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November 2006 Vol. 3, No. 3 Official Newsletter of the House of Representatives Republic of the Philippines ISSN 1656-507X House OKs trillion-peso GAA By Diony P. Tubianosa Supplemental ELIVERING on its Dcommitment to the Filipino people, the House of Representatives simultaneously budget inked approved on third and final reading the trillion-peso national HE P46.426-billion budget for 2007 after a marathon Tsupplemental budget, session, which lasted 18 hours which the House of and ended early Friday morning Representatives approved even on October 13. before the proposed 2007 The House voted 198 in favor budget was taken up in versus seven, without abstentions plenary, was signed into law on the P1.126-trillion spending last October 17. measure certified urgent by Now Republic Act 9358, Malacañang. the supplemental budget Speaker Jose de Venecia covers the funding gaps presided over during the crucial between the 2005 reenacted hours of the plenary action on the budget and the 2006 General SPEAKER JOSE DE VENECIA is joined by House Members at the rostrum at 5 a.m. of October 13 following the 1,131-page national outlay Appropriations bill. chamber’s third reading approval of the first nation’s trillion-peso budget. contained in House Bill 5794. The trillion-peso budget is “a prelude Continued on page 8 to our march towards a balanced budget” before 2010, the time AIPO to hasten regional integration frame of the Philippine Medium Continued on page 2 EBU CITY – The ASEAN human degradation” by endorsing organization, lawmakers from eight Settlers to CInter-Parliamentary debt relief among the poorest 100 Southeast Asian member- Organization (AIPO) concluded its countries. parliaments, agreed to accelerate NAM Summit buy land 27th General Assembly last month, Responding to AIPO the political, economic, and from gov’t determined to accelerate the pace President and Speaker Jose de cultural integration of ASEAN and of regional integration and to “fight Venecia’s initial call for an “epoch- set the creation of an ASEAN p.3 JDV calls for poverty and the worst forms of making transformation” of the Continued on page 6 First day interfaith dilemma p.4 dialogues AVANA – Philippine Busy HSpeaker Jose de Venecia months addressed the 14th summit of the Non-Aligned Movement in ahead this city, last September, calling p.6 for interfaith dialogues at the regional and national levels to LEADERS OF PARLIAMENT from eight ASEAN member-countries vow to reinforce their fight against terrorism and mediate conflicts and “isolate LAW VS. “DIRTY poverty at the conclusion of the 27th AIPO general assembly in September in Cebu City. Philippine Speaker Jose de those who advocate terrorism in MONEY” Venecia Jr. called for AIPO’s “epoch-making transformation” into a regional assembly to help accelerate the Southeast the name of religion.” Asia’s political, economic and cultural integration, fight terrorism and defeat poverty. explained Continued on page 2 p.7 Majority caucus on Charter reform up Stretching ‘Banks do not PDAF’s HE HOUSE of Represen- Speaker Jose de Venecia He expressed regret that the mileage Ttatives will immediately call made the call after the Supreme High Court has focused on lend to poor’ a caucus of its leaders to embark Court dismissed consolidated technicalities, rather than on the p.7 on its main course of action—the petitions for a people’s initiative “real and urgent political Speaker JDV bats for activation of “Plan B” or a to amend the 1987 problems that impoverish the network of micro- Constituent Assembly of all Constitution. masses of Filipinos, demoralize Interview finance banks as he Rep. members of Congress, which De Venecia stressed “there our idealistic young people, and will consider the shift to a are other constitutional remedies cause our country to lag behind organizes one in Consuelo DY unicameral-parliamentary available,” saying that “we will its vigorous neighbors in the Pangasinan system. not let this setback stop us.” world’s fast-growing region.” p.8 Continued on page 5 2 November 2006 they must remain answerable to US-RP PACT. US Sen. the Filipino people for a Daniel Inouye (left) House OKs budget deplorable performance,” de assured Speaker Venecia said. Jose de Venecia he Continued from page 1 the Ombudsman to help The government has been will endorse the accelerate the investigation and Development Plan of the Arroyo operating on a reenacted budget latter’s proposal for prosecution of corruption cases. administration. for the last two years. De Venecia a RP-US free trade The opposition , likewise, “Approving the spending and Senate leaders, particularly pact to be threshed succeeded in realigning some measure is a fulfillment of our Sen. Franklin Drilon (now out during de P2.6 billion additional funds to contract with our constituents chairman of the Senate Finance Venecia’s proposed the Department of Education and who have sent us here,” said de Committee) and Senate President RP-US free trade P200 million to the Philippine Venecia. “(It) is backed by P100- Manuel Villar in separate pre- agreement and global anti-terrorism summit. De Venecia conferred Inouye, billion from the EVAT law Atmospheric, Geophysical and approval statements saw no who played a key role in the RP-US defense reform program, the Congressional resulting in a much-reduced Astronomical Services problem in having a new budget Medal of Achievement for his tireless sponsorship of bills in the US Senate deficit.” Administration (PAGASA). by January 1, 2007. promoting Filipino veterans’ rights, Mindanao tuna exports, and peace in The measure next goes to the The other departments and If approved, this will be the Mindanao. US House foreign relations committee chair Rep. Henry J. Hyde Senate, with de Venecia expressing their respective allocations are: the country’s first-ever trillion-peso led the US delegation that included Reps. Dana Rohrabacher, Eni Faleomavaega, confidence that the Senate would DOTC - P17.5 billion; DAR GAA. Last year’s proposed trillion- Melvin Watt, Jeff Flake and Daniel Coughlin. be able to approve it before the including ARF P15.6 billion; peso budget, although approved trillion proposed expenditure mandatory expenditures. Christmas break. “I believe that DoH - P11.7 billion; Comelec - by the House on third reading, did program for 2007, only 22 percent The balance of 22 percent, the Senate will be circumspect, P9.8 billion; and the Judiciary - not get through the bicameral or P248 billion may be subject to Salceda said, will support the and the senators are statesmen,” P9.7 billion. conference committee. debate while the other 78 percent, regular operations or MOOE of he said. By sectoral allocation, social Salceda, in his plenary or P878 billion, represents the various agencies of The measure is expected to services gets the highest priority defense, warned that another mandatory expenses which seem government leveling at about P140 reduce the national deficit and for 2007 with P329,382 billion, reenacted budget “will deprive our to be out of Congress’ discretion. billion and about P108 billion for finance most of the financial followed by interest payments at constituents of their right to be The 78 percent, he said, capital outlays. requirements of President P328.733 billion. A few notches paid back in kind, considering consists of P357 billion for Of the P108 billion some P84 Macapagal-Arroyo’s social and below is economic services with that the proposed 2007 budget personal services, P184 billion for billion will be for infrastructure economic reforms, the Speaker P223.173 billion. General public contains several new items, which Internal Revenue Allotment, P318 development, and only about P24 said. services is P182.097 billion, may not be implemented if we fail billion for interest payments and billion for the acquisition of basic Before adjournment, de defense - P53.853 billion and net to enact a new budget. We have about P19 billion for other office equipment. Venecia thanked all House lending - P9.101 billion, for a to finally put up the long overdue Members, particularly grand total of P1,126.339 trillion. investments in infrastructure, Appropriations Chairman Rep. Only interest payments did not education and health, among Joey Sarte Salceda, who led the post an increase from 2006’s others.” sponsorship of the measure in P339.998 billion. The proposed GAA is No to impeachment plenary together with the De Venecia commended the focused on this firm course “