonesPanchoPanotesParasPichayPing-ayPrimicias-AgabasPuno

TañadaTiengTingTingaTinioTomawisTupasUmali (C.)Umali (R.)UnabiaUngabUnicoValenciaVelardeVelascoVergaraVillafuerteVillarVillaricaViolagoYap (A.)Yap (S.)YuZamora-ApsayZubiri

The Speaker is present.The House, through the Secretariat, is in receipt of the

official notice of absence of the following Members: Reps.Antonio Rafael G. Del Rosario, Jose R. Ping-ay, and MilagrosaT. Tan.

Mr. Speaker, the roll call shows that 223 Membersresponded to the call.

THE DEPUTY SPEAKER (Rep. Remulla). With 223Members present, a quorum is hereby declared.

REP. ARROYO (D.). Mr. Speaker.

THE DEPUTY SPEAKER (Rep. Remulla). Yes, theHonorable Arroyo (D.) is recognized.

REP. ARROYO (D.). Mr. Speaker, I would like to rise on amatter of personal and collective privilege.

THE DEPUTY SPEAKER (Rep. Remulla). The Dep.Majority Leader is recognized.

REP. ROMULO. Mr. Speaker, the motion of the HonorableArroyo (D.) has preference under our Rules. May we knowthe nature of the personal and collective privilege?

THE DEPUTY SPEAKER (Rep. Remulla). What is thenature of the personal and collective privilege?

REP. ARROYO (D.). Mr. Speaker, I wish to speak aboutdecorum and the mutual respect among the Members of thisaugust chamber.

THE DEPUTY SPEAKER (Rep. Remulla). The Gentlemanhas 10 minutes.


QUESTION OF PRIVILEGE OF REP. ARROYO (D.)

REP. ARROYO (D.). Thank you, Mr. Speaker.Good afternoon. Dios marhay na hapon po sa mga kapwa

kong Representante sa sakuyang mga tugang sa SegundoDistrito kong Camarines Sur at sa lahat ng aking kapwaPilipino.

Mr. Speaker, sa kabuuan ng pangkasalukuyang Kamara,masasabi siguro na isa ako sa mga mas nakababatangRepresentante. Wika nga, may gatas pa sa labi, maski nanakapagsilbi na ako ng tatlong taon sa aking unangpagkakataon na manungkulan bilang Kinatawan ng amingdistrito.

Natatandaan ko pa, Mr. Speaker, noong una akongtumuntong sa Kongreso, magkahalong pangamba atpananabik ang aking nadama. Pangamba, sapagkatnaramdaman ko ang napakalaking hamon sa akin na gawinang nararapat upang hindi mapahiya ang mga taong bumotosa akin at umaasang maipagmamalaki ako bilang kanilangKinatawan. Pananabik, sapagkat nagkaroon ako ngpagkakataon, sa pamamagitan ng aking pagkilos at pananalita,na ipakita ang aking respeto sa institusyon ng Kongreso nasiyang may pangunahing tungkulin na magbigay ng mga batasat alituntunin na susundin ng buong bayan. Isangnapakahalaga at kagalang-galang na responsibilidad.

Mr. Speaker, sa nakaraang tatlong taon, taas noo ko pongginawa ang mga ito sa abot ng aking makakaya upang magingkarapat-dapat na Miyembro ng ating kagalang-galang nainstitusyon.

Dadalhin ko sa aking pagtanda ang gunita na minsan,naging bahagi ako ng Kongreso, ang Kongreso na nagingsusi upang mailigtas ang bayan sa amba ng krisis pinansyalna hanggang ngayon ay bumabalot po sa mundo, lalo na samas mayayamang bansa. Tumugon ang nagkaisa natingbayan at tumayo upang tulungan ang sarili at naiwasan natinang mas malalim na kahirapan. Ganito po kahalaga angtungkulin ng Kongreso para sa ating bayan.

Dala ang kaalamang ito, naging karangalan ko po namabigyang muli ako ng pagkakataon ng aking mga kababayanbilang kanilang Kinatawan sa kasalukuyang Kongreso.Katulad noong unang pagkakataon, naramdaman kong laloang kahalagahan ng aking responsibilidad at alam ko po naito rin ang nararamdaman ng mga bago nating kasamahan sakasalukuyang Kongreso.

Kaya po, Mr. Speaker, hindi ako makapaniwala at nabiglaako na sa pinakaunang mga araw ng pagbubukas ngKongreso, isang kasuklam-suklam na ehemplo para sa amingmga mas nakababatang Miyembro at sa mga baguhangKongresista ang ipinamalas ng iilan sa mga patuloy ko paring iginagalang na Miyembro ng Kamara. Sila pa na mgaKinatawan ng sektor na nangunguna sa pakikipaglaban parasa karapatang pantao ang umabuso sa kalayaang dulot ngprivilege speech at gumamit ng mapangbastos na mgapananalitang yumurak sa karapatan ng kapwa Miyembro sarespeto ng kanyang kasamahan.

Mr. Speaker, sa aking paniniwala, ang privilege speechay isang karapatang binigay sa Kongreso upang malayangmakapamahayag ang isang Miyembro nito tungo sa ikabubuting bayan. Sa nangyari po noong nakaraang Lunes at Martes,ang privilege speech ay sadyang ginamit upang makapagtagosa loob ng saya ng kalayaang dulot nito, para magbitiw ngmga salitang hindi katanggap-tanggap sa kahit na sinong

tao, sa loob man o labas ng Kongreso, bata man o matanda,babae man o lalaki.

Ang mas higit pang hindi kanais-nais sa paggamit ngkalayaang dulot ng privilege speech ay ang kaisipang ito ayisang paraan upang maisantabi ang kagandahang asal ngisang Pilipino—ang pagiging maginoo ng isang lalaki at angpagiging magandang ehemplo ng isang Mambabatas—tungosa mas sibilisadong pamayanan. Ngunit, ang pinakanakakagulat dito ay ang kawalan ng konsiderasyon kung saandahil sa kanilang mga pananalita ay mismong institusyon ngKongreso ang kanilang inilagay sa matinding pagsubok samata ng mamamayan bilang isang magandang halimbawa ngpaggalang at dignidad.

Mr. Speaker, ang pananaw pong ito ay hindi magbabago athindi mawawala sa aking pagkatao maging sino man ang nagingbiktima ng ginawang pambabastos. Ngunit dahil ang mga hindikatanggap-tanggap na mga salitang iyon ay nakadirekta sa isangdating Pangulo ng ating Republika, ang pangyayaring iyon aymas lalo pang kinakailangan na ilagay natin sa tama. Kung iisipinlang natin, walang pangangailangang pagsalitaan ng ganoonang isang dating Pangulo.

Sa pagpalit ng administrasyon, lahat ng gawain upangmailipat ang kapangyarihan ay isinaayos niya. Walang balakidniyang ipinasa ang mga renda ng isang bansang kahit minsansa siyam na taon ng kanyang administrasyon ay hindinagkaroon ng recession, maski na lampas 60 porsyento ngmga ibang bansa sa mundo ay hindi nakapalag sa krisispinansiyal. Pinatunayan niya na kathang-isip lamang atwalang kabuluhan at walang katunayan ang lahat ng senaryona ipinagsisigawan ng mga kalaban ng dating administrasyon,tulad diumano ng martial law, No-el at No-proc At mula nangbumaba siya sa pagka-Pangulo, siya ay nanatiling tahimikupang magkaroon ng mas malayang panunungkulan angbagong pamahalaan.

Sa mga pahayag na ginawa sa SONA at sa mga sumunodpang pahayag kung saan maraming ibinatong bintang atalegasyon sa ating dating Pangulo, walang ipinahayag angkanyang panig kundi ang linawin ang maling pinagbasehan,na inamin naman po ng bagong administrasyon, tulad ng,unang-una, mga maling datos sa budget at sa calamity fund;pangalawa, ang mga sinabing kalabisan sa dami ng bigas, nangayon lamang pala mag-iimbentaryo nito; o kaya, pangatlo,ang alegasyon sa kalagayan ng MRT kung saan hindi namannaihayag ang tunay at buong sitwasyon nito.

Sa madaling salita, Mr. Speaker and distinguishedcolleagues, walang ginawang pakikipagtunggali ang atingdating Pangulo sa kasalukuyang pamunuan upang siya aygawan ng ganoong pambabastos ng mga kapwa niyangMiyembro sa Kongreso.

Mr. Speaker, ang pananaw kong ito ay nasa puso ko rin,lalo na at ang pinagsalitaan ay ang aking ina. Para sa isanganak, anuman ang kanyang katayuan sa buhay o sa lipunan,nakapanghihilakbot ang pambabastos sa kanyang ina.Tanging ang ipinamulat sa akin ng aking mga lolo at magulangsa paggalang sa nakatatanda at sa mga institusyon ngpamahalaan ang nagbibigay linaw sa aking isipan upangmagtimpi at pigilan ang aking sarili na makipagbastusan narin. Nagpapasalamat ako sa aking mga kasamahan na maytuwid na paninindigan, maging majority o minority, magingkapartido man o hindi, at agaran nilang ipinakita ang kawalangsuporta nila sa pambabastos na nangyari noong nakaraanglinggo.


Mr. Speaker, sa pagkondena ng iba’t ibang Miyembrong Mababa at Mataas na Kapulungan ng Kongreso, anumanang kanilang partido, sa nangyaring pambabastos na ito aynaitayo ang tunay na paninindigan ng ating institusyon.Napatunayan nila ang kasabihan na ang pamantayan ngpagkatao ay makikita sa kanyang pagtrato sa kanyang kapwa.Habang ang pamantayan naman ng isang maginoo ay makikitasa kanyang pagtrato sa kababaihan.

Mr. Speaker and distinguished colleagues, alam ko pona ang mga pangyayari noong nakaraang linggo sa atingKapulungan ay magiging mahalagang kabanata ng atingkasaysayan sa paninindigang ipinakita ng ating mgaMambabatas, kung saan napatunayan na ang Kamara deRepresentantes ay binubuo ng mga Mambabatas na hindilamang Kinatawan ng kanya-kanyang mga distrito o sektorkundi Representante rin ng pagkatao ng isang tunay naPilipino. Pilipinong marunong magbigay-galang at magpakitang kagandahang-asal.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Dios mabalos po and in addition,I would like to state that I shall not yield to any interpellation.Dios mabalos po liwat, Dios marhay na hapon sa inyonggabos. (Applause)

REP. ROMULO. Mr. Speaker.


REP. GONZALES (A.). Mr. Speaker.

THE DEPUTY SPEAKER (Rep. Remulla). The HonorableGonzales (A.) is recognized.

REP. GONZALES (A.). Mr. Speaker, may I be allowed tomake a brief manifestation in support of the privilege speechof Congressman Diosdado “Dato” Arroyo.

THE DEPUTY SPEAKER (Rep. Remulla). Please do so.

MANIFESTATION OF REP. GONZALES (A.)

REP. GONZALES (A.). Thank you, Mr. Speaker.Good afternoon to all my dear colleagues.Gusto ko lang pong ipaalam na ang aking ka probinsiya

sa lalawigan ng Pampanga, lalo na po ang mga kababayan kosa Ikatlong Distrito ng Pampanga, ay lubhang nalulungkotsa nababalitaan nilang panlalait at insultong natatanggap ngating Pangulong Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo dito mismo sa loobng Kamara kung saan siya ay isa nang Miyembro ng atingHouse of the People.

As their elective Representative, I have to make thismanifestation to show that former President and nowCongresswoman Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo remains well-loved in her home province and that the insults shereceives hurt the people of Pampanga. Masyado pongnasasaktan ang aming mga ka probinsiya na mahal poang Pangulo, si Congresswoman Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo.

I am also making this manifestation , Mr. Speaker, to showthat the former President had expressed the hope that whattranspired in the last two weeks ay hindi na po mauulit. Dapatiyong nangyari sa two weeks nating sesyon na panlalait sa

ating mahal na dating Pangulo at ngayon ay Miyembro ngRepresentante ay hindi na maulit.

As elected Representatives of our districts and party-list organizations, we are expected to show respect for oneanother. While we may have different political backgrounds,I believe that decency and decorum, especially the way weconduct ourselves during session days, do not have to followany political affiliation. I believe we can disagree withoutbeing rude and unschooled. No less than our Rules call fordecency and decorum on how we should behave towardsone another.

Mr. Speaker, marami pong salamat.I hope that we can all move forward to start discussing

the many problems that continue to hound our people andour nation. Ituloy na po natin ang magandang programa. Tayopo ay nahalal dito sa House of Representatives to supportthe legislative agenda, the policies of this new administration.

Kaya sa inyo pong lahat, maraming salamat. Sa mgaKapampangan, dakal pong salamat.

Good afternoon to all of you. (Applause)

THE DEPUTY SPEAKER (Rep. Remulla). Themanifestation of the Honorable Gonzales (A.) is noted, forthe record.



REP. ROMULO. Mr. Speaker, there being no otherMember who has signified his or her intention to interpellatethe honorable …

REP. CASIÑO. Just a short manifestation, Mr .Speaker.

THE DEPUTY SPEAKER (Rep. Remulla). The HonorableCasiño is recognized for his manifestation.

REP. CASIÑO. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.I do not wish to interpellate our colleague from

Pampanga. Nauunawaan ko po ang sentimiyento ng atingmga kasama at ang ilang mga kababayan natin mula saPampanga. Subalit para sa Representasyong ito, may mgabagay na dapat sabihin. I think the truth has to be told andsometimes the truth hurts; sometimes the truth may beunacceptable to us. Pero sa amin po, ang Kapulungang itoat ang plenaryong ito ay dapat panigan ang pagtingin sakatotohan. Whether we agree or not, hangga’t hindi potayo dito nagmumurahan at, sa salita nga ng kasama natin,ay nagbabastusan sa isa’t-isa, we should allow as muchleeway as possible sa ating pagdidiskusyunan. Iyon langnaman ang ating punto nitong nakaraang dalawang linggo.I hope that we have learned lessons from these past twoweeks at sa amin po ay, ipagpapatuloy ang sa tingin naminay gawain din namin: ang ilahad ang aming pagtingin sakatotohanan and for us to deliberate on these issues.

Iyon lamang po, G. Ispiker. Maraming salamat.

REP. BARZAGA. Mr. Speaker.

REP. LOONG. Mr. Speaker.


THE DEPUTY SPEAKER (Rep. Remulla). Yes, theHonorable Barzaga is recognized.

REP. BARZAGA. May I just make also a manifestation.

THE DEPUTY SPEAKER (Rep. Remulla). Please proceed.

REP. BARZAGA. Section 91 of our Rules...

REP. LOONG. I rise on a question of personal andcollective privilege, Mr. Speaker.

REP. BARZAGA. I have the floor, Mr. Speaker. I will justmake a very short manifestation.

Section 91 of our Rules expressly provides that theMember who has the floor shall confine himself to the questionunder debate, avoid personalities in all cases and refrain fromindecorous words or acts.

Our Rules are very explicit that indecorous acts are notpermitted in the debate or privilege speeches in this augustChamber. Unfortunately, inasmuch as there had been so manyindecorous remarks uttered in this august Chamber, ourjurisprudence is replete with rulings and principles. However,in the United States of America where democracy was firstborn and where parliamentary courtesy had been dulyobserved by all the members of the parliament, it has alwaysbeen ruled that a member may not in debate impugn thepersonal motives of another member, charge him withfalsehood or deception or denigrate his intelligence. It is alsonot in order to debate or to refer in a personally critical mannerto the political tactics of a member and, perhaps this is themost important, the truth of allegations involving the unethicalbehavior of a member is not a defense to a point of order thatthe remarks are unparliamentary as engaging in personalitiesexclusively or by innuendo.

I just want to put on record these manifestations basedon jurisprudence in the United States of America insofar asparliamentary courtesy is concerned.

Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker.

THE DEPUTY SPEAKER (Rep. Remulla). Themanifestation of the Honorable Barzaga is noted and well-taken.


THE DEPUTY SPEAKER (Rep. Remulla). The HonorableDavid Kho is recognized.

REP. KHO (D.). Mr. Speaker, I would like to make a commenton the raging controversy besetting this august Body.

Mr. Speaker, as one reared and nurtured in an institutionthat upholds academic freedom, this Representation cannotresist stating his position on the raging controversysurrounding the ethicality of the statements of the Gentlemenfrom Akbayan and Bayan Muna. We may not fully agree withwhat they said, but we should at least protect and defend theirright to say it because it constitutes the freedom of expressionwhich occupies a preferred position in the hierarchy ofconstitutional values as enshrined in the Bill of Rights.

Freedom of expression must be the hallmark of this augustBody in order to arrive at the truth. According to Justice

Oliver Wendell Holmes, “...the best test of truth is the powerof the thought to get itself accepted in the competition of themarket.”

What could justify the suppression of free speech? JusticeBrandeis of the US Supreme Court thus stated:

Fear of serious injury cannot alone justify thesuppression of free speech and assembly. Menfeared witches and burned women. It is the functionof free speech to free man from the bondage ofirrational fears. To justify suppression of free speech,there must be reasonable ground to fear that seriousevil will result if free speech is practiced.In this instance, Mr. Speaker, no such reasonable ground

exists that would justify the curtailment of the Gentleman’sfreedom of expression. Take it from a senior citizen.

Thank you.

THE DEPUTY SPEAKER (Rep. Remulla). Themanifestation of the Honorable Kho is noted.

REP. PACQUIAO. Mr. Speaker, I have a manifestation.

THE DEPUTY SPEAKER (Rep. Remulla). Hon. EmmanuelPacquiao of Sarangani is recognized.

REP. ROMULO. Mr. Speaker, Mr. Speaker.


REP. ROMULO. Mr. Speaker, before we recognize theHonorable Pacquiao for a manifestation, and theHonorable Ejercito has also signified his intention to risefor a manifestation on the speech of the HonorableArroyo, may I remind the Members of this House thatunder our Rules, there is no such thing as a manifestation.In order for a Member to stand up, he must stand up on apoint of order or on a question of personal and collectiveprivilege.

As the Chair has been very liberal in giving the Membersa chance to stand, could we have the manifestationsshortened? After the Honorable Ejercito, we will no longerrecognize manifestations.

REP. LOONG. Mr. Speaker, Mr. Speaker.

THE DEPUTY SPEAKER (Rep. Remulla). The Chair agreeswith the…

REP. LOONG. Mr. Speaker, Mr. Speaker.

THE DEPUTY SPEAKER (Rep. Remulla). … remarks ofthe honorable Deputy Majority Leader that under the Rules,there is no such thing as a manifestation, although becauseof tradition, we honored the two manifestations because ofcertain matters that had to be put on record by certainMembers. Therefore, we will put that into consideration whenwe hear other remarks coming from the different Members ofthis Chamber.

Before we recognize the Honorable Pacquiao, I wouldlike to say that the Honorable Ejercito stood first and so, hehas the floor for this purpose.


REP. EJERCITO. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.I will just take a few minutes. It is a very short

manifestation.The President is accountable to the Filipino people. Being

in the Palace is like being in a fishbowl. Dapat handa na kayokung anumang alegasyon ibato sa inyo dahil lahat iyan aykasama. It comes with the territory, wika nga. Maniwala kayo,nanggaling na kami diyan. Kung dati ay nakapagtago tayo sapresidential immunity, huwag naman sana ngayon na patiang congressional immunity ay ating gagamitin. Tayo ay nasademokrasya, kung kaya’t, sabi nga ni Pangulong Noynoy,kinakailangang malaman ang katotohanan. Kung wala tayongdapat itago, wala tayong dapat ikatakot. Iyon lamang, Mr.Speaker.

Magandang hapon.

THE DEPUTY SPEAKER (Rep. Remulla). We will nowrecognize the Honorable Pacquaio for his manifestation.

REP. PACQUIAO. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.Gusto ko lang po sanang sabihin sa lahat na masyado

po tayong naaabala sa isyu na iyan. Kung kailangan natingmagsalita ng hindi magagandang words sa ating kapwaCongressman o Congresswoman man, ay dapat in a properforum like the Truth Commission. Kung Truth Commissionang pinag-uusapan, siguro puwede doon sabihin, pero dito,masyado tayong naaantala o nade-delay ang ating mga usapindahil sa isyu na iyan. Siguro, sa tingin ko, we have to moveon.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. (Applause)


THE DEPUTY SPEAKER (Rep. Remulla). Themanifestation is noted.


REP. ROMULO. Mr. Speaker, there being no otherMember who has signified his intention to…

THE DEPUTY SPEAKER (Rep. Remulla). I think Hon.Tupay Loong stood up.


THE DEPUTY SPEAKER (Rep. Remulla). What is thepurpose of Hon. Tupay Loong?

REP. LOONG. I rise on a question of personal privilege,Mr. Speaker.

THE DEPUTY SPEAKER (Rep. Remulla). What …

REP. ROMULO. Mr. Speaker, before the HonorableTupay Loong stands on a question of personal andcollective privilege, may I beg his indulgence so that wecan refer the speech of the Honorable Arroyo (D.) to theappropriate committee.

THE DEPUTY SPEAKER (Rep. Remulla). Is there anyobjection to the motion to refer the speech of the HonorableArroyo (D.) to the appropriate committee? (Silence) The Chair

hears none; the speech of Hon. Diosdado Arroyo is herebyreferred to the appropriate committee.

What is the nature of the Gentleman’s question ofprivilege?

REP. LOONG. Mr. Speaker, this is a manifestation on thebombing incident in the Zamboanga City InternationalAirport.

THE DEPUTY SPEAKER (Rep. Remulla). Hon. TupayLoong has 10 minutes.

QUESTION OF PRIVILEGE OF REP. LOONG

REP. LOONG. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.Bismillahi rahmani rahim. Assalamu alaikum

warahmatullahi wabarakatuhu. Peace be to all ofyou.

Mr. Speaker, I strongly condemn, in the strongestpossible terms, the dastardly act of the perpetrators behindthe Zamboanga International Airport bombing lastThursday night that killed two persons and wounded 24others, including the Provincial Governor of my province,Hon. Abdulsakur Tan. Further, Mr. Speaker, I extend mysincerest sympathies to the victims and their families andto the people of Zamboanga for experiencing anotherheinous act in their midst. This latest bombing incident isanother cowardly and un-Islamic act that deserves thestrongest form of condemnation from this august Body.Only the most cruel and merciless are capable of such anact that victimized ordinary travellers and their innocentfamilies.

Mr. Speaker, this humble Representation would like torequest that an immediate and thorough investigation beconducted by our police authorities to determine the realculprits in the bombing so that justice may be immediatelyserved. I request, however, that the authorities desist fromusing haphazard methods in investigating the bombingincident. It is the true perpetrators of the crime who must bearrested, and not the fall guys they will just pick up from thestreets. The perpetrators of last Thursday’s bombing incidentmust be put behind bars, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you. Assalamu alaikum warahmatullahiwabarakatuhu.

REP. FABIAN. Mr. Speaker.

THE DEPUTY SPEAKER (Rep. Remulla). The HonorableFabian has stood up. What is the pleasure of the HonorableFabian?

REP. FABIAN. Mr. Speaker, I would like to ask a fewquestions to the Honorable Loong, Mr. Speaker.

THE DEPUTY SPEAKER (Rep. Remulla). Will theHonorable Loong yield to a few questions from the HonorableFabian?

REP. LOONG. Please go ahead.

REP. FABIAN. Thank you very much, Honorable Loong.Honorable colleague, I really wonder if the


Representative would also have a little knowledge as far asthe background on the incident is concerned. I am focusingmore on the personalities involved because no less than theGovernor of Sulu, Hon. Abdulsakur Tan, mentioned in aninterview that he already has somebody in mind and, as far asthe motive is concerned, it is, to an extent, a little obvious. Iwonder if the good Congressman can share a little of hisknowledge as far as the background on this incident involvingthe personalities involved is concerned, Mr. Speaker.

REP. LOONG. Well, I think it is not within my prerogativeto say something about it. I think it would be better for us tojust wait for the result of the investigation.

REP. FABIAN. May I also ask the good Congressman ifhe will also agree with me if I say that measures not only inthe solution of the crime be adopted but also, we shouldfurther improve the airport in Zamboanga, considering thatZamboanga is fast becoming a metropolis and people fromboth provinces in the South and in Zamboanga City areutilizing the airport.

REP. LOONG. I agree with the Gentleman on that, Mr.Speaker.

REP. FABIAN. It should also include equipment like, forexample, X-ray machines, et cetera.

REP. LOONG. I did not clearly understand what theGentleman was asking.

REP. FABIAN. What I am trying to say is, we are one herewith the other Congressmen from Mindanao in wanting tofurther improve the facilities in the Zamboanga InternationalAirport for us to be able to come up with preemptive measuresto avoid incidents similar to what happened the other day.

Mr. Speaker, with that, I also would like to join the goodCongressman in condemning that dastardly act and callingon our authorities to conduct a no-nonsense probe as far asthat incident is concerned.

Thank you, very much Mr. Speaker.

REP. CLIMACO. Mr. Speaker.

THE DEPUTY SPEAKER (Rep. Remulla). The HonorableClimaco is recognized.

REP. CLIMACO. Corollary to what the Gentleman hassaid, I also would like to deliver a privilege speech that has todo with the recent bombing of the Zamboanga InternationalAirport, corollary to what the Gentleman, the HonorableLoong, has stated.

THE DEPUTY SPEAKER (Rep. Remulla). Before the Ladyproceeds with the privilege speech ...

REP. CLIMACO. First of all ...



THE DEPUTY SPEAKER (Rep. Remulla). The session issuspended.

It was 4:59 p.m.


At 5:00 p.m., the session was resumed.


REP. ROMULO. Mr. Speaker, as the Hon. Tupay T. Loonghas sat down, I move that we refer the speech of the Hon.Tupay T. Loong, including the interpellations thereon, to theappropriate committee.

THE DEPUTY SPEAKER(Rep. Remulla). The speech ofthe Hon. Tupay T. Loong and the interpellations of theHonorable Fabian thereon are hereby referred to theappropriate committee.

REP. CLIMACO. Mr. Speaker, I would like to respondalso through a privilege speech.

THE DEPUTY SPEAKER(Rep. Remulla). Is this in thenature also of a privilege speech?

REP. CLIMACO. In the same personal and collectiveprivilege given by the Honorable Loong.

THE DEPUTY SPEAKER(Rep. Remulla). Yes, the Ladyfrom Zamboanga has 10 minutes.

QUESTION OF PRIVILEGE OF REP. CLIMACO

REP. CLIMACO. I beg the indulgence of the Members ofthe Body because this is a matter of great urgency thathappened in the city of Zamboanga.

On the evening of August 5, 2010, at approximately 6:14p.m., an improvised explosive device was detonated in thearrival area of the Zamboanga City International Airport. Theblast was so powerful that it ripped the body of the purportedbomb carrier into shreds and pieces, killing his allegedcompanion and injuring 22 innocent persons whose only faultwas that they were at the wrong place at the wrong time. Thisdastardly and cowardly act, which brazenly penetrated thetightly-guarded infrastructure of Zamboanga City, is not thefirst of its kind to strike our beloved city. As much as it painsme, it probably would not be the last unless we do somethingabout it now.

While it is true that no level of security can ever preventa determined terrorist from sowing terror into the hearts ofthe innocents, I firmly believe that this should not serve asan excuse for us to sit idly and watch our people repeatedlysuffer from the hands of the malevolent. The question thatconstantly lingers in my mind is: how could the allegedbombers carry out this plot with impunity and without beingdetected? It is not as if this unfortunate incident was totallyunforeseeable or preventable. After the September 11attacks at the World Trade Center in the US, airport securityhas never been the same. The 2007 Glasgow International


Airport attack, the failed attempts of a bomber where airplanesalso suffered the same threat in other areas—these are just afew reminders of what can happen when we let our guarddown.

The Zamboanga International Airport is one of thebusiest airports in Mindanao, second only to the FranciscoBangoy International Airport in Davao. It has an average of60 flights monthly, with around thousands of people arrivingand departing thereat day in and day out.

So what happened? Was it a lapse by securitypersonnel or was it caused by ineffective securityprocedures? Was it a result of inadequate securityequipment or the failure to adopt the right preventivemeasures? I urge my colleagues in Congress to join us inour clamor to augment the security requirements of ourairport and for the Anti-Terrorism Council, through theconcerned law enforcement agencies, to ensure strictimplementation of the security plan for airports as wellas seaports . To prevent the occurrence of thesebombings, adjustments have to be made in trafficmanagement and parking, the control of well wishers inthe terminal area and the provision of security fences, aswell as an upgrade of CCTV units manned by trainedpersonnel who can spot suspicious persons. A protocolhas to be made to manage emergency situations as a firstresponse.

Regardless of what the ulterior motive for the airportblast was, or the contributory factors that led to it, what isclearly evident is that our airport facilities—an internationalairport that serves as the gateway to what is touted asSoutheast Asia’s fastest growing business and cultural huband an entryway to the entire Western Mindanao region—need a major upgrade.

I pass through the Zamboanga City InternationalAirport so frequently and I flew out today, and I cannoteven recall the number of times I did so. But everytime I gothere, I cannot help but realize how inadequate our airportfacilities are, especially when I compare the same with othermodern airports in our country and elsewhere. As such, Ifeel it urgent and imperative to make this speech, not just tocondemn in the strongest possible terms, the commissionof such a callous, cold-blooded and merciless deed, but tobring to the forefront of national attention, the dire andurgent need to address the serious concerns of our airportfacilities.

For the information of those who have never been to ourcity, our airport is situated right in the commercial hub of our city.To highlight the sorry state of our airport, there is notoilet paper and the water supply is poor. The airport is inbad financial shape that even these most basic sanitationrequirements cannot be addressed. We need propermaintenance of the airport terminal facilities, and on topof what was previously requested by our airport manager,we need local manpower agencies to handle themaintenance.

On the denial of the request of the ZamboangaInternational Airport traffic controllers to return to the 24-hour monitoring, it goes without saying that our trafficcontrollers play a vital role in the operation of our airportsand their continuous presence and monitoring wouldsufficiently address the need to keep our air space safe andour airport accident-free.

Other needs: replacement of conveyor belts, the upgradeof security and monitoring equipment. Our airport needs tolive up to its name as an international airport for theresumption of future international flights. There is also aneed to add more security equipments such as X-raymachines, metal detectors and thermal scanners, as wellas upgraded surveillance cameras, sufficient facilitieswithin and outside the terminal buildings and improvedfire station buildings. We also need to put up a securedperimeter fence around the airport, and the return of theCAAP Regional Office to Zamboanga City will enable itto service the needs of the Zamboanga Internationalairport.

I also have attached in my speech the needed CAAPadditional requirements for the improvement of the airport asrequested by our CAAP manager. I understand that themanagement of the Zamboanga International Airport had beentransferred from the DOTC to the Civil AviationAdministration of the Philippines (CAAP).

In addition, the terminal fees collected by the airportauthority from departing passengers are remitted directlyto the National Treasury and so, the airport authoritiessimply make do with whatever funds are appropriated forthe airport. I believe this is partly the cause of the sorrystate of our airport, which is absolutely disadvantageousto the people in our area. In this regard, there is a need toreview the existing management of the structure of and thefunding process in the Zamboanga City InternationalAirport.

Finally, I would like to reiterate the strong clamor for thetransfer of the existing airport to an ideal and sparsely-populated location somewhere in the East. The current airportis practically in the heart of the city and bordered by residentialand commercial areas.

I fervently wish and pray that it would not take anotherterrible disaster before our government acts on the issueshounding the ZIA. We have no time to lose, and it is hightime that we act now for the safety and protection of ourpeople.

Honorable colleagues, Mr. Speaker, allow me onceagain to reiterate the urgency of the concerns that we face.This will also contribute to the development not only ofRegion IX, but also of the ARMM and the other areas ofMindanao.

Once again, I would like to thank my honorable colleaguesfor this opportunity. This Representation will just submit myprivilege speech with the data inserted. Because of the earliermanifestations made, I will not entertain anymoreinterpellations to give other Members an opportunity topresent their privilege speeches.

Muchas gracias. Vaya con Dios.

THE PRESIDING OFFICER (Rep. Remulla). The Dep.Majority Leader is recognized.

REP. ROMULO. Mr. Speaker, I move that we refer to theappropriate committee, the personal and collective privilegespeech of the Deputy Speaker Climaco.

THE PRESIDING OFFICER (Rep. Remulla). The speechof the Deputy Speaker from Zamboanga City is hereby referredto the appropriate committee.


APPROVAL OF JOURNALS

REP. ROMULO. Mr. Speaker, I move for the approval ofJournals No. 5 and 6, dated August 3 and 4, 2010, respectively.I understand that copies of said Journals No. 5 and 6 hadbeen distributed to all the Members.

THE PRESIDING OFFICER (Rep. Remulla). There is amotion to approve Journals No. 5 and 6, dated August 3 andAugust 4, by the Majority Leader.

Is there any objection? (Silence) The Chair hears none;Journals No. 5 and 6 are hereby approved.


THE PRESIDING OFFICER (Rep. Remulla). The Dep.Majority Leader is recognized.

REP. ROMULO. I move that we take up the Reference ofBusiness and that the Secretary General be directed to readsame.

THE PRESIDING OFFICER (Rep. Remulla). TheSecretary General is hereby ordered to read the Referenceof Business.

REFERENCE OF BUSINESS

The Secretary General read the following House Billsand Resolutions on First Reading, and the Deputy Speakermade the corresponding references:

BILLS ON FIRST READING

House Bill No. 1978, entitled:“AN ACT MANDATING THAT ALL ILLEGAL WOOD

PRODUCTS CONFISCATED BY THE DEPARTMENTOF ENVIRONMENT AND NATURAL RESOURCESBE DONATED TO THE DEPARTMENT OFEDUCATION TO BE USED FOR THECONSTRUCTION OF CLASSROOM, TABLES,CHAIRS AND OTHER SCHOOL FACILITIES”

By Representatives Rodriguez (R.) and Rodriguez (M.)TO THE COMMITTEE ON BASIC EDUCATION AND

CULTURE

House Bill No. 1979, entitled:“AN ACT AMENDING REPUBLIC ACT NO. 6981,

OTHERWISE KNOWN AS THE ‘WITNESSPROTECTION, SECURITY AND BENEFIT ACT’ “

By Representatives Rodriguez (R.) and Rodriguez (M.)TO THE COMMITTEE ON JUSTICE

House Bill No. 1980, entitled:“AN ACT PENALIZING UNFAIR TRADE AND ANTI-

COMPETITIVE PRACTICES IN RESTRAINT OFTRADE, UNFAIR COMPETITION, ABUSE OFDOMINANT POWER, STRENGTHENING THEPOWERS OF REGULATORY AUTHORITIES,ESTABLISHING THE FAIR TRADE COMMISSIONAND APPROPRIATING FUNDS THEREFOR, ANDFOR OTHER PURPOSES”

By Representatives Rodriguez (R.) and Rodriguez (M.)TO THE COMMITTEE ON TRADE AND INDUSTRY

House Bill No. 1981, entitled:“AN ACT MANDATING A 5-YEAR TAX EXEMPTION

ON NEW INVESTMENTS IN SOUTHERN LEYTETHAT COULD GENERATE AT LEAST 1000 JOBS”

By Representative MercadoTO THE COMMITTEE ON WAYS AND MEANS

House Bill No. 1982, entitled:“AN ACT RESETTING THE SCHEDULED BARANGAY

AND SANGGUNIANG KABATAAN ELECTIONSFROM THE LAST MONDAY OF OCTOBER 2010 TOTHE SECOND MONDAY OF AUGUST 2011 TOCOINCIDE WITH THE REGIONAL ELECTIONS OF THEAUTONOMOUS REGION IN MUSLIM MINDANAO”

By Representative TomawisTO THE COMMITTEE ON SUFFRAGE AND

ELECTORAL REFORMS

House Bill No. 1983, entitled:“AN ACT SEPARATING THE SAN JUAN NATIONAL

HIGH SCHOOL – PAETE ANNEX IN THEMUNICIPALITY OF PAETE, PROVINCE OFLAGUNA FROM THE SAN JUAN NATIONALHIGH SCHOOL, CONVERTING IT INTO ANINDEPENDENT NATIONAL HIGH SCHOOL TO BEKNOWN AS POTEN AND ELISEO QUESADAMEMORIAL NATIONAL HIGH SCHOOL, ANDAPPROPRIATING FUNDS THEREFORE”

By Representative San LuisTO THE COMMITTEE ON BASIC EDUCATION AND

CULTURE

House Bill No. 1984, entitled:“AN ACT AMENDING SECTION 87 OF REPUBLIC ACT

8550, OTHERWISE KNOWN AS THE PHILIPPINEFISHERIES CODE OF 1998”

By Representative Sarmiento (M.)TO THE COMMITTEE ON AQUACULTURE AND

FISHERIES RESOURCES




FISHERIES RESOURCES




FISHERIES RESOURCES

House Bill No. 1987, entitled:“AN ACT AMENDING SECTION 18 AND RULE 18.1 OF

REPUBLIC ACT 8550, OTHERWISE KNOWN AS


THE PHILIPPINE FISHERIES CODE OF 1998”By Representative Sarmiento (M.)TO THE COMMITTEE ON AQUACULTURE AND

FISHERIES RESOURCES

House Bill No. 1988, entitled:“AN ACT AMENDING SECTION 124 OF REPUBLIC

ACT 8550, OTHERWISE KNOWN AS THEPHILIPPINE FISHERIES CODE OF 1998”


FISHERIES RESOURCES

House Bill No. 1989, entitled:“AN ACT CONVERTING THE MUNICIPALITY OF IMUS

IN THE PROVINCE OF CAVITE INTO A COMPONENTCITY TO BE KNOWN AS THE CITY OF IMUS”

By Representative MaliksiTO THE COMMITTEE ON LOCAL GOVERNMENT

House Bill No. 1990, entitled:“AN ACT CONVERTING THE BARANGAY IPIL, SURIGAO

CITY – SAN FRANCISCO – MALIMONO – MAINITPROVINCIAL ROAD IN THE MUNICIPALITIES OFSAN FRANCISCO, MALIMONO AND MAINIT ANDIN THE CITY OF SURIGAO, PROVINCE OF SURIGAODEL NORTE INTO A NATIONAL ROAD”

By Representative RomarateTO THE COMMITTEE ON PUBLIC WORKS AND

HIGHWAYSHouse Bill No. 1991, entitled:

“AN ACT REQUIRING THE REGISTRATION OF ALLBUYERS OF PREPAID SUBSCRIBER IDENTITYMODULE (SIM) CARDS”

By Representative ApostolTO THE COMMITTEE ON INFORMATION AND

COMMUNICATIONS TECHNOLOGY

House Bill No. 1992, entitled:“AN ACT ESTABLISHING A NATIONAL HIGH

SCHOOL IN THE POBLACION OF BARUGO,PROVINCE OF LEYTE TO BE KNOWN AS THEBARUGO NATIONAL HIGH SCHOOL, ANDAPPROPRIATING FUNDS THEREFOR”

By Representative ApostolTO THE COMMITTEE ON BASIC EDUCATION AND

CULTURE

House Bill No. 1993, entitled:“AN ACT ABOLISHING THE GRANT OF ADDITIONAL

COMPENSATION IN THE FORM OF SPECIALALLOWANCES TO THE MEMBERS OF THENATIONAL PROSECUTION SERVICES AND THESTATE COUNSELS IN THE DEPARTMENT OFJUSTICE, REPEALING FOR THE PURPOSEREPUBLIC ACT NO. 9279”

By Representative MarcoletaTO THE COMMITTEE ON JUSTICE

House Bill No. 1994, entitled:“AN ACT ESTABLISHING A SMALL SCALE FISHPORT

IN BARANGAY YUMBING, MUNICIPALITY OF

MAMBAJAO, PROVINCE OF CAMIGUIN ANDPROVIDING FUNDS THEREOF”

By Representative RomualdoTO THE COMMITTEE ON AQUACULTURE AND

FISHERIES RESOURCES

House Bill No. 1995, entitled:“AN ACT PROFESSIONALIZING THE RECRUITMENT

AND SELECTION PROCESS IN THE BUREAU OFFIRE PROTECTION (BFP) AND THE BUREAU OFJAIL MANAGEMENT AND PENOLOGY (BJMP),AMENDING CERTAIN PROVISIONS OF R.A. NO.9263, AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES”

By Representative CerillesTO THE COMMITTEE ON PUBLIC ORDER AND

SAFETY

House Bill No. 1996, entitled:“AN ACT PROFESSIONALIZING THE RECRUITMENT

AND SELECTION PROCESS AND THE PROMOTIONSYSTEM IN THE PHILIPPINE NATIONAL POLICE,AMENDING CERTAIN PROVISIONS OF R.A. 8551,AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES”

By Representative CerillesTO THE COMMITTEE ON PUBLIC ORDER AND

SAFETY

House Bill No. 1997, entitled:“AN ACT SEEKING THE CREATION OF THE

NATIONAL HIGH SCHOOL OF STA. CRUZ,PROVINCE OF MARINDUQUE”

By Representative VelascoTO THE COMMITTEE ON BASIC EDUCATION AND

CULTURE

House Bill No. 1998, entitled:“AN ACT PENALIZING PERSONS DRIVING UNDER

THE INFLUENCE OF ALCOHOL”By Representative AcopTO THE COMMITTEE ON TRANSPORTATION

House Bill No. 1999, entitled:“AN ACT ESTABLISHING A THIRTY (30)-BED

HOSPITAL IN THE SECOND DISTRICT OFANTIPOLO CITY, TO BE KNOWN AS THEANTIPOLO 2ND DISTRICT HOSPITAL, ANDAPPROPRIATING FUNDS THEREFOR”

By Representative AcopTO THE COMMITTEE ON HEALTH

House Bill No. 2000, entitled:“AN ACT GRANTING PROVINCES A SHARE IN THE

PROCEEDS OF REAL PROPERTY TAXES IMPOSEDBY COMPONENT CITIES, AMENDING SECTION271 OF REPUBLIC ACT NUMBER 7160,OTHERWISE KNOWN AS THE LOCALGOVERNMENT CODE OF 1991”

By Representative Garcia (P.J.)TO THE COMMITTEE ON LOCAL GOVERNMENT



OTHERWISE KNOWN AS THE CHARTER OFCEBU PORT AUTHORITY BY PROVIDING FORLOCAL GOVERNMENT REPRESENTATION ANDOTHER PURPOSES”

By Representative Garcia (P.J.)TO THE COMMITTEE ON TRANSPORTATION

House Bill No. 2002, entitled:“AN ACT RATIONALIZING THE INCOME

REQUIREMENT FOR THE CREATION OF APROVINCE AND THE DECLARATION OF HIGHLY-URBANIZED STATUS IN THE CASE OFCOMPONENT CITIES, AMENDING FOR THATPURPOSE REPUBLIC ACT NUMBERED 7160,OTHERWISE KNOWN AS THE ‘LOCALGOVERNMENT CODE OF 1991’ “

By Representative Garcia (P.J.)TO THE COMMITTEE ON LOCAL GOVERNMENT


OTHERWISE KNOWN AS ‘THE CHARTER OF THEMACTAN CEBU INTERNATIONAL AIRPORTAUTHORITY’ ”

By Representative Garcia (P.J.)TO THE COMMITTEE ON TRANSPORTATION

House Bill No. 2004, entitled:“AN ACT PROVIDING FOR THE EXEMPTION OF THE

PHILIPPINE ATMOSPHERIC, GEOPHYSICAL,ASTRONOMICAL AND SEISMOLOGICALADMINISTRATION (PAGASA) FROM THEGOVERNMENT SALARY STANDARDIZATION LAWAND PROVIDING FOR THE SALARY SCALE FORPAGASA EMPLOYEES AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES”

By Representative PalmonesTO THE COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS

House Bill No. 2005, entitled:“AN ACT PROVIDING FOR FREE PULMONARY FUNCTION

TESTS TREATMENT FOR SMOKE-RELATEDDISEASES IN ALL GOVERNMENT HOSPITALS ANDCLINICS, AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES”

By Representative PalmonesTO THE COMMITTEE ON HEALTH

House Bill No. 2006, entitled:“AN ACT SEPARATING THE LOGON NATIONAL

HIGH SCHOOL IN THE MUNICIPALITY OFDAANBANTAYAN, PROVINCE OF CEBU FROMTHE CALAPE NATIONAL HIGH SCHOOL,MUNICIPALITY OF DAANBANTAYAN,PROVINCE OF CEBU, CONVERTING IT INTO ANINDEPENDENT NATIONAL HIGH SCHOOL, ANDAPPROPRIATING FUNDS THEREFOR”

By Representative SalimbangonTO THE COMMITTEE ON BASIC EDUCATION AND

CULTURE

House Bill No. 2007, entitled:“AN ACT SEPARATING THE CARNAZA NATIONAL

HIGH SCHOOL IN THE MUNICIPALITY OF

DAANBANTAYAN, PROVINCE OF CEBU FROMTHE CALAPE NATIONAL HIGH SCHOOL,MUNICIPALITY OF DAANBANTAYAN,PROVINCE OF CEBU, CONVERTING IT INTO ANINDEPENDENT NATIONAL HIGH SCHOOL, ANDAPPROPRIATING FUNDS THEREFOR”


CULTURE

House Bill No. 2008, entitled:“AN ACT SEPARATING THE PAYPAY NATIONAL

HIGH SCHOOL IN THE MUNICIPALITY OFDAANBANTAYAN, PROVINCE OF CEBU FROMTHE CALAPE NATIONAL HIGH SCHOOL,MUNICIPALITY OF DAANBANTAYAN,PROVINCE OF CEBU, CONVERTING IT INTO ANINDEPENDENT NATIONAL HIGH SCHOOL, ANDAPPROPRIATING FUNDS THEREFOR”


CULTURE

House Bill No. 2009, entitled:“AN ACT TO AMEND ARTICLE 217 OF THE REVISED

PENAL CODE MAKING THE FAILURE TOLIQUIDATE CASH ADVANCES WITHIN THEPERIOD PROVIDED THEREIN PRIMA FACIEPROOF OF MALVERSATION”

By Representative RomuloTO THE COMMITTEE ON REVISION OF LAWS

House Bill No. 2010, entitled:“AN ACT CONVERTING THE ROXAS CITY –

CAGAY – SIBAGUAN – BALIJUAGAN –CUDIAN – IVISAN PROVINCIAL ROAD INROXAS CITY AND THE MUNICIPALITY OFIVISAN, PROVINCE OF CAPIZ INTO ANATIONAL ROAD AND PROVIDING FUNDSTHEREFOR”

By Representative Del Rosario (A.)TO THE COMMITTEE ON PUBLIC WORKS AND

HIGHWAYS

House Bill No. 2011, entitled:“AN ACT CONVERTING THE POBLACION – PAWA

ROAD IN THE MUNICIPALITY OF PANAY,PROVINCE OF CAPIZ INTO A NATIONAL ROADAND PROVIDING FUNDS THEREFOR”


HIGHWAYS

House Bill No. 2012, entitled:“AN ACT CONVERTING THE HIPONA – CANAPIAN-

QUINABONGLAN ROAD IN THE MUNICIPALITIESOF PONTEVEDRA AND MAAYON, PROVINCE OFCAPIZ INTO A NATIONAL ROAD AND PROVIDINGFUNDS THEREFOR”


HIGHWAYS


House Bill No. 2013, entitled:“AN ACT CONVERTING THE CONCIENCIA –

TINIGBAN ROAD IN THE MUNICIPALITY OFPANITAN, PROVINCE OF CAPIZ INTO ANATIONAL ROAD AND PROVIDING FUNDSTHEREFOR”


HIGHWAYS

House Bill No. 2014, entitled:“AN ACT CONVERTING THE COGON –

PONTEVEDRA ROAD IN THE MUNICIPALITIESOF PANIT-AN AND PONTEVEDRA, PROVINCEOF CAPIZ INTO A NATIONAL ROAD ANDPROVIDING FUNDS THEREFOR”


HIGHWAYS

House Bill No. 2015, entitled:“AN ACT CONVERTING THE STA. FE –

CASANAYAN ROAD IN THE MUNICIPALITYOF PILAR, PROVINCE OF CAPIZ INTO ANATIONAL ROAD AND PROVIDING FUNDSTHEREFOR”


HIGHWAYSHouse Bill No. 2016, entitled:

“AN ACT CONVERTING THE LANOT –LOCTUGAN – PANITAN – BOUNDARY ROADIN ROXAS CITY AND THE MUNICIPALITY OFPANITAN, PROVINCE OF CAPIZ INTO ANATIONAL ROAD AND PROVIDING FUNDSTHEREFOR”


HIGHWAYS

House Bill No. 2017, entitled:“AN ACT CONVERTING THE DUMULOG – GABUAN

– MONGPONG – CULAJAO – BANICA ROAD INROXAS CITY, PROVINCE OF CAPIZ INTO ANATIONAL ROAD AND PROVIDING FUNDSTHEREFOR”


HIGHWAYS


RESETTING THE SYNCHRONIZEDBARANGAY AND SANGGUNIANGKABATAAN ELECTIONS, AND FOR OTHERPURPOSES”

By Representative GullasTO THE COMMITTEE ON SUFFRAGE AND

ELECTORAL REFORMS

House Bill No. 2019, entitled:“AN ACT CREATING A PENAL CODE COMMISSION

TO IMPLEMENT THE RE-CODIFICATION OF ALLEXISTING SUBSTANTIVE PENAL LAWS OF THEPHILIPPINES, DEFINING ITS COMPOSITION ANDFUNCTIONS, AND APPROPRIATING FUNDSTHEREFOR”

By Representatives Co, Batocabe and GarbinTO THE COMMITTEE ON GOVERNMENT

REORGANIZATION

House Bill No. 2020, entitled:“AN ACT CREATING A CIVIL CODE COMMISSION

TO IMPLEMENT THE RE-CODIFICATION OFALL EXISTING CIVIL LAWS OF THEPHILIPPINES, DEFINING ITS COMPOSITIONAND FUNCTIONS, AND APPROPRIATINGFUNDS THEREFOR”

By Representatives Co, Batocabe and GarbinTO THE COMMITTEE ON GOVERNMENT

REORGANIZATION

House Bill No. 2021, entitled:“AN ACT ESTABLISHING AND PROVIDING FREE

COLLEGE EDUCATION TO ONE (1) HIGH SCHOOLGRADUATE BELONGING TO A FAMILY LIVINGBELOW THE POVERTY LINE, AND FOR OTHERPURPOSES”

By Representatives Co, Batocabe and GarbinTO THE COMMITTEE ON HIGHER AND TECHNICAL

EDUCATION

RESOLUTIONS

House Resolution No. 122, entitled:“A RESOLUTION URGING THE DEPARTMENT OF

LABOR AND EMPLOYMENT AND THEPHILIPPINE EMBASSY IN RIYADH, SAUDIARABIA TO EXERT ALL EFFORTS POSSIBLE TOEXTEND AID TO BASHIR AYOB IN SAUDIARABIA”

By Representatives Rodriguez (R.) and Rodriguez (M.)TO THE COMMITTEE ON OVERSEAS WORKERS

AFFAIRS

House Resolution No. 123, entitled:“A RESOLUTION URGING THE DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

TO IMMEDIATELY IMPLEMENT THE PROPOSEDLEYTE-MINDANAO INTERCONNECTION PROJECT”

By Representatives Rodriguez (R.) and Rodriguez (M.)TO THE COMMITTEE ON ENERGY

House Resolution No. 124, entitled:“A RESOLUTION URGING THE COMMITTEE ON

GOVERNMENT ENTERPRISES TO CONDUCT ANINQUIRY, IN AID OF LEGISLATION, TO DETERMINETHE CONDITION OF THE $565 MILLION GLOBALINVESTMENT PROGRAM OF THE GOVERNMENTSERVICE INSURANCE SYSTEM”

By Representatives Rodriguez (R.) and Rodriguez (M.)TO THE COMMITTEE ON RULES

House Resolution No. 125, entitled:“A RESOLUTION RECOMMENDING THE USE OF


AVAILABLE SPACES IN THE BATASANGPAMBANSA COMPLEX TO SERVE AS OFFICESOF THE TRUTH COMMISSION OF 2010 AND TOSERVE AS VENUE FOR ITS PUBLIC HEARINGS”

By Representative PalatinoTO THE COMMITTEE ON RULES

House Resolution No. 126, entitled:“RESOLUTION DIRECTING THE COMMITTEE ON

PUBLIC WORKS AND HIGHWAYS TO CONDUCTAN INQUIRY, IN AID OF LEGISLATION, INTO THEREPORTED CANCELLATION OF 19 JAPANINTERNATIONAL COOPERATION AGENCY(JICA) – FUNDED PROJECTS WORTH P 934MILLION, ALLEGEDLY AS A RESULT OF THEDEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC WORKS ANDHIGHWAY (DPWH)’S NON-COMPLIANCE WITHTHE PROVISIONS OF THE PROCUREMENTREFORM LAW, IN ORDER TO COME UP WITHPOSSIBLE REMEDIAL MEASURES TO PREVENTSIMILAR OCCURENCES IN THE FUTURE”

By Representative Gonzales (A.)TO THE COMMITTEE ON RULES

House Resolution No. 127, entitled:“A RESOLUTION IN AID OF LEGISLATION,

DIRECTING THE NATIONAL ECONOMICDEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY (NEDA), INCOORDINATION WITH OTHER RELEVANTOPERATING DEPARTMENTS ANDINSTRUMENTALITIES OF THE NATIONALGOVERNMENT, TO SUBMIT TO THE SPECIALCOMMITTEE ON THE MILLENIUMDEVELOPMENT GOALS OF THE HOUSE OFREPRESENTATIVES, WITHIN NINETY (90) DAYSFROM THE DATE OF RECEIPT OF THISRESOLUTION, A CONSOLIDATED STATUSREPORT ON THE SPECIFIC PROGRAMS ANDPROJECTS UNDERTAKEN AS OF DECEMBER 31,2009 AND AS OF JUNE 30, 2010, BY THE REPUBLICOF THE PHILIPPINES THAT COMPLIED WITHTHE SPECIFIC TARGETS OF PERCENTAGETHEREOF, OF THE UNITED NATIONSMILLENIUM DEVELOPMENT GOALS (MDG)AND THE PROGRAM OF ACTIONCOMMENCING FROM JULY 1, 2010 TODECEMBER 31, 2015, IN AID OF CRAFTING ALEGISLATIVE AGENDA THAT SHALL ENSURETHE COMPLIANCE OF THE REPUBLIC OF THEPHILIPPINES WITH THE MDG BY 2015”

By Representative VillafuerteTO THE COMMITTEE ON RULES

House Resolution No. 128, entitled:“RESOLUTION URGING THE COMMITTEE ON

NATIONAL CULTURAL COMMUNITIES ANDCOMMITTEE BASES CONVERSION TOINVESTIGATE THE JOINT MANAGEMENTAGREEMENT (JMA) BETWEEN THE CLARKDEVELOPMENT CORPORATION (CDC),NATIONAL COMMISSION ON INDIGENOUSPEOPLES (NCIP) AND THE TRIBONG AYTA ON

DECEMBER 6, 2007 CONCERNING THEDEVELOPMENT OF THE CLARK SUB-ZONE”

By Representative LapusTO THE COMMITTEE ON RULES

House Resolution No. 129, entitled:“A RESOLUTION DIRECTING THE HOUSE OF

REPRESENTATIVES COMMITTEE ON GOODGOVERNMENT TO INVESTIGATE, IN AID OFLEGISLATION, INTO THE ALLEGED OVER-IMPORTATION OF RICE BY THE NATIONALFOOD AUTHORITY WHICH LEAD TO WASTAGE,CONTRIBUTED TO THE NATIONAL FOODAUTHORITY’S GROWING DEBT, ANDDISADVANTAGED LOCAL RICE FARMERS INTHE MARKET”

By Representatives Bello and Bag-aoTO THE COMMITTEE ON RULES

House Resolution No. 130, entitled:“A RESOLUTION DIRECTING THE COMMITTEE ON

GOVERNMENT ENTERPRISES ANDPRIVATIZATION OF THE HOUSE OFREPRESENTATIVES TO IMMEDIATELYINVESTIGATE, IN AID OF LEGISLATION, THEPRIVATIZATION OF WATERWORKS ANDSEWERAGE SYSTEM UNDER REPUBLIC ACT NO.8041, OTHERWISE KNOWN AS ‘NATIONALWATER CRISIS ACT OF 1995’ AND OTHEREXECUTIVE ISSUANCES, IN THE LIGHT OF THERECENT WATER SHORTAGE THAT HIT THEGREATER PORTION OF METRO MANILA”

By Representatives Bello and Bag-aoTO THE COMMITTEE ON RULES

House Resolution No. 131, entitled:“A RESOLUTION COMMEMORATING THE FIRST DEATH

ANNIVERSARY OF BROTHER ERAÑO G. MANALOAND CONCURRENTLY CONGRATULATINGBROTHER EDUARDO V. MANALO FOR HIS FIRSTYEAR OF VICTORIOUS LEADERSHIP AS THE NEWEXECUTIVE MINISTER OF THE IGLESIA NI CRISTO”

By Representative CasteloTO THE COMMITTEE ON RULES

House Resolution No. 132, entitled:“RESOLUTION DIRECTING THE COMMITTEES ON

LEGISLATIVE FRANCHISE AND LABOR ANDEMPLOYMENT TO CONDUCT AN INQUIRY, IN AIDOF LEGISLATION, INTO THE CANCELLATION OFSEVERAL INTERNATIONAL AND DOMESTICFLIGHTS OF THE PHILIPPINE AIRLINES (PAL) ANDTHE RECENT RESIGNATION OF 13 CAPTAINS AND12 FIRST OFFICERS OF THE SAME AIRLINE WHICHAFFECTED THOUSANDS OF PASSENGERS,DISRUPTED THE TOURISM INDUSTRY ANDDISTURBED THE NATIONAL ECONOMY”

By Representative RevillaTO THE COMMITTEE ON RULES

House Concurrent Resolution No. 3, entitled:“CONCURRENT RESOLUTION PROVIDING FOR THE


LEGISLATIVE CALENDAR FOR THE FIRSTREGULAR SESSION OF THE FIFTEENTHCONGRESS OF THE PHILIPPINES”

By Representatives Gonzales (N.) and LagmanTO THE COMMITTEE ON RULES

ADDITIONAL COAUTHORS

Rep. Ma. Theresa B. Bonoan-David for House Bills No.10 and 13;

Rep. Rachel Marguerite B. Del Mar for House Bills No.14, 15, 282, 371 and 463;

Rep. Maria Carmen Zamora-Apsay for House Bills No.13, 18, 82 and 108;

Rep. Francisco Emmanuel R. Ortega III for House BillsNo. 62, 64 and 65;

Rep. Ma. Amelita A. Calimbas-Villarosa for House BillsNo. 61, 62, 65, 66, and 204;

Rep. Bai Sandra A. Sema for House Bills No. 711, 726, 733and 1084;

Reps. Pangalian M. Balindong and Nur-Ana I. Sahidullafor House Bill No. 1084;

Reps. Eufranio “Franny” C. Eriguel, M.D. and Luis R.Villafuerte for House Bill No. 1291;

Rep. Rufus B. Rodriguez for House Bills No. 1489, 1491,1492, 1493, 1494 and 1495;

Rep. Eleanor C. Bulut-Begtang for House Resolution No.121; and

Rep. Raden C. Sakaluran for House Joint Resolution No. 6.


REP. BANAL. Mr. Speaker, may we please acknowledgethe presence of the guests of some Members:

From the Lone District of Abra, Congresswoman JoyBernos, and her guests are: Barangay captain of Zone 5,Bangued, Abra, Punong Barangay Sylvia Valera Co, and otherbarangay officials. If we may ask them to stand up, please.

THE DEPUTY SPEAKER (Rep. Remulla). Please standup to be recognized, the guests of the Honorable Bernos.

REP. BANAL. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.We would also like to recognize the guests of Deputy

Speaker Pablo Garcia and Congressman Pablo John Garcia,from the Cebu CFI Community Cooperatives, the biggestcooperative in the Visayas and the hall of famer of theLandBank of the Philippines’ Ginintuang Gawad Pitak Award.May we please acknowledge the presence of Judge EsperanzaGarcia, Chairman of the Board of Directors; Vice Chairman ofthe Board, Ms. Alma Jaranilla; and the members of the board,namely: Dr. Carolino Mordeno, Mr. Ramon Dumayag Jr., Engr.Imelda Perez and Ms. Ofelia Morales.

THE DEPUTY SPEAKER (Rep. Remulla). Please standup to be recognized.

The House welcomes the guests to the session.(Applause) The Chair thanks them for coming over.

REP. BANAL. This will be the last batch, Mr. Speaker.We have the guests of Hon. Yevgeny Vincente Emano, all

from Initao, Misamis Oriental: Vice Mayor Enerito Acain,Councilors Leonides Baluran II, Marlou Ratunil, HermanBalabat, Leo Galarrosa, Larry Lim, and Allan Roa; SB SecretarySales Janog; and Municipal Administrator Agustin Caberte.

THE DEPUTY SPEAKER (Rep. Remulla). Please standup to be recognized. Welcome to the House ofRepresentatives. (Applause)


PRIVILEGE HOUR

REP. BANAL. Mr. Speaker, today, being a Monday, andpursuant to our Rules, I move that we hold the Privilege Hour.

THE DEPUTY SPEAKER (Rep. Remulla). Is there anyobjection? (Silence) The Chair hears none; we now declare aPrivilege Hour.

REP. ARQUIZA. Mr. Speaker.

THE DEPUTY SPEAKER (Rep. Remulla). The MajorityLeader is recognized.

REP ARQUIZA. Yes, thank you, Mr. Speaker.My personal and collective privilege, Mr. Speaker, …

THE DEPUTY SPEAKER (Rep. Remulla). The HonorableArquiza is now recognized.

PRIVILEGE SPEECH OF REP. ARQUIZA

REP. ARQUIZA. Yes, good afternoon, Mr. Speaker, myfellow Representatives, friends, ladies and gentlemen.

First and foremost, I would like to take this opportunityto thank all those who supported the senior citizens duringthe last election. We got second place and nearly topped theparty-list groups, and this we owe to those who believed inour cause for senior citizens and the elderly. We will giveback and share the fruits of this blessing at the soonestpossible time to the senior citizens and their families thatmade the representation of the Senior Citizens in this Chamberpossible.

Having worked so hard and having sacrificed so muchto become the First Sectoral Representative of the SeniorCitizens, representing over 7.5 million elderly persons in thecountry, I found myself asking how to put more meaning intothis bestowed responsibility. From this thinking came mystrong desire to immediately take an opportunity to collate allthe House bills for senior citizens, which initially totalled to36 bills, that were referred to different committees lastCongress.

Our works are a reflection of our gratitude to this country,an expression of appreciation and thanks for all theopportunities opened to us by the Filipino people in general.The charities, advocacies and public services are also areminder that our hard work is not only for our self-interest,but also to share with our countrymen, especially the poorand the needy, the blessings from the Almighty.

Today marks a new day for senior citizens. ThisRepresentation will nurture doable and realistic means totranslate into real benefits what is due the elderly.


With the approval of Republic Act No. 9994, known asthe “Expanded Senior Citizens Act of 2010,” the total well-being of the senior citizens in society are very much protected.It provides a comprehensive health care and rehabilitationsystem that shall foster their capacity to attain meaningfuland productive aging.

We are grateful for the kindness and support of theMembers of the last Chamber, namely: Congressmen Golez,Binay, Arroyo, Romualdez, Pancho, Roman, Villarosa, Robes,Go, Gonzales Jr. , Puno, Enverga, Bichara, Angara, Climaco,Escudero, Gullas, Magsaysay, Padilla, and Ong, who combinedall their House bills for this Republic Act No. 9994.

At this juncture, I would like to urge all of you to passHouse Bill No. 6910, entitled: “AN ACT PROVIDING FORTHE ESTABLISHMENT OF GENERAL GERIATRICHOSPITAL.” There is concurrently no geriatric hospital inoperation anywhere in the country. Having a geriatric orsenior citizens’ ward in all government hospitals is a goodstep towards providing health assistance to our seniorcitizens.

Take, for example, Mang Eulogio, a 67-year old who livesin Baseco, Tondo, Manila. I met him during one of our medicalmissions organized for the senior citizens. Mang Eulogio hasbarely anything to eat and so his daily meals would consist oflugaw and salt most days of the week. He is also suffering fromhypertension and needs his maintenance of medicines badly.

Now, multiply Mang Eulogio by the number of seniorcitizens who are helpless, aging and tired. Hindi po ba dapatsila ay tulungan? How can we love God and not love ourelderly brothers who are poor and aged?

Mr. Speaker, alam ninyo, hanggang ngayon, iyon pongcash allowance ng atin pong mga senior citizens ay nakabitinpa. Hanggang kailan sila maghihintay, Mr. Speaker? It is notunusual that there are many Mang Eulogios in our midst. I amsure all of the Representatives here have seen and witnessedour older people in their plight. Perhaps they have relativesor friends who are living in poverty.

While we appreciate discounts on medicines, travel,recreation and food items in restaurants as being helpful tothe poor and the needy elderly, the more important help thatwe can extend during these extremely difficult times is a regularallowance that can sustain their needs. This was answeredby Republic Act No. 9994, but still, it has not beenimplemented yet.

Senior citizens need both medicine maintenance andregular check-ups. When House Bill No. 6910 is incorporatedinto the new law, our senior citizens would definitely benefitfrom a ward made especially for them.

We all know that the concern about the welfare of thesenior citizens is global and is not just confined to our country.Almost every country in the world has done their share inresponding to the growing problem of senior citizens aroundthe world. We can cite several developing nations like Vietnam,Brunei, Hong Kong, India, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Thailandand Malaysia, to name a few, that have pension programs forthe elderly already in place. China and Korea have specialprograms for extending financial aid to the poor and elderly.

In the Philippines, it is about time that we be generousenough to provide our senior citizens with care that will assistthem in their difficult economic conditions, especially whenthe World Bank has continuously placed our elderly peopleto be living below the poverty line.

Friends, Mr. Speaker, we do not want this depressingsituation to continue given the helpless capability andphysical limitations of our senior citizens.

Studies reveal that implementing a senior citizens’allowance gives outstanding effects. Obviously, the livesof the poor and the elderly will improve. Knowing that thecash support that can be given is affordable and cost-effective on the part of the government, this now becomesindispensable in the delivery of basic and important servicesto the elderly.

These benefits and privileges are in line with theprovisions contained in our Constitution declaring that

The State shall endeavor to make essentialgoods, health and other social services available toall the people at affordable cost. There shall bepriority for the needs of the underprivileged, sick,elderly, disabled, women and children.For 11 years, Mr. Speaker, there had been no

representation for the senior citizens in this Chamber. Nowthat I am tasked to represent them, together with Rep.DavidKho, it is our duty to exert all our efforts to give them all thebenefits and privileges which they may be entitled to in thesedifficult times.

The Department of Social Welfare and Development andthe Department of Health were designated to implement thespecial provisions concerning medical and dental services,free vaccination and death benefit assistance, among otherthings, under Republic Act No. 9994. We suggest, Mr. Speaker,that we establish a Committee for Senior Citizens and Personswith Disability and Senior Citizens and Persons With DisabilityAction Center to fully implement the benefits due to thesenior citizens and persons with disablities.

It is not too late for us to do something for our elderlywho had already made their humble and valuablecontributions to our country. Certainly, all of us will eventuallyreach the status of being a senior citizen, and many of usprobably are already in that status. This is our lasting legacy,Mr. Speaker. Let us not waste a single minute to make thisdream come true. Let us not deny them their aspirations but,instead, uplift their spirits and make them valuable andrespectable people. Let us not make Mang Eulogio wait anylonger. Wala ba tayong pakiramdam? We can certainly do alot more to make this world a better place for our senior citizensto live in. Tatanda din tayong lahat.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker, for helping me make this a socialresponsibility. Mr. Speaker, I also have already sent my requestto the Committee on Rules through the Speaker.

Maraming salamat po.

THE DEPUTY SPEAKER (Rep. Remulla). The ActingFloor Leader is recognized.

REP. NOGRALES. Mr. Speaker, there being no Memberwho wishes to interpellate the Honorable Arquiza, I move torefer his speech to the appropriate committee.

THE DEPUTY SPEAKER (Rep. Remulla). The speech ofthe Honorable Arquiza is hereby referred to the appropriatecommittee.

Let me remind our colleagues that once a bill has beenfiled and has been referred to the committee, we should refrainfrom speaking on the subject matter on the floor because this


is already a bar on Members speaking on the floor regardingthe subject matter that has already been referred to thecommittee. The jurisdiction of the said speech belongs to thecommittee already.

The Acting Floor Leader is recognized.

REP. NOGRALES. Mr. Speaker, with the indulgence ofthe entire membership of the House of Representatives, maywe please acknowledge the presence of the guests of theTUCP Party-List Representative, Congressman RaymondDemocrito Mendoza: the members and officers of PALEA(Philippine Airlines Employees Association) led by Mr. GerryRivera, their president.

THE DEPUTY SPEAKER (Rep. Remulla). Please standup to be recognized. Welcome to the House ofRepresentatives. (Applause)

REP. NOGRALES. With the indulgence of the entireHouse, we would like to recognize, Mr. Speaker, the guests ofHon. Jesus Sacdalan, Hon. Nancy Catamco and Hon. MannyPacquiao: the Mindanao People’s Caucus headed by itsSecretary General, Atty. Mary Ann Arnado.

THE DEPUTY SPEAKER (Rep. Remulla). Please standup to be recognized. Welcome to the House ofRepresentatives.

REP. NOGRALES. Mr. Speaker, I now move that theGentleman from the First District of Oriental Mindoro, thehonorable Rep. Rodolfo G. Valencia, be recognized to avail ofthe Privilege Hour.

THE DEPUTY SPEAKER (Rep. Remulla). The HonorableValencia is recognized.

PRIVILEGE SPEECH OF REP. VALENCIA

REP. VALENCIA. Mr. Speaker, my fellow legislators, Irise on a matter of particular urgency and critical importanceto the nation.

On July 26, 2010, His Excellency, Pres. Benigno AquinoIII, addressed this august assembly during the State of theNation Address. Among many important concerns in hisspeech, the President referred to a seven-point prioritylegislative agenda which he asked this Congress to consider.One important concern that he identified was the NationalLand Use Policy.

In this regard, and on behalf of the Committee on Housingand Urban Development, I wish to respond and assurePresident Aquino and the nation that our committee shallendeavor to engage our distinguished colleagues in Congressin addressing the all-important concern for a National LandUse Policy as a sine qua non to national development.

The request of President Aquino is most timely, Mr.Speaker. Regretfully, the government has continued to neglectthe proper and timely implementation of laws that were passedas early as 20 years ago in order to ensure order, rationality,consistency, vision, social equity and long-term security inthe manner in which we use and dispose of the most preciousand fundamental resource of all for national development. Irefer to none other than our use of lands.

As a response to the President’s appeal, and as anexpression of my own deep and personal appreciation for theneed and usefulness of the Comprehensive Land Use Plan(CLUP) to be enacted into zoning ordinances and enforcedby all the municipalities, cities and provinces, I am nowconsidering to submit to His Excellency, on behalf of ourCommittee on Housing and Urban Development, an executivesummary of the National Land Use Plan and implementationof the CLUP, together with a copy of House Resolution No.144, which I filed in this Chamber, entitled: A RESOLUTIONURGING HIS EXCELLENCY PRESIDENT BENIGNO SIMEONC. AQUINO III, THROUGH THE HONORABLE SECRETARYOF THE INTERIOR AND LOCAL GOVERNMENT, INCOORDINATION WITH HONORABLE CHAIRMAN OFTHE HOUSING & URBAN DEVELOPMENTCOORDINATING COUNCIL (HUDC), TO DIRECT ALLLOCAL CHIEF EXECUTIVES AND LOCAL DEVELOPMENTCOUNCILS TO IMMEDIATELY REVISIT/REFORMULATE/FORMULATE AND COMPLETE THEIR RESPECTIVECOMPREHENSIVE LAND USE PLANS; AND TOINSTITUTIONALIZE THE REASSESSMENT/REVISIT/REVISION THEREOF AT LEAST EVERY TEN (10) YEARS.

Mr. Speaker, we have laws on this matter passed wayback 20 years ago. For example, the Local Government Codeof 1991, provided a clear-cut definition of land use plan, whichLGUs are mandated to adopt. We have Section 20 mandatingthe LGUs, in conformity with the existing laws, to continue toprepare their Comprehensive Land Use Plan, et cetera.

Section 447, on the adoption of the Comprehensive LandUse Plan for the municipality and city, meanwhile, providesthat the formulation, adoption or modification of said planshall be in accordance with the approved provincialComprehensive Land Use Plan.

Section 458 provides for the enactment of integratedzoning ordinances in consonance with the approvedComprehensive Land Use Plan, subject to existing laws, rulesand regulations.

Section 447 prescribes reasonable limits and restraintson the use of property within the jurisdiction of themunicipality or city.

Section 444 provides the adoption of measures tosafeguard and conserve land, mineral, marine, forest and otherresources of the municipality or city.

Section 476 provides the formulation of integratedeconomic, social, physical and other development plans andpolicies for consideration of the Local Development Council.

In addition to that, Mr. Speaker, we also have RepublicAct No. 7279, the Urban Development and Housing Act of1992, which provides a clear-cut definition of the Land UsePlan which the LGUs are mandated to adopt.

Section 3, for example, defines Land Use Plan as a rationalapproach of allocating available value resources as equitablyas possible among competing user groups, et cetera.

Section 6 mandates the Housing and Land UseRegulatory Board (HLURB) under the direction of the Housingand Urban Development Coordinating Council (HUDCC) toformulate the National Urban Development and HousingFramework in coordination with all local government units(LGUs) and other concerned public and private sectors withinone year from the effectivity of the Act, so on and so forth.

Section 7 mandates all cities and municipalities toconduct an inventory of all lands and improvements thereon,


indicating the type of land and the degree of utilization withinone year from the effectivity of the Act.

Section 8 mandates that, after the inventory of the LGUs,in coordination with the NHA, the HLURB, the NationalMapping and Resource Information Authority (NAMRIA)and the Land Management Bureau (LMB) to identify landsfor socialized housing and resettlement areas for theimmediate and future needs of the underprivileged and thehomeless in the urban areas.

Further, government-owned lands, which have not beenused for its reserve purpose for the past 10 years from theeffectivity of the Act, up to year 2002 and identified as beingsuitable for socialized housing, shall immediately betransferred to the National Housing Authority (NHA)subject to the approval of the President of the Republic ofthe Philippines or the concerned LGU for its properdisposition.

Mr. Speaker, we checked with the HLURB regardingthis and what we did is audit and find out which cities,municipalities and provinces in this Republic that had infact complied with this. We are willing to give you a copy orput this in our website. In that board, just very briefly, thetotal number of local government units are: provinces, wehave 82; cities, we have 122; and municipalities, we have1,505. With the approved CLUP, we have 59 provinces; 121cities—the only city that is not able to get an approvedCLUP is Toledo City in Cebu;—and municipalities, we have1286.

With the updated Comprehensive Land Use Planapproval, in year 2000 to 2004, we have 38 provinces. In otherwords, marami pong hindi updated ang CLUP. For cities, wehave 100 of them that have an updated report; andmunicipalities, we have about 870 of them that have anupdated report.

Relative to the updated Comprehensive Land Use Planapproval, especially from the years 1991 to 1999 or 1978 to1999, there are 21 provinces that do not have an updatedCLUP. What they have is dated 20 years ago. We have 21cities and 416 municipalities that do not have an updatedCLUP. For those without Comprehensive Land Use Plan, wehave 23 provinces, one city and 219 municipalities. We havethem on record and this should be made available in thewebsite that we are putting together for the Committee onHousing and Urban Development.

Mr. Speaker, the next slide will show you somethingelse. There are a lot of zoning violations within geo-hazardterritories that include river banks, esteros, drainage,sewerage lines, among others, which are within theresidential, commercial and public structures. Because ofthis neglect, we have, in the past 20 years, allowedcontinuing episodes of natural and man-made disasters torepeat themselves over and over again at enormous costto human lives and property, with a demoralizing andrevolting waste of funds and other limited resources. Wehave built where we should not have. Imagine, for example,in that photograph, you have a house built almost on topof a creek. What do you think will happen in case of heavyrains? So, I would like to repeat, we have built where weshould not have. We have used land for one purpose whenwe should have used it, instead, for another.

We had typhoon Ondoy, Mr. Speaker. As a consequenceof typhoons Ondoy, Pepeng, and Frank last year, many urban

settlements were identified for immediate relocation elsewherein order to avoid grave physical risks and hazards to peoplein the current location. Why have they not been relocatedyet? Why do we not even know where they are to berelocated? Where are those lands from which the newsettlements should rise?

President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo called a LEDACmeeting and I was present there in that LEDAC meeting. Shegave explicit instructions and even signed an executive order.But the question is: bakit hanggang ngayon they have notyet been relocated? Maghihintay pa ba tayo ng isang Ondoypara tayo magising dito?

What is true of the urban communities affected by therecent killer typhoons is true likewise of many other urbanand rural communities in many other parts of the country. Byneglecting to plan and manage their habitats of origin, wehave unwittingly pushed millions of our people deeper intothe urban jungle in search of better opportunities or so theythought, but where, instead, congestion, pollution, social andenvironmental degradation, and an uncertain future havebecome a way of life.

In that photograph, you have plenty of people all overMetro Manila. Mr. Speaker, let us not forget the massiveincrease in our population. Three babies are born every minuteor 4,320 Filipinos are born everyday. Can you imagine whatkind of shelter will be provided them in the next years to comeif we do not wake up?

True, we see random oases of development andmodernity here and there, but these are few and far between.But because there has been no semblance of a national masterplan, they rise and stand alongside slum areas and shantytowns and are surrounded everywhere by pockets of urbandecay, poverty and deprivation.

There was a horrible news headline this morning in thePhilippine Star. Let me share it with you if you have not readit yet, my dear colleagues, Mr. Speaker. Incidentally, adisturbing news report, entitled “Metro Manila Unpreparedfor Big Quake” and carrying the byline of a Mr. Cheeko Ruizwas published in the August 9 issue of The Philippine Star.The report paints a detailed doomsday scenario of what wouldhappen to Metro Manila should an earthquake of 7.2 intensitystrike the metropolis, with mind- boggling calamity anddisaster, that may result in 34,000 people being killed instantly,110,000 injured, 13 percent or 170,000 residential buildingsheavily damaged or collapsed, rendering 1.2 million peoplehomeless, and 25 percent of public facilities destroyed and/or damaged.

Attributing the source of the report to the MetroManila Earthquake Vulnerability Assessment of abusiness research and consulting firm by the name ofPacific Strategies and Assessments (PSA), the newsarticle noted that, in terms of urban settlement andplanning, and despite the rapid urbanization in theNational Capital Region over the last four decades, thenational government has failed to adopt a comprehensiveland use plan for Metro Manila.

The lack of coordination and check and balancemechanisms between the local and the national governmenthave likewise weakened the enforcement of buildingstandards, with many residential and commercial buildingsbuilt on hazard-prone areas, using substandard constructionmaterials.


The same report cite a number of factors to which thissad state of affairs may be attributed, some of which areintimately linked to land use studies and land use planning.For example, in terms of soil composition and liquefaction,the report said that the different cities in Metro Manila havevarying degrees of earthquake risk due to their sedimentcomposition. A closer evaluation of Metro Manila soilcomposition revealed that the region is dominated byquatemay allurium which is generally not suitable for theconstruction of big infrastructure and buildings.

Additionally, in terms of building codes and corruption,the same article notes that corruption has long beenestablished in the building/construction and inspectionprocesses across Metro Manila. For both privately- andpublicly -bonded projects, many Philippine constructioncompanies attempt to save money by circumventing andmanipulating building code compliance processes and othercritical provisions. Therefore, many structures have notundergone structural evaluation and vulnerabilityassessment to strong tremors.

There are also illegal conversions. Mr. Speaker, ourConstitution is quite clear that prime agricultural land,particularly those irrigated rice lands or irrigable lands, mustnot be subject to land conversion from agricultural to non-agricultural use. Mr. Speaker, we have witnessed rampantviolations of this provision of the law. The CLUP will clearlyidentify agricultural lands, the conversion of which must benon-negotiable to give strong importance to the food securityof our people.

Mr. Speaker, my dear colleagues, we must respond tothis urgent situation. We can and must turn around beforethe situation gets any worse and move beyond the point ofno return. We can do so if we give the laws that we havepassed the seriousness and respect that they deserve andaccord these the sense of urgency with which their authorsand proponents lobbied for their passage.

The present state of our environment and the needs ofour people for better land use planning and enforcementdemand that we act now. It is high time to finish a job that hasbeen pending for so long. As old-fashioned wisdom puts it,“It is better late than never; better sure than sorry.”

Thank you, Mr. Speaker and my dear colleagues, for yourkind attention.

REP. BAGATSING. Mr. Speaker.

THE DEPUTY SPEAKER (Rep. Remulla). The Gentlemanfrom Manila, Honorable Bagatsing, is recognized.

REP. BAGATSING. Yes, Mr. Speaker.Will the Gentleman from Mindoro yield to some

clarificatory questions, Mr. Speaker?

REP. VALENCIA. I will be honored, Mr. Speaker.

THE DEPUTY SPEAKER (Rep. Remulla). Please proceed.

REP. BAGATSING. Mr. Speaker, the Gentleman andthis Representation were both Members of the EighthCongress. I guess that is more than 20 years ago. I distinctlyremember that even as early as the Eighth Congress, theGentleman from Mindoro was espousing this kind of

housing programs and centering on the CLUP. Hementioned something about the UDHA which mandatesall local governments to identify land. The UDHA alsorequires local governments to submit their land use planto the HLURB. Am I correct, Mr. Speaker?

REP. VALENCIA. The Gentleman is correct, Mr. Speaker.

REP. BAGATSING. So, after more than 20 years, it nowappears that little has been done.

REP. VALENCIA. That is correct.

REP. BAGATSING. What seems to be the problem, Mr.Speaker? Considering that more than 20 years had lapsed,the problem has become so redundant—paulit-ulit na langito. Ano kaya sa tingin ninyo ang naging problema kungbakit hindi nabigyan ng buhay ang mga batas na ginawa ngKongreso? Luckily, we have also here Cong. Pong Biazon,who was formerly with the Senate, who was heading theHouse contingent in the Senate. So, it seems that we are justgoing around in circles. Siguro, baka mayroon na ngayongmaibibigay na bagong proposal ang Kinatawan ng Mindoroto finally address this problem of land use.

At this juncture, the Deputy Speaker relinquished theChair to Rep. Janette L. Garin.

REP. VALENCIA. Yes, Mr. Speaker. I think the Gentlemanis referring to Republic Act No. 7160, the Local GovernmentCode of 1991, as well as the Urban Development and HousingAct (UDHA) of 1992, Republic Act No. 7279. The law is quiteclear that the local government units are mandated to comeup with their Comprehensive Land Use Plan. I presented thatactually a big percent of them did so. But many have notupdated their CLUP, actually, this may be up to year 2000 or1999 and so, they have to update. But the bigger problem isthat there seems to be, you know, parang hindi importanteito. In other words, there are many CLUPs submitted but thequestion is, are these CLUPs being implemented? In fact, noless than three Presidents had all signed and releasedexecutive orders—President Ramos, President Estrada,President GMA—mandating the LGUs to do such. But it lookslike that they have not seen the importance of such a veryimportant plan or master plan, which they must do. So, it isgood that this has been brought forward and actually, we arevery thankful for that and at least, we should all be thankfulto President Aquino that he considers this very important.Actually, in his SONA, this is item no. 7 of his legislativeagenda, and that is why our committee, I believe, hasresponded immediately. In fact, last Friday, I submitted toPresident Aquino an executive summary and a brief studyand an analysis of what is happening today on theComprehensive Land Use Plans, Mr. Speaker.

REP. BAGATSING. Yes. Mr. Speaker, hindi komaintindihan kung bakit hindi maglabas ng land use plan angmga LGUs. Please disabuse my mind. I know that theGentleman has represented the private sector even before hebecame a Congressman. Pero parang hindi ko maintindihanwhy the local government units cannot come out with a landuse plan. From where I am standing, if I were an investor at


nakita ko sa pamahalaang lokal ang land use policy nila, atgusto kong mag-develop ng housing program, at iyong localgovernment concerned ay mayroong land use plan,pupuntahan ko lang ang mga lugar na nasa plan at doon akomagpagtatayo ng housing. Kung gusto ko ng industrial zone,makikita ko rin kung saan.

In other words, pinapadali mo para sa investor ang mag-invest sa isang pamahalaan. Ang thrust ng pamahalaanglokal ay imbitahin ang kapitalista at nang sa ganoon aymakalikom ito ng buwis at makapagbigay ng hanapbuhay atmagkaroon ng development. From what I heard from yourspeech, is there is a sense of frustration. Siguro nga dahilnoong araw ko pa naririnig ito mula sa Kinatawan at itoiyong ina-amplify at ipinaglalaban niya. Sigurado ba na samga panahong ito kung saan muli ang HUDCC ang siyangmangangasiwa sa shelter program ay mayroon na kayangposibilidad na mabigyang muli ng HUDCC ng buhay omaisagawa ang Comprehensive Land Use Plan na mandatednaman by law, so that investors can easily put their moneyin friendly LGUs? Kasi po ay hindi ko maintindihan kungbakit ang LGU ay hindi naglalabas ng kanilang land usepara nga mag-attract ng mga kapitalista.

Does the Gentleman think the Vice President, who is nowhead of HUDCC, can finally put to rest ang matagal nangproblemang ito?

REP. VALENCIA. Mr. Speaker, before I reply to that, itwas good that the Gentleman mentioned the advantages ofhaving a comprehensive land use plan adopted. As he said,one result of that is it will now expedite the decisions ofinvestors to come in with their investments, whether it is inagriculture, tourism, industry or in housing, what have you.So, it will very easy for them to come in right now and becauseof the dynamic system of proper planning, they would decideto stay later on. If a municipality or a city has an updated landuse plan, madali ho ito makakakuha ng investors.

Number two, for our Republic, definitely, the tax revenuecollection, hindi lang po siguro five or 10 times ang ilalaki.So much land today is assessed as being agricultural andso, when it is reclassified as commercial and residential,marami na ang makakalusot diyan and it will redound as abig revenue to the government if that will happen. Mme.Speaker, this will definitely identify land for social housing,believe me.

Siguro napag-uusapan na natin ito, Mme. Speaker, oncein awhile. Well, let us imagine ourselves in a plane goinghome from a trip abroad, leaving beautiful countries likeSingapore, Malaysia and even Hong Kong, Thailand, etcetera, behind. From where we are going to land, coming fromthe north or from the south, what will we see from our window?Ako pa naman, gustung-gustong ko sa tabi ng bintana ngeroplano. Habang nagla-landing ang eroplano, ano angnakikita mo? Puro bubong ng bahay gawa sa yerongkinakalawang. Is this what we are going to show our tourists?Is this what we want to show to them when we ask them toretire to the Philippines? Sus.

Because of the absence of a Comprehensive Land UsePlan, Mme. Speaker, there are so many squatters in MetroManila, as we had seen in the photo a while ago. The questionis, bakit paglabas natin ng Maynila papuntang Cavite,Laguna, as far as your eyes can see, there is plenty of rawland. Why is it that the people are all in the congested Metro

Manila when we have all these lands? Why? Because of thedifficulty of land conversion. Hindi maliwanag ito, Mme.Speaker. Naging case-to-case ang basis, and to convert ourland these days, we will spend P15 per square meter for amunicipal or city land. I am sorry to say this, at bato-bato salangit, ang tamaan huwag magagalit, pero sa total cost,sometimes it costs about P90 to P100 per square meter just toconvert.

Now, to answer the Gentleman, Mme. Speaker, this maybe one of the many reasons many LGUs would rather do it ona case-to-case basis at, I am sorry to say, case-to-case dinang transaction.

Okay, the question is, can this be enforced? I believe so,Mme. Speaker, because this is the first time that a Presidenthas included in his legislative agenda, as priority item no. 7,the implementation of a National Land Use Law. I am happyand , with the help of our Vice President Jojo Binay, who isknown for his really strong management and proper directionand guidance, I am very sure that it will happen. That is why,Mme. Speaker, we did not file a new law; there are lots of lawsalready. What we just filed is a House resolution urging thePresident to implement this law and, knowing how PresidentAquino acts these days, I am sure it will happen finally.

REP. BAGATSING. I thank the Gentleman for thatwonderful statement and answers. Bato-bato sa langit, angtamaan huwag magalit— pero bato-bato sa langit, ang tamaanay nagagalit.

REP. VALENCIA. Mme. Speaker, this time, we have todiscipline ourselves. Do we have to wait for these typhoonsto come? We saw yesterday what happened to Pakistan, Indiaand other countries all over. We have experienced Ondoy. Dowe have to wait further still until our kababayans suffer again?This morning, in the Philippine Star, there was, as I had said,a top story stating that in case of a 7.2-intensity earthquakehappening here, ang kanilang projection ay—I am sorry, it isa very horrible prediction— 34,000 will die. Can you imaginethat, Mme. Speaker? There will be more than a hundredcasualties. Do we have to wait for this to happen? We mustwake up, Mme. Speaker; otherwise, we might not be able toanymore solve this horrible problem.

REP. BAGATSING. Mme. Speaker, I share the frustrationof the Gentleman from Mindoro. Tama ang sinabi niya. Whenyou are riding a plane or a chopper, you can see vast tracts ofland in Southern Luzon and Northern Luzon. I cannot alsounderstand kung bakit nga ba hindi magawan ng highwayiyan para magamit? Siguro, kung maisasagawa lang iyongLand Use Law, na palagay ko ay matagal na nating hinihintay,this can trigger development in the different areas. I am surethat, from what we have experienced, we can excite the nation,excite the locality. So, I hope that the resolution will be giventotal support because we already have the law but talagangnapag-iwanan na ng panahon. So, I hope that the leadershipwill take cognizance of the Gentleman’s speech, and I for onewould totally support the resolution of the Gentleman fromMindoro.

Thank you, Mme. Speaker. I also thank the Gentlemanfrom Mindoro.

REP. NOGRALES. Mme. Speaker ...


REP. VALENCIA. Mme. Speaker, the comment of theGentleman from Manila was that an additional advantage ofthe resolution is that the prioritization of our developmentcan be properly identified. Now, if we want to do this and tomake that a priority, we can. In fact, marami ho tayongginagawang proyekto pero sa kabilang ibayo ay walang kalye.This will not happen anymore if we have a plan.

THE PRESIDING OFFICER (Rep. Garin). The Dep.Majority Leader is recognized.

REP. BANAL. Mme. Speaker, may we recognize Hon.Winston Castelo from the Second District of Quezon City.

THE PRESIDING OFFICER (Rep. Garin). Hon. WinstonCastelo is hereby recognized.

REP. CASTELO. Maraming salamat, Mme. Speaker.First of all, allow me to congratulate the privileged speaker

for taking into issue this very important subject matter whichwas included in the speech of President Noynoy Aquino inhis State of the Nation Address.

My question, Mme. Speaker, is, is it already sufficientfor the privileged speaker that a mere resolution emanatingfrom this House is already adequate to mandate the localgovernment units to conduct a comprehensive land useprogram every 10 years; or it is also necessary that we comeup with a special law that would result in the maximumcompliance of the LGUs to this very sensitive issue?

REP. VALENCIA. Yes, Mme. Speaker, the point is, thereis a law or laws to implement the CLUP. We could implementthem, and that is why we just want a House resolution, and Iknow that President Aquino will immediately move on this.But nobody could stop any Member of our Assembly fromfiling a special law if he wishes to. We will support that, ofcourse, but as we wait for the approval of such a special law,we have to implement the laws that had already been approvedfor the same. But as I said, no one can stop a colleague herefrom filing another special law on the Comprehensive LandUse Plan for our country.

REP. CASTELO. Mme. Speaker, may the Gentlemanfrom Mindoro and the privileged Speaker update thisRepresentation if the submission of the ComprehensiveLand Use Plan by the LGUs are solely confined to thecities or municipalities affected in the area or, asRepresentatives of our congressional districts, we alsohave this power and authority to at least initiate a legislativeaction that would require the LGUs to conduct the CLUPas soon as possible?

REP. VALENCIA. Mme. Speaker, the Local GovernmentCode of 1991, Republic Act No. 7160, actually mandates andpinpoints the local government unit as the one preparing it.By the way, we normally do this in Mindoro; we do not justdo it at the governor’s or the mayor’s office. There is a specialcommittee that is composed of representatives from theDepartment of Energy, the DENR, DAR, Department of PublicWorks, DILG, et cetera. In other words, this is taken veryseriously. It undergoes a very deep study and involvespractically all agencies. So, this is under the baton, under the

umbrella of the local government unit. But if we prepare aspecial law, and the Gentleman wishes that the DistrictCongressman should be involved, then by all means, we willwelcome that.

REP. CASTELO. One of the resulting factors, Mme.Speaker, is that the approval of this resolution now will leadto the identification or inventory of several idle lands that aresuitable for housing projects. Would that be a result uponthe approval of this resolution, Mme. Speaker?

REP. VALENCIA. Yes, Mme. Speaker, actually, withcomprehensive land use, as I had said, one zone area will befor a residential area, specifically, a residential area that willbe good for a social housing project. Kasi ho, bihira ang cityo municipality that have identified these areas. If they haveidentified these areas, then the National Housing Authoritywill have no reason anymore to tell us, “We cannot relocatethose squatters because we do not have land to relocatethem to” when there are thousands and thousands of parcelsof lands that are available. The only point is, we do not havea plan and therefore, we must have one. If we do this onceand for all, ang mga squatters ng Metro Manila, mga squattersng mga probinsiya at ciudad, mayroon na po silangmalilipatan. The relocation would be very much easier than itis today.

REP. CASTELO. There are idle lands, Mme. Speaker, orgovernment properties that are already suitable for housingprojects. Would the proposed resolution now incorporatethem? There are several government properties, nationwideor in the localities or in my district that are available; however,their utility has not been put to good use. What would happennow to these idle lands? Would they now be converted intosocialized housing projects to allow housing opportunitiesfor my constituents, Mme. Speaker?

REP. VALENCIA. Yes, Mme. Speaker. In fact, it isembodied in Republic Act No. 7279, the Urban Developmentand Housing Act of 1992. In fact, from 1992, they were givenonly one year to identify these lands. But that was already 18years ago and up to today, if there have been submissions,siguro five percent lang. Now, if we will enforce this, thenmaybe, in about one or two years, a lot of these idle propertiescan be put to good use, especially for social housing.

REP. CASTELO. I think the problem, Mme. Speaker, isthat it resides on his premise on the enforcement. In MetroManila alone for example, when I was listening to theprivileged speaker, he said that 17 cities and municipalities ofMetro Manila have complied with the CLUP; however, thereare lots of violations. May I know from the privileged speakerif there is a provision in the resolution that would allow thenational government or the different housing agencies to acton violations of the CLUP?

At this juncture, the Presiding Officer relinquished theChair to Deputy Speaker Jesus Crispin C. Remulla.

REP. VALENCIA. Yes, not only violations of the lawthat required them to do so, but there were also provisionsof the Building Code that were violated. That is why the


news story this morning stated that there are so manybuildings here that were given approval on certain siteswhere these buildings should not have been built. So, Ithink it is high time that the LGU, particularly, of the areaconcerned, should look into all these before a big earthquakecomes, so that we will be able to correct whatever mistakesthat had been made.

REP. CASTELO. With that, Mr. Speaker, I would like toreiterate and emphasize my support for the resolution, withthe end in view of providing housing opportunities for thepoorest of the poor, especially in this district.

Again, we congratulate the privileged speaker. Thankyou, Mr. Speaker.

REP. VALENCIA. I also thank the Gentleman.

REP. BIAZON. Mr. Speaker.

THE DEPUTY SPEAKER (Rep. Remulla). The HonorableBiazon is recognized.

REP. BIAZON. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.Will the Gentleman from Mindoro yield to some

questions?

REP. VALENCIA. To my good friend, the past Chairmanof the Committee on Housing in the Senate, definitely. It willbe my honor.

REP. BIAZON. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.Mr. Speaker, there are apparently five competing needs

for land now. The first need for land is food production. Weare a nation categorized to be an agricultural land oragricultural country, but through the years, we have beenincreasing the importation of our staple rice. From a mere 200to 300 metric tons of rice four, five or six years ago, this year,we had to import something like three million metric tons tofeed our people. We need land for food production, Mr.Speaker. Second, we need land for shelter, Mr. Speaker. Third,we need land for industrial, commercial and job-generatinguse. Fourth is the institutional use of land for our schools, forour public facilities, for our offices. We need to preserve landto address our concerns on environmental issues, Mr. Speaker.

Would the Gentleman agree that we need a closerexamination of each of these needs for land so that when weformulate or craft our proposed national land policy, none ofthe five competing needs for land is taken for granted and,therefore, is disadvantaged? Would the Gentleman agree?

REP. VALENCIA. Yes, I do agree one hundred percent,Mr. Speaker, because, well, when we consider landconversion, we do not just convert it. We have to look intothe physical character of the land, location, et cetera, beforewe can allow the land to be converted.

Now, I would like to go further on the question of my dearcolleague, Mr. Speaker, about providing lands for other uses. Iremember that, just for the information of our colleagues here,there was a study done by the GTZ, a German foundation,together with the Department of Agrarian Reform, on landconverted from agriculture to non-agriculture uses, or landthat had been parcelized to be covered by agrarian reform.

Mr. Speaker, the 2006 report indicated that there wereabout 7,000 hectares—no, I am sorry, seven million hectaresparcelized in compliance with the Comprehensive AgrarianReform Law. We also extended it so that we could parcelizeanother one million hectare of land. So, definitely, about eightmillion, more or less, parcelized agricultural lands had beenawarded by the DAR. Compared to the conversion ofagricultural to non-agricultural, Mr. Speaker, only 50,000hectares of land have been converted from agricultural tonon-agricultural use. If we divide 50,000 hectares by sevenmillion hectares, that is not even one percent of the land, just0.07 percent—again, not even one percent. Therefore, thereis still a long way to go. The point is, there are so many landsthat could be converted because these are not primeagricultural lands; these are not irrigable lands. But we mustagree, once and for all, to utilize these lands for other socio-economic uses.

REP. BIAZON. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.Mr. Speaker, this country had considered crafting the

national land use policy 20 years ago. Between then andnow, there are new factors that must seriously be considered.The first, of course, is population. Twenty years ago, wewere only hitting about 60 million people. Mr. Speaker, but inthe estimate of the National Statistics Office (NSO) in itscensus taken last summer, we are now hitting 93 million simplybecause we are giving birth to more than 20 million babies ayear. Meaning, in another four years, we will be breaking 100million population of this country.

So there you go. We have to consider that; we have toprovide for those five competing needs for land, Mr. Speaker.We need to input into the equation this factor. For example,there is a marked exodus of the people from the rural areas tothe urban areas. The national population growth averege is2.04 percent. Laguna is registering something lie four percent,way above the national average. Cavite, which is vastlybecoming a “bedroom” of industrial Metro Manila, initiallyregistered something like five percent. It is beginning to godown, of course. Rizal has more than three percent, et cetera.However, there are regions and provinces in the rural areaswhose population growth register way below the nationalaverage. Bicol is exhibiting something like 1.2 or 1.3 percentpopulation growth. Negros Oriental is registering 1.7 percent,way below the national average. Meaning, we need to inputthis factor into our equation so that we can come up with aproposed national land use policy.

Mr. Speaker, there is another trend, a new trend, and thisis the non-traditional use of land. One example is the adoptionof a policy to allow the use of land for the production ofbiofuels. That is the reason there is now a great debate in theworld on whether or not we are going to allow the use of landfor biofuel production instead of food production, and I takethe position that we first must give priority to the use of ourland for food production, shelter, et cetera, rather than allowthe use of land for the production of biofuels. The otherfactor is allowing or giving the control of our land to foreignland-grabbers. There is now an international trend, a globaltrend for land-grabbing. This is very apparent in Madagascarwhere there was a revolution because the President allowedthe use of one million hectares by Daewoo of Korea. Therewas a revolution because of this and the President wasoverthrown.


This was, I think, three or four years ago, and ourcolleague here, Hon. Walden Bello, knows this very well.This is also happening in Indonesia and in Laos, and we hadbeen targeted, Mr. Speaker. Three or four years ago, PresidentArroyo, in one of her State of the Nation Addresses, made anannouncement that she was going to encourage the Chineseto come into this country and take control of 1.24 millionhectares of land to be planted to what, we do not know. Worse,we do not know the disposition of the harvest. I raised thisissue but sadly, I think there was fast-tracking of thatannouncement because they are already here, Mr. Speaker.The Japanese are in Northern Luzon, in the Ilocos Region, inIlocos Norte, my home province. The Japanese are there andallowed to plant coconut trees for biofuel production. TheKoreans are in the Bondoc Peninsula in Mindoro, in theGentleman’s home province, Mr. Speaker. There are manyothers who would like to come into this country. That is thereason, Mr. Speaker.

Would the Gentleman agree to a proposition for us totake a look at this—crafting a national land use policy approachmust be more expansive than what it is today—like creating acommission so that all the five competing needs for landsuch as food production, shelter, industrial, commercial, andjob-generating ventures, institutional use and environment,will be presented in that study in the crafting of a nationalland use policy, Mr. Speaker?


THE DEPUTY SPEAKER (Rep. Remulla). The DeputyMajority Leader is recognized.

REP. ROMULO. With the indulgence of the HonorableValencia and Honorable Biazon, the time allotted for thePrivilege Hour has lapsed. There are still many Members whowish to interpellate the Honorable Valencia and so, I movethat the Privilege Hour be extended by another 20 minutes. Iso move, Mr. Speaker.

THE DEPUTY SPEAKER (Rep. Remulla). Is there anyobjection? (Silence) The Chair hears none; the Privilege Houris extended by another 20 minutes.

REP. VALENCIA. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I would like to respond to the smorgasbord or multiple

question or analysis or opinion of our dear colleague, thepast Chairman of the Committee on Housing in the Senate.

First, all the more that we need to plan this, especiallywhen we talk of our ever-increasing population. Mr. Speaker,the Gentleman is correct that we are about 93 million today,increasing at the rate of 1.9 percent per year, three babiesevery minute or about 4,320 new Filipinos a day being born.By year 2030, it is projected that we will have something likeabout 120 or 130 million Filipinos. By year 2040 or 2045, wemay have to consider something like 150 million Filipinos. So,all the more that we must plan. We have the capacity today toplan for their coming in, especially this new generation. Mr.Speaker, that is why it is so important that we must plan.Second, the Gentleman had mentioned that we must considerfood production, we must consider areas or plantations forbiofuels as alternative energy or power sources, et cetera.We must consider housing, we must consider tourism, we

must consider industrial—yes, precisely, Mr. Speaker. Maybewe do not need anymore to organize a commission for this. Inthe provinces, it is a common practice where they organizewhat is known as the Provincial Land Use Committee (PLUC).That PLUC is composed of directors coming from the DILG,Department of Agriculture, DENR, DTI, Department ofAgrarian Reform, the Department of Public Works andHighways, and the Department of Agriculture, practicallyeverybody, Mr. Speaker.

So, the CLUP will have to pass the honest-to-goodnessapproval of this group of very competent directors comingfrom the different agencies and then later on, they will submitthis report to the Sangguniang Panlalawigan for approval,and if it is approved by the board members, then the governorwill approve the same. After that, it is now filed with theHLURB for approval.

I am quite familiar with that because I did that when I wasa governor. Definitely po, we have to consider the landcharacter, whether it is good for agriculture or for biofuel. Is itgood for industrial use? Is it good for forestry? Or we shouldnot even negotiate any conversion because this is primeagricultural land. Lalabas lahat po iyan sa analysis.Considering the population that we now see is happening, orforthcoming or will happen, all the more that we must plan,once and for all, for the land use of this country.

REP. BIAZON. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.Relative to the last issue on housing in the urban areas.,

when we talk of urban areas, we are not only talking of areasin, for example, Makati, Ortigas or Roxas Boulevard. We aretalking of the areas within Metro Manila. Little by little, weare running out of land that can be used for housing. InMuntinlupa, from the initial 400 hectares, a total of 72 hectareshad been given to individual beneficiaries. Would theGentleman agree that in the formulation of housing policiesfor urban areas, we should maximize the number ofbeneficiaries in the use of land, Mr. Speaker?

REP. VALENCIA. Mr. Speaker, we have to distinguishbetween urban and rural territories, especially high-densityareas like the cities of Manila, Malabon, Parañaque, et cetera.We have to consider the land value, the land cost, becausewe cannot build single-detached, duplex or even town housesin Metro Manila because it is not going to be economicallyfeasible. So, in Manila and thereabouts, in high densityareas, we would normally have vertical development. Thatis why we now see so many vertical developmentssprouting all over. But in the rural areas where the land ischeap, we can find single-detached houses selling atP500,000 or P600,000. We can find town houses thereatselling as low as P400,000, and with the Pag-IBIG loansavailable today, it is only about P2,700 in monthlyinstallment or about 90 percent lower than rental. That isnow rampant in the countryside, Mr. Speaker.

So, I agree that we must do that, but again, the feasibilitywould depend on land valuation, on land value. The feasibilitywill also depend on the supply and demand factor, becauseno private developer will go into any kind of housingdevelopment if he is not going to make money out of it.Therefore, the viability of the housing is very important, andthis will depend on the area, the value of land and the presentavailable market.


REP. BIAZON. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.One last question. How do we evaluate the use of land,

specifically, the former Smokey Mountain site where thereis a six-story tenement housing? How does the Gentlemanfrom Mindoro assess that in relation to having to provideshelter as well as jobs for our marginalized sector, the urbanpoor?

REP. VALENCIA. Mr. Speaker, I would not want to furtherreply on that there has been a Supreme Court decision alreadystating that the project is highly feasible and viable.

REP. BIAZON. Yes.

REP. VALENCIA. In fact, the Supreme Court hassupported it.

REP. BIAZON. So, is this not the concept that we arelooking at insofar as providing shelter for the marginalizedurban poor within the industrialized areas of MetroManila?

REP. VALENCIA. Well, if you ask me about that from thepoint of view of a developer, I would say here and now that Ibelieve that the development of a Smokey Mountain projectis correct. I have seen it and it is based on the best use of theland. It is therefore correct to have it done. We have a little bitof a medium-rise community because that is the only waythat they could provide the needs for those many squattersresiding in the area before. So I think the development hasconformed to what they call in the real estate as the best useof the land.

REP. BIAZON. Does it satisfy the question ofaffordability?

REP. VALENCIA. Yes, Mr. Speaker. In fact, one cannotconsider a project viable unless a target market can affordto pay to acquire a unit out thereat. It is occupied andtherefore it has been made affordable to those who are nowoccupying it. Otherwise, they will be kicked out if they paidnothing.

REP. BIAZON. I would like to congratulate our colleaguefor raising this very important issue.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

REP. VALENCIA. Maraming salamat po.


REP. BANAL. Mr. Speaker, may we recognize Hon. Aurelio“Dong” Gonzales from the Third District of Pampanga.

THE DEPUTY SPEAKER (Rep. Remulla). Hon. Aurelio“Dong”Gonzales is recognized.

REP. GONZALES (A.). Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Thankyou also to my colleague, Congressman Valencia of Mindoro.I saw the slide showing the picture a while ago at baka gustoniya ring amendahan ang National Building Code with relation

to this national land use policy. I saw the many channels orbridges built over the river, the encroachment on the landowned by the government.

Mr. Speaker, does the Gentleman also want to reviewthe National Building Code of the Philippines as regardsvertical developments so that the people therein will notencroach on the land which is the property of ourgovernment, Mr. Speaker?

REP. VALENCIA. Mr. Speaker, if I go by the report thismorning, I am terrified by that report stating that, if a 7.2intensity earthquake would hit Metro Manila, 34,000 will dieand the immediate casualties or injured would be more thanabout 130,000. That statement did not come from me; it waswritten in that paper. Because of that, I believe that the morethere is now wisdom and importance for us to review whythis is so. Let us see the current Building Code, which mayalready be outdated today. Let us review that, but let us alsoreview how in the hell, pardon my language, this wasapproved. We have to look into that before this tragedy of anearthquake happens, and earthquakes happen without uswaiting for it. See. It could happen any moment. The samething happened when typhoon Ondoy came—unpreparedtayo. Nabigla tayo. What happened to us? Giba angPhilippines, giba ang area natin. Therefore, to answer myfriend, my colleague, yes, if necessary, we would like to revieweven the Building Code.

REP. GONZALES (A.). Thank you, Mr. Speaker.I just would like to put things in the proper perspective.

This is a good resolution by the honorable Congressmanfrom Mindoro, the proposed National Land Use Policy andthe implementation of the Comprehensive Land Use Plan.The United Architects of the Philippines (UAP) approachedme to investigate also the encroachment, and says that thereare so many violations of the National Building Code. Theyare violating the National Building Code. Kaya po sana, at itoang sinasabi ko, na mabuti po ay sumasang-ayon kayo, thatwe should properly implement not only this National LandUse Policy, but also the National Building Code of thePhilippines.

So, Mr. Speaker, my dear colleagues, thank you, and Iwould like to congratulate my colleague from Mindoro.

Salamat po, Mr. Speaker.

REP. VALENCIA. I also thank the Gentleman for hisquestions.


REP. BANAL. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.I move to refer the speech of the Honorable Valencia to

the appropriate committees.

THE DEPUTY SPEAKER (Rep. Remulla). The speechof the Honorable Valencia, including all the interpellationsthereon, is hereby referred to the appropriate committee.

REP. VALENCIA. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

REP. BANAL. Mr. Speaker.



REP. BANAL. Mr. Speaker, before we entertain the nextprivilege speaker, may we acknowledge the presence of someguests.

THE DEPUTY SPEAKER (Rep. Remulla). Please go ahead.

REP. BANAL. We have students from the Ateneo deManila University headed by Dana Buñag. They are guestsof the Representative from Akbayan Party List, Hon. KakaBag-ao.

May we ask them to rise, please. (Applause)

THE DEPUTY SPEAKER (Rep. Remulla). Please standup to be acknowledged. Welcome to the House ofRepresentatives.

REP. BANAL. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.May we now recognize the next privilege speaker, the

Representative from the TUCP Party-List, Hon. RaymondDemocrito Mendoza.

THE DEPUTY SPEAKER (Rep. Remulla). Hon. RaymondDemocrito Mendoza is recognized. (Applause)

PRIVILEGE SPEECH OF REP. MENDOZA (R.)

REP. MENDOZA (R.). Mr. Speaker, fellow legislators:Philippine Airlines (PAL), the crown jewel of the

Philippine aviation industry, is once again in a mess. PAL isour flag carrier and it provides critical services, not only intransporting passengers but also of goods, medicines, mails,equipment, monies and other important items, locally andinternationally.

PAL serves as our number one hospital runner, bankrunner, mail runner and even military runner, among othercritical services that it provides for our nation. It cannot beoveremphasized that PAL is an enterprise that is vested withpublic interest. We must all help in finding ways to preventthe situation in the airline to further deteriorate. Every one ofus has a stake in the future of PAL.

It is imperative, however, that we first understandwhy PAL is exper iencing t roubles today. Themanagement of PAL would have us believe that PALhas been badly affected by the downturn in theeconomy, and that it is in dire financial straits—thereason for recent moves to cut cost. But let it be knownthat PAL is not a losing company. It is still a highly-profitable enterprise, based on its official financialdocuments submitted to government authorities. In fact,Mr. Speaker, vice presidents of PAL receive salaries of700,000 to a million pesos monthly. It is for this reasonthat this Representation believes that the presentdifficulties in the airline are caused by unfair laborpractices on the part of PAL management, that is, thedeliberate undermining of the worker’s fundamentalrights and core labor standards, using the veil ofcorporate sustainability and competitiveness.

Mr. Speaker, the present problems of PAL are due to thefact that the airline’s management does not know the meaning

of justice, that is, giving what is due to the workers. PALworkers, from pilots to stewardesses to the maintenance andservice crews, are clearly not getting what is due them—recognition, appreciation and fair and just rewards for theircommitted and proficient service to the company.

PAL management would have us believe that it is theoverpaid pilots of PAL who are at the heart of the problem.PAL management would have us believe that it is the self-satisfied stewardess which is the cause of its woes. PALmanagement would have us believe that it is the failure ofcommunications between management and workers thattriggered the resignation of the pilots, the threatened strikesof the stewardesses and the ground personnel. But it is thebelief of this Representation that, in fact, it has been thedeliberate and the calculated strategy of PAL management tolower labor standards, to undermine workers’ security oftenure, and to outsource essential services which triggeredthe sequence of events leading to its current mess.

For a long time since its privatization, PAL’s dedicated,highly-skilled and competent workers—pilots, flightattendants and ground workers, “the geese that lay the goldeneggs” for PAL’s stockholders and owners—worked, and arestill working, to provide safe and reliable services to the ridingpublic even under an atmosphere of unfairness and workinsecurity.

At this juncture, Dep. Speaker Remulla relinquishedthe Chair to Rep. Janette L. Garin.

It is understandable that PAL, like any private company,must make money by increasing revenues and decreasingcosts in order to sustain itself and protect its bottom line. Butwhen PAL became hell-bent on reducing its operational coststo gain the highest return on investments, even to the extentof being unfair and unjust to its own workers, complicationsstarted to pile up.

PAL’s highly trained pilots who recently resigned enmasse cannot be faulted for their decision. They areprofessionals and they want and deserve to have the bestquality of life for them and for their own families. They shouldbe paid world-class wages for delivering world-classservices. They left the company because they feel that PALis not concerned about their well-being. First, their rightsto organize and to collectively bargain were not respected.They do not have their own union and a collectivebargaining agreement (CBA) with the company. Thus. PAL’spilots are receiving far less than their counterparts in theregion in terms of salaries and benefits. To add insult toinjury, some of them were forced to work for Air Philippines,PAL’s sister company, with even lower pay and no benefits,and without security of tenure.

They were being asked to go on leave without pay, thenaccept contractual terms to fly Air Philippines in the meantime,with a P30,000 monthly pay-cut. Management even dangledthe promise that should PAL need their services once again,they would be given a notice to return. PAL managementwanted to bake their cake and eat it too, as managementinsisted that when they went on leave, they could not lookfor other employment, trapping them to the unfair arrangementto fly Air Philippines at less pay. Those resigned pilots wereforced by circumstances to leave the country and theirfamilies.


PAL management wants their pilots to be loyal to thecompany and yet, they really do not care about the welfare oftheir personnel. That is simply unjust to the workers.

That is not the end, Mme. Speaker, of PAL’s list oftransgressions against its employees. If pilots, who belongto a so-called mission-critical industry, and whose servicesare highly sought after elsewhere in the world, can beoppressed and exploited, then their colleagues such as theflight attendants and ground crew are also vulnerable to theunfair practices of PAL management.

The Flight Attendants and Stewards Association of thePhilippines (FASAP) recently exposed the discriminatory andbiased employment policies of PAL against its own flightstewardesses. PAL’s compulsory retirement age for newly-recruited flight attendants is only 40 years, as compared to 60years for pilots and 65 years for other employees. It is saidthat life begins at 40. But for PAL stewardesses, it seems thatlife ends at 40. What will happen to those flight stewardesseswho will be out of work after reaching 40? How can theysustain themselves and their families after they arecompulsory retired from the company at a relatively youngage?

PAL’s policy implies that it wishes to have a new crop offlight attendants who are still young, supple and attractive.Mme. Speaker, this is not a beauty contest. In fact, in anemergency situation, we need experienced people and weneed those who do not easily panic. As PAL’s slogan says,“it is about experience.” This is patently unjust anddiscriminatory. It is also a scheme of cost reduction becausePAL will not have to maintain “more expensive”—and Iintended to say “mature” — flight stewards who are alreadyentitled to higher wages and benefits that they have earnedthrough their long years of devoted service to the airline.

To make matters worse, PAL management is refusing tonegotiate with the union for a new collective bargainingagreement. The FASAP-PAL CBA had already expired in 2007.Refusal to negotiate on the part of management means that theflight attendants cannot gain better and fairer terms of work,including higher salaries and benefits. It will not be unthinkablethat in the future, PAL will not only lose all its excellent pilots,but also the best flight attendants to foreign airlines while thecompany continues to shortchange its workers.

The ground workers are, of course, not exempted fromthe injustice and the insensitivity of PAL management. PALhad already dramatically reduced its operations costs andyet, PAL is still planning to outsource the services of 2,600regular ground employees manning airport services, in-flightcatering services and call center operations. Again, this isnot because PAL is losing money. The objective is clearly tofurther cut down on labor costs and increase corporate profits,stockholders’ dividends and officers’ salaries. Themanagement decision to outsource the said regular functionsis a blatant violation of the existing CBA or the collectivebargaining agreement between the Philippine AirlinesEmployees Association or PALEA, which members are herein the first gallery, and PAL management.

Article XXIV, Section 4 of the said CBA states:The Company undertakes not to contract out

existing positions, jobs, divisions anddepartments presently occupied by present orfuture regular employees within the collectivebargaining unit.

A collective bargaining agreement is a contract, it is alaw between management and labor which must berespected and upheld. But PAL management seems not tocare about what its contractual obligations with its workersare. For PAL management, its CBA with its workers is just apiece of paper.

This Representation is just wondering why then ActingSecretary of Labor Romeo C. Lagman, through an officialorder issued on June 15, 2010, approved the plan of PAL toretrench 2,600 regular/permanent workers, majority of whomare leaders and members of the union. What could be themany reasons that moved the Acting Secretary to decide infavor of management with haste and under suspiciouscircumstances?

PAL’s labor flexibilization program is a violation ofworkers’ security of tenure, and a clear attempt at unionbusting. What will happen to the terminated workerswhen they are supposedly absorbed by the new serviceproviders and the subcontractors of PAL? Just like whathas happened to thousands of laid-off employees inother companies—reduced wages and benefits, nosecurity of tenure, substandard working conditions andincreasing exploitation. Only effective, efficient, highlycompetent , wel l -paid , jus t ly t reated and happyemployees can del iver outs tanding services tocustomers. If PAL management will continue being unfairto its workers by undermining their security of tenureand other fundamental labor rights, then certainly, PALworkers’ quality of service will be negatively affectedas a result.

Mme, Speaker, if PAL workers will continue to feelinsecure about their jobs, if they will continue to be botheredby the nagging sense of unfairness of their situation, then, itwill be hard for the riding public, local and foreign tourists,and for us fellow lawmakers and our families, to expect thatwe can still get safe and reliable services from PAL as weused to enjoy.

This Representation vows to protect not only the rightsof PAL pilots, flight attendants and ground workers, but theinterests and welfare of the 36 million Filipino workers whocontinue to be marginalized despite their vital contributionsto the economy and society.

I am calling on the PAL management: please stop beingunjust to your workers if you do not want your presentproblems to worsen. Take care of your employees and theywill take care of you. Respect their right to organize.Respect their right to collectively bargain. Respect theirsecurity of tenure. Follow the law. For if you will continueto degrade and depreciate your workers, you cannot expectthe best from them. I repeat, pay your workers fair and justsalaries, treat them well and they will provide excellentservices.

If PAL’s uncaring style of treating its workers willcontinue without sanctions from this government, then, othercompanies and industries will take the cue and use this as aprecedent to undermine the rights of their own workers. Thatmust not happen. I call on my fellow lawmakers not to allowany further deprivation of our workers who are the backboneof our economy and society.

At this juncture, the Presiding Officer relinquished theChair to Dep. Speaker Jesus Crispin C. Remulla.


Finally, Mr. Speaker, I would like to take this opportunityto remind all other employers and business owners, whom wein the TUCP treat as our social partners towards progress anddevelopment, that we in TUCP believe we can sustain aharmonious relationship if we will just share our commondecent work agenda. We in TUCP have fostered and willcontinue to cultivate a cooperative stance with our partners inthe private sector. But to our friends in business, make nomistake. Please do not threaten the basic rights of workers.Nor should you violate core labor standards. The core laborstandards include the workers’ rights to organize, to collectivelybargain and to strike as their last resort to defend and protecttheir well-being.

This Representation will run after you until you learn torespect the dignity of your workers; until you understandthe meaning of equity, justice and fairness; until you acceptthe fact that we, the workers, are the ones who created thestupendous wealth that you and your families are nowenjoying.

Be just and fair to your employees. That is all we fromTUCP ask from you.

Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. (Applause)



REP. BANAL. Mr. Speaker. We move to refer the speech ...


THE DEPUTY SPEAKER (Rep. Remulla). The HonorableBarzaga is recognized. What is the pleasure of the HonorableBarzaga?

REP. BARZAGA. Will our distinguished colleague fromthe TUCP be willing to entertain some questions from thisRepresentation?

REP. BANAL. Mr. Speaker.

THE DEPUTY SPEAKER (Rep. Remulla). I think hewishes to sit down already and so, we will just defer thequestions to another day, when this is referred to theappropriate committee where we can discuss the matterlengthily.

REP. BARZAGA. Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker.

REP. BANAL. With that, Mr. Speaker, we wish to moveto refer the speech of Hon. Raymond Democrito Mendoza tothe appropriate committee.

THE DEPUTY SPEAKER (Rep. Remulla). The speech ofthe Honorable Mendoza is hereby referred to the appropriatecommittee.

REP. GONZALES (N.). Mr. Speaker.

THE DEPUTY SPEAKER (Rep. Remulla). The MajorityLeader is recognized.

ELECTION OF MEMBERS TO COMMITTEES

REP. GONZALES (N.). Mr. Speaker, continuingwith the organization of the committees in the House,I move for an omnibus motion for the election of thefollowing House Members comprising the Majoritycontingent in the following House committees, as perJournal No. 6:

COMMITTEE ON PUBLIC ORDER AND SAFETY

1. Rep. Pablo John F. Garcia2. Rep. Mel Senen S. Sarmiento3. Rep. Scott Davies S. Lanete4. Rep. Rodolfo W. Antonino5. Rep. Rodolfo G. Biazon6. Rep. Christopher S. Co7. Rep. Romeo M. Acop8. Rep. Guillermo A. Romarate Jr.9. Rep. Loreto Leo S. Ocampos10. Rep. Benjamin R. Asilo11. Rep. Francisco “Lalo” T. Matugas12. Rep. Maria Jocelyn V. Bernos13. Rep. Joselito “Jonjon” R. Mendoza14. Rep. Joseph Emilio A. Abaya15. Rep. Jesus N. Sacdalan16. Rep. Vicente F. Belmonte Jr.17. Rep. Danilo Ramon S. Fernandez18. Rep. Marcelino R. Teodoro19. Rep. Nur G. Jaafar20. Rep. Maria Zenaida B. Angping21. Rep. Eufranio “Franny” C. Eriguel, M.D.22. Rep. Anthony Rolando T. Golez Jr.23. Rep. Mark Llandro L. Mendoza24. Rep. Marlyn L. Primicias-Agabas25. Rep. Ma. Georgina P. De Venecia26. Rep. Benhur L. Salimbangon27. Rep. Nelson L. Dayanghirang28. Rep. Tupay T. Loong29. Rep. Raden C. Sakaluran30. Rep. Randolph S. Ting31. Rep. Ranulfo P. Canonigo32. Rep. Wilfrido Mark M.Enverga33. Rep. Mark A. Villar34. Rep. Pedro P. Romualdo35. Rep. Antonio T. Kho36. Rep. Antonio M. Diaz37. Rep. Thelma Z. Almario38. Rep. Roilo S. Golez

COMMITTEE ON SOCIAL SERVICE

1. Rep. Arturo B. Robes2. Rep. Ma. Georgina P. De Venecia3. Rep. Godofredo V. Arquiza4. Rep. Czarina D. Umali5. Rep. William Irwin C. Tieng6. Rep. Maria Evita R. Arago7. Rep. Arnel M. Cerafica8. Rep. Teddy Brawner Baguilat Jr.9. Rep. Fernando V. Gonzalez10. Rep. Rosenda Ann Ocampo


11. Rep. Winston “Winnie “ T. Castelo12. Rep. Josephine Veronique R. Lacson-Noel13. Rep. Nur-Ana I. Sahidulla14. Rep. Kimi S. Cojuangco15. Rep. Alfredo D. Marañon III16. Rep. Edgar S. San Luis17. Rep. Raden C. Sakaluran18. Rep. Tupay T. Loong19. Rep. David L. Kho20. Rep. Christopher S. Co21. Rep. Imelda R. Marcos22. Rep. Cresente C. Paez23. Rep. Abigail Faye C. Ferriol24. Rep. Emerenciana “Emmi” A. De Jesus25. Rep. Raymond Palatino

COMMITTEE ON SUFFRAGEAND ELECTORAL REFORMS

1. Rep. Elpidio F. Barzaga Jr.2. Rep. Andres D. Salvacion Jr.3. Rep. Francisco Emmanuel R. Ortega III4. Rep. Antonio A. Ferrer5. Rep. Neri J. Colmenares6. Rep. Ma. Angelica M. Amante-Matba7. Rep. Marcelino R. Teodoro8. Rep. Giorgidi B. Aggabao9. Rep. Rex Gatchalian10. Rep. Ana Cristina Siquian Go11. Rep. Marlyn L. Primicias-Agabas12. Rep. Lord Allan Jay Q. Velasco13. Rep. Karlo Alexei B. Nograles14. Rep. Arthur R. Defensor Jr.15. Rep. Rodante D. Marcoleta16. Rep. Pedro P. Romualdo17. Rep. Antonio M. Diaz18. Rep. Walden F. Bello19. Rep. Carol Jayne B. Lopez20. Rep. Antonio L. Tinio

COMMITTEE ON TOURISM

1. Rep. Florencio T. Miraflores2. Rep. Milagrosa T. Tan3. Rep. Antonio F. Lagdameo Jr.4. Rep. Alfredo A. Garbin Jr.5. Rep. Bernardo M. Vergara6. Rep. Maximo B. Dalog7. Rep. Lucy T. Gomez8. Rep. Carlo V. Lopez9. Rep. Rachel Marguerite B. Del Mar10. Rep. Henedina R. Abad11. Rep. Mylene J. Garcia-Albano12. Rep. Jocelyn S. Limkaichong13. Rep. Loreto Leo S. Ocampos14. Rep. Francisco “Lalo” T. Matugas15. Rep. Joaquin Carlos Rahman A. Nava16. Rep. Tomas V. Apacible17. Rep. Rodolfo G. Valencia18. Rep. Deogracias B. Ramos Jr.19. Rep. Rene L. Relampagos20. Rep. Bai Sandra A. Sema

21. Rep. Mark Llandro L. Mendoza22. Rep. Rex Gatchalian23. Rep. Ramon H. Durano VI24. Rep. Maria Zenaida B. Angping25. Rep. Edgar S. San Luis26. Rep. Alfredo “Albee” B. Benitez27. Rep. Neil Benedict A. Montejo28. Rep. Jorge T. Almonte29. Rep. Antonio C. Alvarez30. Rep. Evelyn P. Mellana31. Rep. David L. Kho32. Rep. Thelma Z. Almario33. Rep. Nancy A. Catamco34. Rep. Eleandro Jesus F. Madrona35. Rep. Imelda R. Marcos36. Rep. Mark Aeron H. Sambar37. Rep. Antonio M. Diaz38. Rep. Antonio Rafael G. Del Rosario

COMMITTEE ON WOMEN AND GENDER EQUALITY

1. Rep. Ma. Angelica M. Amante-Matba2. Rep. Josephine Veronique R. Lacson-Noel3. Rep. Evelyn P. Mellana4. Rep. Ana Cristina Siquian Go5. Rep. Susan A. Yap6. Rep. Luzviminda C. Ilagan7. Rep. Mylene J. Garcia-Albano8. Rep. Czarina D. Umali9. Rep. Lucy T. Gomez10. Rep. Maria Evita R. Arago11. Rep. Maria Jocelyn V. Bernos12. Rep. Linabelle Ruth R. Villarica13. Rep. Maria Zenaida B. Angping14. Rep. Eleanor Bulut-Begtang15. Rep. Josefina M. Joson16. Rep. Kimi S. Cojuangco17. Rep. Milagrosa T. Tan18. Rep. Mercedes K. Alvarez19. Rep. Maria Valentina G. Plaza20. Rep. Ma. Theresa B. Bonoan-David21. Rep. Catalina Leonen-Pizarro22. Rep. Mary Mitzi L. Cajayon23. Rep. Nancy A. Catamco24. Rep. Jane T. Castro25. Rep. Imelda R. Marcos26. Rep. Anna York P. Bondoc27. Rep. Ma. Rachel J. Arenas28. Rep. Emerenciana “Emmi” A. De Jesus29. Rep. Abigail Faye C. Ferriol30. Rep. Emmeline Y. Aglipay31. Rep. Antonio L. Tinio32. Rep. Bernadette R. Herrera-Dy33. Rep. Kaka J. Bag-ao

COMMITTEE ON TRANSPORTATION

1. Rep. Roger G. Mercado2. Rep. Eleandro Jesus F. Madrona3. Rep. Carlo V. Lopez4. Rep. Alfredo “Albee” B. Benitez5. Rep. Nelson L. Dayanghirang


6. Rep. Magtanggol T. Gunigundo I7. Rep. Fernando V. Gonzalez8. Rep. Cesar V. Sarmiento9.10. Rep. Acmad M. Tomawis11.12. Rep. Arturo B. Robes13. Rep. Ben P. Evardone14. Rep. Henedina R. Abad15. Rep. Danilo Ramon S. Fernandez16. Rep. Sergio F. Apostol17. Rep. Rene L. Relampagos18. Rep. Mel Senen S. Sarmiento19. Rep. Romeo M. Acop20. Rep. Erineo S. Maliksi21. Rep. Benjamin R. Asilo22. Rep. Andres D. Salvacion Jr.23. Rep. Vicente F. Belmonte Jr.24. Rep. Eric G. Singson Jr.25. Rep. Niel C. Tupas Jr.26. Rep. Franklin P. Bautista27. Rep. Rodolfo G. Biazon28. Rep. Francisco “Lalo” T. Matugas29. Rep. Rosenda Ann Ocampo30. Rep. Tomas R. Osmeña31. Rep. Nur G. Jaafar32. Rep. Ramon H. Durano VI33. Rep. Victor J. Yu34. Rep. George P. Arnaiz35. Rep. Mark Llandro L. Mendoza36. Rep. Ma. Georgina P. De Venecia37. Rep. Josefina M. Joson38. Rep. Neil Benedict A. Montejo39. Rep. Scott Davies S. Lanete40. Rep. Anthony Rolando T. Golez Jr.41. Rep. Jesus Emmanuel M. Paras42. Rep. Elpidio F. Barzaga Jr.43. Rep. Benhur L. Salimbangon44. Rep. Renato J. Unico Jr.45. Rep. Jane T. Castro46. Rep. Karlo Alexei B. Nograles47. Rep. Albert Raymond S. Garcia48. Rep. Randolph S. Ting49. Rep. Lord Allan Jay Q. Velasco50. Rep. Antonio C. Alvarez51. Rep. Anna York P. Bondoc52. Rep. Al Francis C. Bichara53. Rep. Mark A. Villar54. Rep. Emmanuel D. Pacquiao55. Rep. Rodel M. Batocabe56. Rep. Antonio T. Kho57. Rep. Susan A. Yap58. Rep. Romeo M. Jalosjos Jr.59. Rep. Joseph Victor G. Ejercito60. Rep. Tobias Reynald M. Tiangco61. Rep. Mariano Michael M. Velarde Jr.62. Rep. Roilo S. Golez63. Rep. Eduardo R. Gullas

COMMITTEE ON FOREIGN AFFAIRS

1. Rep. Al Francis C. Bichara

2. Rep. Antonio Rafael G. Del Rosario3. Rep. Ma. Georgina P. De Venecia4. Rep. Rodolfo W. Antonino5. Rep. Seth P. Jalosjos6. Rep. Maria Evita R. Arago7. Rep. Eduardo R. Gullas8. Rep. Rodolfo G. Biazon9. Rep. Hermilando I. Mandanas10. Rep. Jocelyn S. Limkaichong11. Rep. Herminia B. Roman12. Rep. Linabelle Ruth R. Villarica13. Rep. Pangalian M. Balindong14. Rep. Sonny P. Collantes15. Rep. Florencio C. Garay16. Rep. Marlyn L. Primicias-Agabas17. Rep. Nur G. Jaafar18. Rep. Josephine Veronique R. Lacson-Noel19. Rep. George P. Arnaiz20. Rep. Enrique M. Cojuangco21. Rep. Mercedes K. Alvarez22. Rep. Giorgidi B. Aggabao23. Rep. Antonio C. Alvarez24. Rep. Pablo John F. Garcia25. Rep. Gabriel L.R. Quisumbing26. Rep. Victorino Dennis M. Socrates27. Rep. Antonio A. Ferrer28. Rep. Godofredo V. Arquiza29. Rep. Erico Basilio A. Fabian30. Rep. Imelda R. Marcos31. Rep. Anna York P. Bondoc32. Rep. Walden F. Bello33. Rep. Teddy A. Casiño34. Rep. Ferjenel G. Biron35. Rep. Jose Ma. F. Zubiri III36. Rep. Roman T. Romulo

COMMITTEE ON INFORMATION ANDCOMMUNICATIONS TECHNOLOGY

1. Rep. Sigfrido R. Tinga2. Rep. Joel Roy R. Duavit3. Rep. Roman T. Romulo4. Rep. Vincent P. Crisologo5. Rep. Ma. Rachel J. Arenas6. Rep. Rene L. Relampagos7. Rep. Ben P. Evardone8. Rep. Catalina Leonen-Pizarro9. Rep. Cesar V. Sarmiento10. Rep. Joseph Emilio A. Abaya11. Rep. Ronald M. Cosalan12. Rep. Joseph Gilbert F. Violago13. Rep. Tomas V. Apacible14. Rep. Mel Senen S. Sarmiento15. Rep. Amado S. Bagatsing16. Rep. Andres D. Salvacion Jr.17. Rep. Jerry P. Treñas18. Rep. Reynaldo V. Umali19. Rep. Paolo Everardo S. Javier20. Rep. Rodolfo G. Biazon21. Rep. Edgar S. San Luis22. Rep. Patricio T. Antonio23. Rep. Neil Benedict A. Montejo


24. Rep. Josefina M. Joson25. Rep. Juan Edgardo M. Angara26. Rep. Scott Davies S. Lanete27. Rep. Anthony Rolando T. Golez Jr.28. Rep. Elpidio F. Barzaga Jr.29. Rep. Rommel C. Amatong30. Rep. Maria Valentina G. Plaza31. Rep. Antonio A. Ferrer32. Rep. Jose Benjamin A. Benaldo33. Rep. Mark A. Villar34. Rep. Christopher S. Co35. Rep. Abigail Faye C. Ferriol36. Rep. Maximo B. Rodriguez Jr.37. Rep. Bernadette R. Herrera-Dy38. Rep. Teddy A. Casiño39. Rep. Daryl Grace J. Abayon40. Rep. Mariano Michael M. Velarde Jr.41. Rep. Joseph Victor G. Ejercito42. Rep. Roilo S. Golez43. Rep. Tomas R. Osmeña44. Rep. Maria Carmen Zamora-Apsay45. Rep. Winston “Winnie” T. Castelo

COMMITTEE ON LABOR AND EMPLOYMENT

1. Rep. Emil L. Ong2. Rep. Ronald M. Cosalan3. Rep. Raymond Democrito C. Mendoza4. Rep. Mark A. Villar5. Rep. Romeo M. Jalosjos Jr.6. Rep. Joseph Victor G. Ejercito7.8. Rep. Linabelle Ruth R. Villarica9. Rep. Florencio C. Garay10. Rep. Herminia B. Roman11. Rep. Danilo Ramon S. Fernandez12. Rep. Maria Evita R. Arago13. Rep. Rosenda Ann Ocampo14. Rep. Sonny P. Collantes15. Rep. Arturo B. Robes16. Rep. Julio A. Ledesma IV17. Rep. Anthony Rolando T. Golez Jr.18. Rep. Pedro B. Acharon Jr.19. Rep. Patricio T. Antonio20. Rep. Juan Edgardo M. Angara21. Rep. Albert Raymond S. Garcia22. Rep. Agapito H. Guanlao23. Rep. Angelo B. Palmones24. Rep. David L. Kho25. Rep. Jonathan Cabilao Yambao26. Rep. Rodel M. Batocabe27. Rep. Alfredo A. Garbin Jr.28. Rep. Seth P. Jalosjos29. Rep. Walden F. Bello30. Rep. Emerenciana “Emmi” A. De Jesus31. Rep. Emmeline Y. Aglipay32. Rep. Rafael V. Mariano

COMMITTEE ON LOCAL GOVERNMENT

1. Rep. George P. Arnaiz2. Rep. Jerry P. Treñas

3. Rep. Maria Valentina G. Plaza4. Rep. Ana Cristina Siquian Go5. Rep. Joseph Victor G. Ejercito6. Rep. Antonio T. Kho7. Rep. Roy M. Loyola8. Rep. Neri J. Colmenares9. Rep. Guillermo A. Romarate Jr.10. Rep. Joaquin Carlos Rahman A. Nava11. Rep. Jose Carlos L. Cari12. Rep. Mel Senen S. Sarmiento13. Rep. Joselito “Jonjon” R. Mendoza14. Rep. Sigfrido R. Tinga15. Rep. Erineo S. Maliksi16. Rep. Romeo M. Acop17. Rep. Rogelio J. Espina, M.D.18. Rep. Loreto Leo S. Ocampos19. Rep. Niel C. Tupas Jr.20. Rep. Isidro S. Rodriguez Jr.21. Rep. Josefina M. Joson22. Rep. Luis R. Villafuerte23. Rep. Milagrosa T. Tan24. Rep. Kimi S. Cojuangco25. Rep. Eufranio “Franny” C. Eriguel, M.D.26. Rep. Pedro B. Acharon Jr.27. Rep. Tupay T. Loong28. Rep. Jorge T. Almonte29. Rep. Evelyn P. Mellana30. Rep. Narciso R. Bravo Jr.31. Rep. Randolph S. Ting32. Rep. Jonathan Cabilao Yambao33. Rep. Oscar G. Malapitan34. Rep. Anna York P. Bondoc35. Rep. Ferjenel G. Biron36. Rep. Tobias Reynald M. Tiangco37. Rep. Raden C. Sakaluran38. Rep. Roilo S. Golez

COMMITTEE ON MUSLIM AFFAIRS

1. Rep. Tupay T. Loong2. Rep. Jim S. Hataman-Salliman3. Rep. Nur-Ana I. Sahidulla4. Rep. Raden C. Sakaluran5. Rep. Bai Sandra A. Sema6. Rep. Pangalian M. Balindong7. Rep. Nur G. Jaafar8. Rep. Ranulfo P. Canonigo9. Rep. Acmad M. Tomawis

COMMITTEE ON NATIONAL CULTURALCOMMUNITIES

1. Rep. Teddy Brawner Baguilat Jr.2. Rep. Eleanor Bulut-Begtang3. Rep. Nancy A. Catamco4. Rep. Maximo B. Dalog5. Rep. Mylene J. Garcia-Albano6. Rep. Eric G. Singson Jr.7. Rep. Manuel S. Agyao8. Rep. Dakila Carlo E. Cua9. Rep. Acmad M. Tomawis10. Rep. Rolando G. Andaya Jr.


11. Rep. Maria Carmen Zamora-Apsay

I so move, Mr. Speaker.

THE DEPUTY SPEAKER (Rep. Remulla). Theaforementioned names are hereby deemed elected tothe respective committees.

REP. GONZALES (N.). May I ask for the recognitionof the d i s t ingu ished Minor i ty Leader fo r h i snomination.

THE DEPUTY SPEAKER (Rep. Remulla). The MinorityLeader is recognized for his nominations.


THE DEPUTY SPEAKER (Rep. Remulla). The session issuspended.

It was 7:06 p.m.


At 7:06 p.m., the session was resumed.


REP. LAGMAN. Mr. Speaker, on behalf of theminority, we move for the election of the followingMembers to the following committees:

COMMITTEE ON FOREIGN AFFAIRS

1. Rep. Gloria M. Macapagal-Arroyo2. Rep. Victor F. Ortega3. Rep. Ignacio T. Arroyo Jr.4. Rep. Imelda Q. Dimaporo5. Rep. Arthur C. Yap6. Rep. Leopoldo N. Bataoil

COMMITTEE ON INFORMATION ANDCOMMUNICATIONS TECHNOLOGY

1. Rep. Diosdado “Dato” M. Arroyo2. Rep. Fatima Aliah Q. Dimaporo3. Rep. Maria Milagros “Mitos” H. Magsaysay4. Rep. Arthur C. Yap

COMMITTEE ON LABOR AND EMPLOYMENT

1. Rep. Philip A. Pichay2. Rep. Juan Miguel Macapagal Arroyo3. Rep. Reena Concepcion G. Obillo

COMMITTEE ON LOCAL GOVERNMENT

1. Rep. Erico B. Aumentado2. Rep. Maria Milagros “Mitos” H. Magsaysay3. Rep. Victor F. Ortega4. Rep. Lani Mercado-Revilla

COMMITTEE ON MUSLIM AFFAIRS

1. Rep. Simeon A. Datumanong2. Rep. Fatima Aliah Q. Dimaporo

COMMITTEE ON NATIONAL CULTURALCOMMUNITIES

Rep. Fatima Aliah Q. Dimaporo

COMMITTEE ON PUBLIC ORDER AND SAFETY

1. Rep. Leopoldo N. Bataoil2. Rep. Lani Mercado-Revilla

COMMITTEE ON SOCIAL SERVICE

1. Rep. Imelda Q. Dimaporo2. Rep. Lani Mercado-Revilla

COMMITTEE ON SUFFRAGE AND ELECTORAL REFORMS

1. Rep. Simeon A. Datumanong2. Rep. Victor F. Ortega3. Rep. Orlando B. Fua4. Rep. Erico B. Aumentado

COMMITTEE ON TOURISM

1. Rep. Erico B. Aumentado2. Rep. Orlando B. Fua3. Rep. Diosdado “Dato” M. Arroyo4. Rep. Imelda Q. Dimaporo5. Rep. Jesus “Boying” F. Celeste

COMMITTEE ON TRANSPORTATION

1. Rep. Erico B. Aumentado2. Rep. Rodolfo B. Albano3. Rep. Maria Milagros “Mitos” H. Magsaysay4. Rep. Philip A. Pichay5. Rep. Aurelio “Dong” D. Gonzales Jr.6. Rep. Imelda Q. Dimaporo7. Rep. Arturo O. Radaza8. Rep. Arthur C. Yap

COMMITTEE ON WOMEN AND GENDER EQUALITY

1. Rep. Gloria M. Macapagal-Arroyo2. Rep. Imelda Q. Dimaporo3. Rep. Fatima Aliah Q. Dimaporo4. Rep. Reena Concepcion G. Obillo5. Rep. Lani Mercado Revilla

Mr. Speaker, I would request for an omnibus reservation tonominate for the election of members of the minority to completethe allocation of the minority in the aforesaid committees.

THE DEPUTY SPEAKER (Rep. Remulla). The omnibusreservation is noted.

The aforementioned names stated by the HonorableLagman are hereby deemed elected to the appropriate committees.


REP. LAGMAN. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.


REP. ROMULO. Mr. Speaker, as the time allotted for thePrivilege Hour has expired, but there are still a number ofMembers who wish to avail of the Privilege Hour, may we movethat the Privilege Hour be extended by another 10 minutes.

THE DEPUTY SPEAKER (Rep. Remulla). The PrivilegeHour is hereby extended by another 10 minutes.

REP. ROMULO. Mr. Speaker, one of the Members whowish to avail of the Privilege Hour was Hon. Augusto “Boboy”Syjuco, but instead of rising during the Privilege Hour, hehas requested that his privilege speech on TESDA’s TrueState Today be inserted in the records of the House. So, I somove that the speech of Hon. Augusto Boboy Syjucoentitled: “TESDA’s True State Today” be inserted as part ofthe speeches under the Privilege Hour.*

THE DEPUTY SPEAKER (Rep. Remulla). Is there anyobjection?

The Honorable Escudero has objections?

REP. ESCUDERO. It is not an objection, Mr. Speaker.

THE DEPUTY SPEAKER (Rep. Remulla). What is thepleasure of the Honorable Escudero?

REP. ESCUDERO. On matters wherein a Member of theHouse simply submits his or her privilege speech, may werequest that the Members be provided a written copy so thatwe will know what his version of the status of TESDA is. ThisRepresentation is concerned because I am the principal authorof the creation of TESDA.

THE DEPUTY SPEAKER (Rep. Remulla). That is principallythe issue at hand because once you request for the speech tobe inserted, then everybody will get a copy through the Journal.So, I believe that is the rule set for insertion in the Record; thewhole speech is printed in the Journal.

REP. ESCUDERO. Is the whole speech printed in toto,Mr. Speaker?

THE DEPUTY SPEAKER (Rep. Remulla). It will just beinserted in the Record but the Journal will only give us asummation of the speech.

REP. ESCUDERO. That is precisely the point, Mr. Speaker.We want to know the details, especially on controversialissues like the status of the TESDA.

THE DEPUTY SPEAKER (Rep. Remulla). Then, we willrequest the Secretariat to disseminate the said speech to all theMembers.

REP. ESCUDERO. To those interested, Mr. Speaker.

THE DEPUTY SPEAKER (Rep. Remulla). To thoseinterested in the speech. The motion is well-taken.

REP. ESCUDERO. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.


REP. ROMULO. Mr. Speaker, the next Member to avail ofthe Privilege Hour is the Gentleman from the Party-ListAnakpawis, Hon. Rafael V. Mariano.

THE DEPUTY SPEAKER (Rep. Remulla). The Gentlemanfrom Anakpawis Party List is recognized. We have 10 minutesleft in the Privilege Hour.

PRIVILEGE SPEECH OF REP. MARIANO

REP. MARIANO. Maraming salamat po, G. Ispiker at samga kapwa ko Kinatawan.

G. Ispiker, mga kapwa ko Kinatawan, noong nakaraangBiyernes, Agosto 6, 2010, bisperas ng ika-isang taonganibersaryo ng Comprehensive Agrarian Reform ProgramExtension with Reforms o CARPER, Republic Act No. 9700,ay ginulantang ang mga magsasaka at manggagawang bukidng Hacienda Luisita at ang buong bayan ng isang matatawagna huwad at iligal na compromise agreement na nilagdaan sapagitan ng pamunuan ng Hacienda Luisita, Inc. (HLI) at ngmga diumano ay lider ng mga manggagawang bukid nghacienda na nagmi-misrepresenta sa interes at kapasyahanng mga lehitimong manggagawang-bukid doon.

Ang mga sumusunod ay ilan sa mga mayor na nilalamanng compromise agreement:

First, farmworkers opting for land distributionshall return to Tarlac Development Corporation,being the original owners, all HLI shares given tothem pursuant to the MOA or memorandum ofagreement. In lieu thereof, land shall be given tothem for free and clean of any and all lien orencumbrances. Whatever is the total percentage ofshareholdings in HLI of the farm workers opting forland distribution shall be the equivalent percentageof the size of the land to be given to them from theremaining HLI land actually devoted to agriculture,with a total area of 4,102 hectares, approximately.The MOA shall remain valid and effective as far asfarm workers who decide to stay with the StockDistribution Option (SDO).

Second, farm workers opting for land distributionhereby waive all their rights or interests on theremaining assets of HLI. They also hereby give HLI,or its assigns, the right of first refusal should theydecide to lease, sell, transfer, encumber, convey, orenter into joint-venture or any other mode of businessrelations or transaction that would involve the landgiven to them, or any rights thereto, or any portionthereof. Should HLI, or its assigns, fail to match thebest offer given to the farm workers within 360 daysfrom the receipt of a written notice, then the farmworkers may proceed to deal with third parties.

* See ANNEXES (printed separately)


Third, to optimize land productivity andcreate job opportunities, the farm workers hereinhereby express support and/or interpose noobjection to the further developments of HLIlands, even for non-agricultural purposes. Saidfarm workers who would choose SDO (StockDistribution Option), or their heirs, shall be givenpreference in employment.

Fourth, pursuant to this compromiseagreement and the financial assistance given, theparties herein hereby waive and agree to withdrawany and all claims, including those arising fromemployer-employee relationship, complaints,petitions filed, or to be filed, with the DAR or PARC(Presidential Agrarian Reform Council),administrative, quasi-judicial and/or judicial bodies,or any other matter arising from or incidental to theMOA, or any dispute between HLI and the farmworkers, and hereby release and hold harmless eachother from any and all other liabilities or claims, ofany form and kind, which one may have againstthe other and its officers, or which may arise nowor in the future between HLI and the farm workers,or as a result of or incidental to the implementationof the MOA.Mr. Speaker, mga kapwa Kinatawan, ang panibagong

maniobrang ito ng pamilyang Cojuangco-Aquino ay patunaylamang na hindi bibitiwan ng pamilya ng Pangulong BenignoSimeon Cojuangco Aquino III ang kanilang mahigit kalahatingsiglo ng pag-aari at kontrol sa mahigit 6,453 lupain ng hacienda.Patunay ito na walang interes ang pamilyang Cojuangco-Aquino na bitiwan ang maka-isang panig at kontra-magsasakang Stock Distribution Option. Hindi nito binabasagang pag-aari, monopolyo at kontrol ng mga Cojuangco-Aquino sa malawak na lupain ng hacienda.

G. Ispiker, mga kapwa Kinatawan, ang huwad nakasunduang ito ang pinakamalaking panlilinlang sa serye atnakaugalian nang mga panlilinlang ng mga Cojuangco-Aquino sa uring magsasaka at manggagawang-bukid. Masmasahol pa ito sa naunang SDO noong 1989. Malinaw na isasa mga ultimong layunin nito ay i-preempt o unahan anganumang magiging desisyon ng Korte Suprema na nakatakdanang maglunsad ng oral arguments sa ika-18 ng buwangkasalukuyan, Agosto.

G. Ispiker, mga kapwa Kinatawan, nais kong bigyang-diin ang mga malalakas na batayan kung bakit ni-revoke ngPresidential Agrarian Reform Council (PARC) ang SDO noongpong December 22, 2005.

Ayon sa PARC, ito ang mga basehan ng pagre-revokeng Presidential Agrarian Reform Council sa kanilangResolution No. 2005-32-01:

1. The policy of “no-work, no-shares of stock” iscontrary to law and public policy.

2. The set-up under the1989 MOA is one-sided in favorof HLI. The work schedule, upon which the extent ofentitlement to be granted shares of stock, is wholly withinthe prerogative and discretion of HLI management and a farmworker can still be denied thereof by the simple expediencyof not giving him any working hours/days. This is madepossible by the fact that there are more farmesr/farm workersin its employ than what is, according to HLI, necessary tomake it operational.

3. The matter of issuance/distribution of share ofstocks in lieu of actual distribution of the agricultural landinvolved was made totally dependent upon the discretion/caprice of HLI. Under the set-up, the agreement is grosslyonerous to the farm workers as their man days of workcannot depart from whatever management of HLIunilaterally directs.

4. Despite the lapse of sixteen (16) years from the timethe SDP (Stock Distribution Plan) was approved in November1989 by a resolution of the Presidential Agrarian ReformCouncil or PARC, that is the acquisition and the distribution(herein under the Stock Distribution Plan only the shares ofstocks) are yet to be fully completed; the farm workers, insteadof the promised/envisioned better life under the CARP (hereinas corporate owner) still live in want, in abject poverty,highlighted by the resulting loss of lives in their vain/futileattempt to be financially restored at least to where they werebefore the CARP (SDP) was implemented. While they werethen able to make both ends meet, with the SDP, their livesbecame miserable.

5. Noncompliance with Section 11 of AdministrativeOrder No. 10, Series of 1988.

6. The farm workers remain ordinary farmers and/orfarm workers and the lands remain under the full ownershipand control of the original owner, the Hacienda Luisita,Incorporated (HLI) or Tarlac Development Corporation(TADECO).

7. The contemplated profitability, increased incomeand greater benefits enumerated in the SDP have remainedmere illusions.

8. The agricultural land involved was not maintained“unfragmented.” At least 500 hectares thereof have beencarved out after the land use has been converted to non-agricultural uses.

9. HLI made allocations to recipients who are not in theARBs (agrarian reform beneficiaries) original master list as,admittedly, it distributed to about 11,955 stockholders of record59,362,611 shares representing the second half of the totalnumber of shares earmarked for distribution when, in fact, therewere only 6,296 farm workers or less, at the time when the landwas placed under CARP, under the SDP/SDO scheme.

10. What actually transpired was a deferment of givingthe shares of stock to farm workers for thirty (30) years beforethere is full stock distribution and till then, the ARBs (agrarianreform beneficiaries) remained farmworkers and notstockholders. The attempt to distribute the balance after onlysixteen (16) years, which, however, was rejected for loss ofinterest as explained elsewhere, is more of an admission ofthe initial but fatal error of TDC (Tarlac DevelopmentCorporation)/Hacienda Luisita Incorporated’s SDP that wassubmitted and approved by PARC in 1989.

11. The HLI could not fully account for, and failed toclearly delineate, its full and complete compliance itsobligation to:

a. give the farm workers the guaranteed three percentof gross sales every year, which benefit is supposed to be anadditional corporate augmenting benefit.

b. give dividends from the retained earnings or profitsof the corporation that the law requires to be payable tostockholders and other financial benefits.

c. give the production shares equivalent to threepercent of the gross sales form the production of the lands


and the profit shares equivalent to 10 percent of the net profitafter tax.

12. The farm workers lamented that their economicconditions has become onerous and has miserably deteriorated.

13 The approved SDP or stock distribution planundoubtedly failed to satisfy one of the essential criteria/requisites for SDO acceptance—that the plan for stockdistribution to qualify beneficiaries would result in increasedincome and greater benefits to the farm workers than if thelands were divided and distributed to them individually orcollectively.

G. Ispiker, mga kapwa Kinatawan, kung sa SDO noong1989 kagyat na nailigtas, naiiwas, naitakas sa distributionang 1,538 ektarya—mula sa kabuuang 6,453 ektarya ngHacienda Luisita ay 4,915 ektarya na lang ang natira atipinaloob pa sa makaisang-panig na SDO—ngayon,lumalabas na 1,366 ektarya na lamang daw ang saklaw sailalim ng nasabing “kasunduan” o compromise agreement,dahil ayon mismo sa mga Cojuangco-Aquino, 33 porsyentolamang ng mga assets ng Hacienda Luisita Incorporated angkatumbas ng lupa ng magsasaka at manggagawang-bukid.Hindi nito binabasag ang monopolyo ng mga Cojuangco samalawak na lupain at dahil nasa HLI din ang right of firstrefusal, higit pa nitong pinalakas ang kontrol ng mgaCojuangco-Aquino sa malawak na lupain.

Kung sa SDO noong 1989 ay may basbas pa ngPresidential Agrarian Reform Council at ng Department ofAgrarian Reform, ngayon ang mga Cojuangco-Aquino nalamang at mga “anino” nila ang nagkasundo.

Sa pagtanggal ng mga karapatan ng mga magsasaka atmanggagawang-bukid para tutulan ang kumbersyon ng lupa,higit na lumilinaw ang plano ng mga Cojuangco-Aquino saHacienda Luisita. Walang habas na kumbersyon ng lupa angmagaganap sa hacienda, at dahil hindi na agricultural ang lupang hacienda, kung gayon ay mawawala na rin ang karapatan salupa ng mga magsasaka at manggagawang-bukid doon.

Lubhang mapanganib at nakababahala ang ipinapaabotna mensahe ng nilutong “compromise deal” na ito ng mgaCojuangco-Aquino, G. Ispiker, mga kapwa ko Kinatawan.Magsisilbi itong bad precedent sa libu-libong kaso ng repormaagraryo at inilalatag ang kabuuang balangkas ng programa niPangulong Aquino sa repormang agraryo. Malinaw naipinapakita ng kasunduang ito kung anong klase ng repormasa lupa ang ipapatupad ng gobyernong Aquino sa ilalim ngpanunungkulan nito. Isang kontra-magsasaka, maka-panginoong may lupa, at makadayuhang may agri-businessna patakaran ng reporma agraryo ang haharapin ng magsasakasa ilalim ng administrasyon ni Pangulong Aquino.

Mga kasama sa kapulungang ito, ang huwad atmapanlinlang na compromise agreement na ito angnagpapaliwanag kung bakit wala man lang nasambit ni isangkataga patungkol sa repormang agraryo ang PangulongAquino sa kanyang kauna-unahang State of the NationAddress (SONA).

Gayunpaman, hinuhubaran po nito ang balatkayo ng mgaCojuangco-Aquino at nagpapakita na wala pang 100 araw sapoder ang Pangulong Aquino, nagwawasiwas na ng tinatagurianat itinuturing ng mga lihitimong manggagawang-bukid ngHacienda Luisita na pang-aabuso at panibagong maniobra atpanlilinlang na naman ng kanyang mga kamag-anak.

G. Ispiker, mga kapwa ko Kinatawan, hindi maiaalis angpananagutan mismo ng Pangulong Noynoy Aquino bilang

ex-officio Chairman ng Presidential Agrarian Reform Councilsa kasalukuyan sa usapin ng huwad ng kasunduang ito naibayong nagkakait sa karapatan sa lupa ng mga magsasaka atmanggagawang-bukid sa hacienda. Unang araw pa lamangng kampanyang elektoral, nangako na si Pangulong Aquinona ipamamahagi nito ang Hacienda Luisita sa mgamagsasaka—iyon nga lamang maghintay ng limang taon.

Kamakailan lamang, G. Ispiker, mga kapwa ko Kinatawan,sinabi mismo ni presidential spokesperson Edwin Lacieda na“aware” o may nalalaman ang Pangulo sa nagaganap naumano ay negosasyon at nagsabi pang, and I quote, “if wecan resolve this amicably, then, I am all for it.” Mabuti pa angPresidente, alam ang nagaganap na negosasyon samantalangsi Ka Lito Bais, tumatayong pangulo ng United LuisitaWorkers’ Union o ULWU, ay walang alam sa anumang alokng HLI o “compromise agreement.”

Gayundin, sa ilang ulat ng media, sinabi rin ng Pangulona ang nagaganap sa Luisita ay isang “intra-corporatedispute.”

G. Ispiker, mga kapwa Kinatawan, ang nagaganap saHacienda Luisita ay hindi simpleng intra-corporate dispute.Ang nagaganap sa hacienda ay ang pakikibakang napakalaonna ng mga magsasaka at manggagawang-bukid doon para satunay na repormang agraryo. Ito ay pakikibaka para kamtinang hustisyang panlipunan para sa mga magsasaka atmanggagawang-bukid na iginapos sa tanikala sa lupa ng mgapanginoong piyudal doon.

Hindi lamang mga magsasaka ng Hacienda Luisita, kunghindi ang buong bayan ang lumalabas na nililinlang at nilolokosa huwad na kasunduang ito. Hindi ito repormang agraryo, atlalong hindi ito hustisyang panlipunan. Ito ay panloloko samga magsasaka at manggagawang-bukid, panloloko sataumbayan.

Maiaalis ninyo po ba sa mga manggagawang-bukid atmagsasaka sa Hacienda Luisita o sa buong bansa kungsasabihin nila na inilalantad ng Hacienda Luisita case angpulitika ng bagong rehimeng Aquino? Ang pulitika ngpanlilinlang.

G. Ispiker, mga kapwa Kinatawan, hinihiling po ngKinatawang ito sa Committee on Agrarian Reform na kagyatna imbestigahan ang maniobrang ito ng mga Cojuangco-Aquino. Gayundin, hinihiling po ng Kinatawang ito angkagyat na pagbubuo ng Congressional Oversight Committeeon Agrarian Reform o COCAR upang malalimang siyasatin atsuriin hindi lamang ang implementasyon ng CARPER, kunghindi maging ang naglalakihang kaso ng pangangamkam nglupa sa mga magsasaka sa kanayunan, lalo na angpinakabagong maniobrang ito ng Cojuangco-Aquino saHacienda Luisita.

Ang Hacienda Luisita ang pinakamalaking simbulo ngkabiguan ng CARPER, simbulo ng nagpapatuloy na pang-aalipin ng uring panginoong may lupa sa uring magsasaka atmanggagawang-bukid, simbulo ng inhustisya sa lipunangPilipino at simbulo ng pakikibakang magbubukid sa buongbansa para sa lupa at para sa tunay na reporma sa lupa.

G. Ispiker, mga kapwa Kinatawan, para sa mga magbubukidna hanggang ngayon ay walang sariling lupang sinasaka,mga magbubukid na pinapatalsik sa lupa at sinasampahan ngmga gawa-gawang kasong kriminal at sibil, mga magbubukidna naggigiit at nagtatanggol ng kanilang karapatan sa lupa,wala silang ilusyon sa CARPER. Lalo’t higit na walang ilusyonang mga magbubukid na sa ilalim ng bagong rehimeng Aquino


na, kung ganito ang tunguhin, kung maipapatupad ang tunayna reporma sa lupa.

G. Ispiker, mga kapwa Kinatawan, isang taon na ang CARPERpero nagpapatuloy pa rin ang pangangamkam at pagkakait nglupa sa masang magsasaka. Sa loob ng isang taon ng CARPER,lalong nagiging malinaw sa magbubukid na ito ay instrumentong higit na pagpapahigpit ng pag-aari, kontrol at monopolyo salupa ng malalaking panginoong may lupa. Kung kaya’t dapatlamang na ito ay itinatakwil ng masang magbubukid bilangkontra-magsasaka at mapanlilang na programa.

Para sa uring magsasaka, naglaho na ang anumangilusyon na inilako ng CARPER. Gayundin, uulitin ngKinatawang ito, walang ilusyon ang masang magbubukidna magpapatupad ang bagong rehimeng Aquino ng tunayna reporma sa lupa. Higit na napapatunayan na nasa sama-sama at organisadong pagkilos at matatag na paninindiganng magbubukid ay makakamit ang tunay at puspusangreporma sa lupa— ang tunay na reporma sa lupa na angsentral na layunin at nilalaman ay libreng pamamahagi nglupa sa mga magsasakang wala o kulang ang lupangsinasaka.

Tuloy ang laban ng uring magsasaka! Tuloy ang labanpara sa tunay na reporma sa lupa!

Maraming salamat po, G. Ispiker, mga kapwa koKinatawan. (Applause)


REP. ROMULO, Mr. Speaker, there being no Memberwho has signified his or her intention …

THE DEPUTY SPEAKER (Rep. Remulla). No, I think theHonorable Casiño stood up. We will now have to extend this.Is there a motion to extend the Privilege Hour?

REP. ROMULO. Mr. Speaker, as the topic is very current,may we move for an extension of another 10 minutes of thePrivilege Hour.

THE DEPUTY SPEAKER (Rep. Remulla). The PrivilegeHour is extended by another 10 minutes.

The Honorable Casiño is recognized for his interpellation.

REP. CASIÑO. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.I would like to ask our distinguished colleague from

Anakpawis if he would yield to a few clarificatory questionsfrom this Representation.

REP. MARIANO. Very gladly, Mr. Speaker, mga kapwako Kinatawan.

REP. CASIÑO. Salamat po, Congressman Mariano.Unang-una, nais ko pong i-commend ang ating kasama

sa pagbibigay ng isang talumpati na napaka timely,napapanahon at napakahalaga para sa kanyang mgakinakatawang mga magsasaka.

Distinguished colleague, mayroon lang po akong ilangmga paglilinaw na nais gawin doon sa binabanggit ninyongcompromise agreement, allegedly, sa pagitan ng mgamagsasaka ng Hacienda Luisita at ng management.

Dito po sa apat na punto na sinabi ninyong mga mayorna nilalaman ng compromise agreement, doon po sa number

one ay may binabanggit kayo na…. Unang-una, nais ko pomunang itanong, ano ba iyong pinirmahan talaga ng mgamagsasaka umano at ng management ng HLI? Ito po ba talagaay isang compromise agreement? Saang kaso po ito nagingcompromise agreement at ano ba talaga iyong pinirmahan?Kasi may ilang media reports na nagsasabi na ito daw ayisang survey or that this is a referendum, but that some reportscall it a compromise agreement? Puwede ba nating malamanmula sa ating kasama kung ano ba talaga iyong sinasabingdokumento?

REP. MARIANO. Ang sinasabi pong dokumento ayisang compromise agreement sa pagitan ng HaciendaLuisita Incorporated na kinakatawan ni Atty. Eufrocinio C.Dela Merced at ng sinasabing Presidente ng AMBALA oAlyansa ng mga Manggagawang-Bukid ng HaciendaLuisita sa katauhan ni G. Noel Mallari ng United LuisitaWorkers’ Union daw—ang presidente nito ay si G. EldifonsoPingol—at ng supervisory group of Hacienda LuisitaIncorporated.

Ano po ba at sino ba ang pumapasok sa kasunduangito? Sinasabi nila na marami na raw mga farm workers ngHacienda Luisita ang sumasang-ayon dito, ayon sa surveyor census. Hindi po nila idinidiin na referendum kasi pagreferendum, dapat katulad ng proseso noong 1989 na bagonila maaprubahan iyong SDO agreement ay kinailangan nilaang approval ng Presidential Agrarian Reform Council atmagkaroon din ng referendum na pinangasiwaan ngDepartment of Agrarian Reform. Kaya doon pa lamang po aymalaking tanong na kung anong authority o authorizationmayroon itong G Noel Mallari at G. Eldifonso Pingol. At dahilpo sa ating pagkakaalam, itong si G. Noel Mallari ay hindikailanman naging Presidente ng Alyansa ng Manggagawang-Bukid sa Hacienda Luisita. Siya po ay dating Vice Presidentng AMBALA na ang kaso po ay nasa Department of AgrarianReform dahil nag petition po iyong mga manggagawang-bukidsa pamumuno ng AMBALA para ipa-revoke iyong SDO. Itopong si Ginoong Mallari, sa prosesong pang-organisasyonng AMBALA, ay tinangggal po sa nasabing organizationdahil po, ayon sa mga liderato at kasapian ng AMBALA,itong si Ginoong Mallari ay pasikretong nakikipag-negotiatesa Luisita management without authority mula sa nasabingorganisasyon.At ito naman pong si G. Edilberto Pingol aynaging vice president po ng Luisita Workers’ Union subalitwala po siyang authority to represent the union dahil siya poay hindi naman po napagkalooban ng ganoong otoridad ngUnited Luisita Workers’ Union. Iyan po ay ayon kay G. LitoBaez, ang siya pong vice chairman ng AMBALA at tumatayoding acting president ng United Luisita Workers’ Union. Kayapo, ayon sa mga lehitimong manggagawang bukid, itongginawang pakikipag-negotiate at pagpasok ni Ginoong Mallariat Ginoong Pingol ay misrepresentation ng kanilang interesat kapasyahan.

REP. CASIÑO. Maraming salamat sa Ginoong Kinatawan.Ang ibig sabihin nito, kung ito ay compromise

agreement, maaari bang malaman muna saang kaso ba itongmay compromise? Ito ba ay compromise agreement kaugnayng kasong nakasampa ngayon sa Korte Suprema, ocompromise agreement kaugnay ng kasong nasa DAR? Saangcompromise ito nakapatungkol? Aling kaso po ang inaayosumano sa Korte Suprema?


REP. MARIANO. Ito po ang nakasampang kaso ngayonna nasa pagitan ng pamunuan ng Hacienda Luisita, Inc. atTarlac Development Corporation at ng Alyansa ngManggagawang-Bukid sa Hacienda Luisita, AMBALA, at ngUnited Luisita Workers’ Union o ULWU. Mayroon pongpending cases o petitions po sa Kataas-taasang Hukuman oKorte Suprema at mayroon na pong nakatakdang oralarguments ang Korte Suprema kaugnay sa mga petitions namay kaugnayan sa kaso ng Hacienda Luisita. Kasi po iyonpong Hacienda Luisita, Inc. makaraan po na magpasa ngresolusyon ang Presidential Agrarian Reform Council noongDecember 22, 2005 na kung saan ay pinapawalang-bisa na ngPARC ang Stock Distribution Option of land sa Hacienda Luisitaay umakyat po sa Korte Suprema ang mga Cojuangco at Aquinosa pamamagitan ng SLI at doon po ay kinukuwestyon nila angjurisdiction ng PARC. Iyon nga po ang nakakatawa diyan dahilnoon pong kailanganin nila ang approval ng PARC doon saSDO agreement noong 1989 ay kinailangan nila iyong approvalng PARC. Ngayon namang ang PARC na mismo angnagdesisyon base po doon sa 13 puntos na rason aykinukuwestyon nila ang jurisdiction nito.

Ako po ay hindi abugado pero iyon pong isanginstitusyon, halimbawa ang PARC, na may karapatang mag-apruba o may poder para mag-apruba ng isang agreement,siyempre mayroon din pong karapatang mag-revoke omagpawalang-bisa o magbawi noong kanyang ibinigay napagpapatibay. Kaya po iyan ay nakabinbin sa Korte Suprema,with the prayer sa petisyon ng Hacienda Luisita, Inc. ng pag-i-issue ng temporary restraining order (TRO). Kaya po angSupreme Court ay nagbigay ng TRO sa Hacienda Luisita, Inc.at iyon nga lamang po, mahigit apat na taon na ang TRO na na-isyu ng Supreme Court since June 14, 2006. Mabuti naman poat noong halos katapusan ng Hunyo ng taong kasalukuyan aynagpahayag na ang Punong Mahistrado ng Korte Suprema naiparerepaso na niya iyang Hacienda Luisita case at mayroonna nga pong nakatakdang oral argument sa August 18. Kayanga marami po ang nagtatanong, at sa tingin ko naman po maybasehan iyong pagtatanong nila, at iniisip na hindi ba ito isangmaniobra ng pamilya Cojuangco-Aquino para i-preempt ounahan na ang magiging kapasyahan ng Supreme Court.

REP. CASIÑO. Ngayon, Ginoong Kinatawan, ibangklaseng compromise agreement po ito kasi mukhang maydalawang choices ang ating mga manggagawang-bukid, angmga magsasaka doon sa Hacienda Luisita. Iyong isang choiceay, they opt for land distribution. Ibig sabihin po ay mapapasa-kanila na ang lupa. Ang isang option naman po ay papasokpa rin sila sa Stock Distribution Option (SDO) program ngHLI. Tama ho ba iyon?

REP. MARIANO. Ganoon po ang pagkakaunawa ko sanilalaman at isinasaad nitong tinatawag na compromiseagreement.

REP. CASIÑO. Ngayon, doon ho sa mga tatanggap nglupa o hindi papasok sa SDO, ang sinasabi ho dito ay angmakukuha nilang lupa ay iyong total percentageshareholdings in HLI of the farm workers opting for landdistribution equivalent to the percentage of the size of theland to be given to them from the remaining HLI landsactually devoted to agriculture, with a total area of 4,000hectares.

Matanong lang ho natin, kung ang isang magsasaka posa HLI ay pumayag sa ilalim ng compromise agreement namapasa-kanya na iyong lupa, gaano kalaking lupa po ba angibibigay sa bawat magsasaka?

REP. MARIANO. Una, wala pong tiyak na sukat anglupang maaaring maipamahagi sa bawat isang farm worker sailalim ng compromise agreement na ito. Ang mangyayari po,sa aking pagkaintindi, iyon pong farm workers ay makakaroonng shares of stocks doon sa HLI at kung pipiliin niya ngayonna magkaroon ng lupa doon sa libu-libong ektarya na lupangiyon ng HLI, iyon pong shares niya ay mababalik doon saTarlac Development Corporation. Kung magkano po angkatumbas na halaga noon sa halaga ng lupa, siyempre po angmagpapasya ng halaga niyan ay ang pamilyang Cojuangcoat Aquino rin. Sa kalagayang ang karaniwang naging bilangpo ng araw ng pagtratrabaho ng mga manggagawang-bukiddiyan ay mga dalawa o tatlong araw lang sa isang lingo, kayamagde-depende po iyan sa kung ilan ang shares of stocksnila. Base sa bilang ng araw na ipinagtrabaho nila at kungmagkano lamang po iyon, iyon ang tutumbasan doon sahalaga ng lupa na for distribution. Sa ganitong maniobra ayinilalagay muli ang manggagawang-bukid sa walang katiyakanna kalagayan dahil nga po magde-depende rin iyong sukatng lupa sa kung magkano ang halaga ng shares of stocks naipinagkaloob sa manggagawang-bukid base sa bilang ng arawna kanyang ipinagtrabaho mula noong umiral po iyong SDOaAgreement noong taong 1989.

Ngayon po, iyon namang sinasabing mgamanggagawang-bukid na ang pipiliin ay shares of stocks …

REP. CASIÑO. Sandali po, Ginoong Kinatawan, lilinawinko lang. So, this is a compromise agreement that, if you chooseto own the land, hindi ka na papasok sa Stock DistributionOption. Pero kung gusto mong ikaw na ang magmamay-aring lupa, hindi sinasabi sa iyo kung gaano kalaking lupa angpuwede mong ariin.

REP. MARIANO. Hindi po. Ito ay naka-depende po sashares of stocks.

REP. CASIÑO. Para ma-compute iyong lupa mongmakukuha, ibabatay pa rin ito doon sa Stock DistributionOption program.

REP. MARIANO. Opo, doon po sa maipamahagi sa inyona shares of stocks ng HLI bilang korporasyon.

REP. CASIÑO. Kaya parang sinasabi, aalis ka na sa SDOpero iyong lupang ibibigay sa iyo ay batay pa rin sa SDO.Kaya parang, in effect, hindi ka rin nakawala?

REP. MARIANO. Ganoon po. Hindi ka rin nakawala athindi ka rin nakalaya sa mapanlinlang at kontramanggagawang-bukid na Stock Distribution Plan.

REP. CASIÑO. Posible hong maiwan sa iyo iyong isangpasong lupa?

REP. MARIANO. Iyon po ay hindi natin iniaalis napuwedeng mangyari sapagkat, papano nga kung iyong sharesof stocks mo ay mababa naman ang balor o magde-depende


lang po doon kung ilan din ang sukat ng lupangmaipamamahagi sa iyo kung pipiliin mo ay lupa sa halip nashares of stocks.

REP. CASIÑO. Sige po at dedetalyihin po natin iyan saimbestigasyon ng komite. Nakalagay din dito na, if you optfor land distribution, you waive all your rights or interests onthe remaining assets of HLI. Kaya sinabi mo na na hindi ka nakasama sa Stock Distribution Option, iyo na lang ang lupa,kaya ang nakalagay din dito na bibigyan mo pa rin ang HLIng right of first refusal. Tapos, kung ikaw ay papasok sa jointventure o iba pang relasyon sa entity labas sa HLI, kailanganbigyan mo ng pagkakataon ang HLI na tumbasan iyongpapasuking transaksyon within one year. Tama ba iyon? Iyonpo ba ang laman noon?

REP. MARIANO. Iyon po ang, sa aking pagkakaintindi,magiging katatayuan ng mga farm workers na ang pipiliin aypamamahagi pa rin ng shares of stock sa ilalim pa rin ng SDOagreement na nagsimula nang umiral noong 1989. Ang masakitnga po diyan ay iyong mga karapatan nila doon sa iba pangassets ng HLI ay mawa-waive na dito sa ilalim ng compromiseagreement na ito.


REP. MARIANO. Kaya mapapansin po ninyo na mulasa dating 6,453 hectares, ang ginawa, nila ay nag-create silang Hacienda Luisita, Inc. na siyang naging may-ari attagapangasiwa ng 4,915 hectares na lamang. Ngayon, sapanibagong maniobra na iyan sa tinatawag na compromiseagreement na iyan, ay nasa 1,336 hectares na lang angsinasabing maaaring ma-ipamahagi ng pamilya Conjuangco-Aquino sa mga farm workers na ang pipiliin ay magkaroonng lupa sa halip na manatiling magmay-ari o pamahagihanng corporate shares of stock sa ilalim ng Hacienda Luisita,Inc.



REP. ROMULO. Mr. Speaker, as the time for the PrivilegeHour has expired, I have conferred with the Honorable Casiñoand he would need a little less than 10 minutes more. So, I movefor an extension by another 10 minutes of the Privilege Hour.

REP. MARIANO. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

THE DEPUTY SPEAKER (Rep. Remulla). The time isextended by another 10 minutes.

REP. CASIÑO. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.Ang ibig sabihin lang po doon sa aspetong ito ay

sasabihin na ng magsasaka na “Akin na lang iyong lupa athindi na ako sasali sa stock distribution option. Pero dahil saright of first refusal, kung anuman ang gusto niyang gawindoon sa lupa ay dapat dadaan muna sa HLI.

REP. MARIANO. Dadaan pa po muna sa HLI.

REP. CASIÑO. Tapos kung makikisosyo siya sa negosyo,halimbawa, may kukunin siyang ka partner para magtanimdoon sa lupang ibinigay sa kanya ...

REP. MARIANO. O sa joint venture.

REP. CASIÑO. ... joint venture, kailangan pa ring hintayinniya ang isang taon ...

REP. MARIANO. Opo.

REP. CASIÑO. ... na tumbasan ng HLI iyong joint ventureniya o iyong pakikipag-transaksyon niya sa ibang third partybago payagan.

REP. MARIANO. Opo, kasi may right of first refusal angHLI.

REP. CASIÑO. Kaya parang ibinigay iyong lupa sa iyopero in a way, binabawi rin iyong lupa sa iyo. Wala ka pa ringkontrol pala doon sa lupang ibinigay.

REP. MARIANO. Ang ibig pong sabihin niyan ay hindipa naibibigay sa iyo, ngunit sa compromise agreement aybinabawi na.

REP. CASIÑO. Kung gusto mong gamitin sa ibangparaan, talagang maghihintay ka pa ng isang taon dahilkailangang hintayan mong mag-match o magbigay ng offerang HLI.

REP. MARIANO. Bibigyan mo ng pagkakataon ang HLIna tumbasan o tapatan ang offer ng isang, halimbawa, isangkompanya o korporasyon na may kakayanan na pumapasokdoon sa pagkikipagkasundo sa farm workers na ang kanyangpinili ay either iyong pamamahagi ng shares of stocks o iyongpamamahagi ng lupa. Hindi po malayong mangyari na kungpapasok man iyong farm worker na ang pipiliin ay angmapamahaginan siya ng lupa, dahil may first refusal rightiyong HLI, baka sa iba ring korporasyon na pag-aari din ngpamilya Cojuangco at Aquino siya mapupunta. Halimbawa,mayroon po diyang Luisita Industrial Park Corporation.Mayroon diyang Luisita Realty Corporation. Mayroon diyangCentenary Holdings, Inc. Ewan ko lang po itong Luisita EstateManagement, kung kasama ito. Kaya po parang sa harap,tagilid, talikod, maging sa kanan o kaliwa ng mgamanggagawang-bukid, ay nakapaligid ang mga korporasyonna pag-aari din ng pamilya Cojuangco at Aquino. Kayamalakas po ang aking paniniwala na ang manggagawang bukiday walang pupuntahan.

REP. CASIÑO. Walang kawala.

REP. MARIANO. Wala pong kawala talaga.

REP. CASIÑO. Sige po. Mukhang malinaw na ho iyon.Talagang ibinigay iyong lupa sa iyo pero wala kang kawala.Sa kanila lang talaga ito mapupunta.

Pangatlo po, kagalang-galang na Kinatawan mula saAnakpawis, doon naman sa papayag sa SDO, lumalabas ditona ang kondisyon ay papayag kang pumasok sa StockDistribution Option pero hindi mo na puwedeng tutulan ang


anumang development ng lupa sa HLI, even if it is not foragricultural purposes. Ang ang pagkakaalam ko ho sa StockDistribution Option, ay parang part owner ka, so as owner ofstock ...

REP. MARIANO. Wala kang tinig.

REP. CASIÑO. ... puwede ka namang mag-object at puwedekang magsabi ng gusto mong sabihin doon sa management.Pero dito sa kanilang compromise agreement, iyong patuloyna paglahok mo pala sa Stock Distribution Option means thatyou cannot pose any objection to the further developments ofHLI lands even for non-agricultural purposes. Para po saan atnaging part owner ka pa, pero ni hindi ka pala puwedengmanghimasok sa management ng lupa? Iyon ho ba, GinoongKinatawan, ay makatarungan o makatwiran?

REP. MARIANO. Hindi ho makatarungan iyon. Alam poninyo, iyang probisyon na iyan ay ipinapaloob lamang ng mgapamilyang Cojuangco at Aquino sa isang quote, and I quote,“compromise agreement.” Sila ay naging praktikal at ginawana nilang, alam po ninyo, bahagi ng 4,915 hectares na saklawng SDO agreement simula noong 1989. Alam po ba ninyo namay 500 hektarya na diyan ang na-isyuhan ng conversion orderng Department of Agrarian Reform kung saan wala man lamangnaging bahagi sa pagpapasya o hindi man lang tinanong angmanggawang-bukid, “Gusto ba ninyo, bilang stockholders oshareholders ng Hacienda Luisita, Inc. na i-convert ang 500hectares na ito na bahagi ng 4,915 hectares?” Hindi man lamangpo tinanong sila, hindi man lamang ho kinuha ang consent opag sang-ayon ng mga farm workers.

REP. CASIÑO. Hindi ho ba sila ang may-ari niyan,Ginoong Kinatawan? Saan ka nakakita ng ipapa-convert anglupa mo nang hindi ka tinatanong?

REP. MARIANO. Doon po sa Hacienda Luisita,nangyayari iyan at noong nangyari na ito, sa akingpagkaintindi ngayon, ay ipinapasok lang nila sa compromiseagreement para masabi nila na pumayag naman sila kayangayon, pwede na silang hindi tanungin. At sinasabing “kunghindi man kayo natanong noon ay pumasok na kayo rito sacompromise agreement at kahit papaano nakipag-kasundokayo.” At iyan po ang masakit tanggapin, kagalang-galangna Kinatawan Casiño ng Bayan Muna, Mr. Speaker, mgakapwa ko Kinatawan.

REP. CASIÑO. Mr. Speaker, as a last point, I think this isthe worst part of the agreement. Dito sa compromiseagreement, once they agree to the the Stock DistributionOption or the land distribution option, iyong mga magsasakapo will hereby waive and agree to withdraw any and all claims,including those arising from employer-employeerelationships, complaints, petitions filed or to be filed withthe DARP, PARC, quasi-judicial or judicial bodies, or anyother matter arising from or incidental to the memorandum ofagreement or any dispute between HLI and the farm workers.Aba, G. Ispiker, mukhang ang nililibre nito ay hindi lang iyonginstant case na nasa Supreme Court, but even future cases,whether ito po ay kaugnay sa trabaho o sa lupa o any othermatter! Ibig sabihin, para nawalan ka na ng karapatan kapagpumasok ka rito sa compromise agreement.

Doon ko nga po sinasabing na hindi makatarungan atmapaglinlang ang compromise agreement na ito.

REP. CASIÑO. Dito sa compromise agreement ay parahong binusalan natin ang sariling bibig natin at tinali angsariling kamay at halos wala na tayong karapatan namagreklamo man lang sa kahit na anong bagay kaugnay saagreement.

REP. MARIANO. Ito ho ang compromise agreement nakung saan ay ka- partido ka sa agreement pero wala kangkarapatan na sampahan ng kaso ang Hacienda Luisita,Incorporated, maghabol sa iyong mga benepisyo o ano pamang karapatang mayroon ka, at dito ay pina-waive sa iyohalos lahat. So, iyon ba ay sang-ayon sa public policy?

REP. CASIÑO. Huling tanong, Mr. Speaker, kagalang-galang na Kinatawan. Bakit sinasabi nila na mayorya daw ngmga magsasaka sa Hacienda Luisita ang sumasang-ayon saganitong isang napaka-hindi makatarungan, napaka-hindimakatuwirang compromise agreement na mismong ang mgapumirma ay mukha namang walang otoridad na pumirma?Ano ho ba ang katotohanan hinggil sa diumano ay mayoryadaw ng magsasaka ay pumayag sa ganitong one-sidedonerous compromise, Mr. Speaker?

REP. MARIANO. Alam po ninyo, Mr. Speaker, dearcolleague, hindi ako magtataka kung sabihin man nila na maymalaking mayorya o malaking bilang ng mga farm workers saHacienda Luisita ang sumasang-ayon dito sa compromiseagreement. Alam ninyo po kung bakit? Noong pirmahan poang SDO agreement noong 1989, ang sinabi lang nila doonna bilang ng mga manggagawang-bukid na nasa master listnila ay humigit-kumulang 7,000 na mga manggagawang bukid.Sabi nila, “nalulugi ang Hacienda Luisita Incorporated kayahuwag ninyo kaming sisihin kung bakit dalawa o tatlong arawlang kayo nakapagtratrabaho sa hacienda.” Ngayon, kungnalulugi pala at lumiliit iyong man-days, iyong araw ngpagtratrabaho ng mga manggagawang-bukid, papaano lalakiat magiging 10,000, 11,000, 12,000 na raw ngayon ang bilangng mga farm workers? Hindi po ba magkatunggali iyon?

Ngayon, iyon pong petition ng AMBALA, ng Alyansang mga Manggagawang-Bukid sa Hacienda Luisita na na-filesa Department of Agrarian Reform sa Setyembre 2003 pa,doon po naka-attach iyong pirma ng may 5,335 na mgamanggagawang-bukid. So, iyon po ang bale petitioners parai-revoke ang SDO. Ngayon, kung pinalalaki nila na 10,000,11,000, 12,000, aba, di puwede ngang sabihin nila, “Ah,mayorya na kami” kasi 5,339 naman iyong mgamanggagawang-bukid na siyang petitioners doon sa petitionng AMBALA na inihain sa Department of Agrarian Reformnoong Setyember 2003. At iyan po ay para masuhayan diniyong kanilang palaging argumento na, “Ah, iyong lupa,kapag na-parcel out mo iyan sa may 10,000 na mgamanggagawang-bukid, hindi na magiging economicallyfeasible and viable iyan kaya dapat diyan ay manatiling nasailalim na lang ng Stock Distribution Option.” Sa isang banda,wala ngang karapatan din iyong mga manggagawang-bukidna magdesisyon kaugnay sa pag-dispose noong mga landassets diyan. Hindi rin po sila natanong doon sa 84 hectaresna tinamaan ng SCTEX, Phase ll, doon sa road right- of-way.Hindi rin po sila tinanong at hindi kinuha iyong kapasyahan


Published by the Publication and Editorial Service, Plenary Affairs BureauThe Congressional Record can be accessed through the Downloads Center of the official website

of the House of Representatives at www.congress.gov.phAZB/08092010/1830

nila doon sa dinaanang lupain ng interchange mula sa SCTEXpatungo doon sa MacArthur Highway.

Iyan po sa Hacienda Luisita, may dalawang matuwid nadaan: iyong dinaanan ng SCTEX, Phase ll, at iyong diretsongdaan mula sa SCTEX papunta roon sa MacArthur Highway.Iyon po ang alam kong matuwid na daan sa Hacienda Luisita,Mr. Speaker, dear colleague.

REP. CASIÑO. Hindi ho ba baluktot na daan iyon?

REP. MARIANO. Kapag tinanong po ninyo, maykasabihan po tayo, hindi po ba? Matagal na po itong kaso ngHacienda Luisita, 1957 pa. Kaya naman nabili po iyan ng mgaCojuangco ay dahil nangutang sila sa Hanover. Ano ba iyon?Isang trust company sa US kaya kailangang garantiyahan ngCentral Bank. Sabi ng Tabacalera, “Papayag lang kaming bilhinninyo iyong majority shares ng Central Azucarera de Tarlackung bibilhin ninyo rin iyong lupain ng hacienda.” Eh, walangpambili daw itong sila Don Pepe Cojuangco kaya nangutangpo sa GSIS at pitong milyong piso ang pinautang ng GSIS.Kaya po, sa pamamagitan noon, ay nakuha nila iyongHacienda Luisita lands at majority shares ng CentralAzucarera de Tarlac sa kundisyon na after 10 years,ipamamahagi nila ito sa mga magsasaka ng Hacienda Luisita.Pero hindi pa po nangyari iyon at hanggang ngayon, heto napo tayo. May kasabihan nga po tayo, hindi po ba, “Sa hinaba-haba ng prosisyon, dapat sa simbahan ang tuloy.” Maynapapanahong kasabihan po ngayon, kapag ating i-a-applysa Hacienda Luisita na, “Sa hinaba-haba ng prosisyon, sabaluktot na daan din pala ang tuloy,” Mr. Speaker, dearcolleague.

REP. CASIÑO. Ginoong Kinatawan, maraming salamatpo sa pagsagot sa aking mga katanungan. Mr. Speaker, I thinkthat Congress should immediately conduct an investigationon this very onerous and apparently illegal and unjust so-

called compromise agreement and take this goldenopportunity to correct the historical injustice that has beenhappening in Hacienda Luisita.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

REP. MARIANO. Maraming salamat po, dear colleague,Mr. Speaker.


REP. ROMULO. Mr. Speaker, there being no otherMember who wishes to interpellate the Honorable Mariano, Imove that the speech of the Honorable Mariano be referredto the appropriate committee.

THE DEPUTY SPEAKER (Rep. Remulla). The speechof the Honorable Mariano and the various interpellationsthereon are hereby referred to the appropriate committee.

REP. ROMULO. Mr. Speaker, I move that we close thePrivilege Hour.

THE DEPUTY SPEAKER (Rep. Remulla). Is there anyobjection? (Silence) The Chair hears none; the Privilege Houris hereby closed.

ADJOURNMENT OF SESSION

REP. ROMULO. Mr. Speaker, I move that we adjourn thesession until 4:00 p.m. tomorrow, August 10, 2010.

THE DEPUTY SPEAKER (Rep. Remulla). The sessionis adjourned until tomorrow, August 10, 2010, at 4:00 p.m.

It was 8:07 p.m.

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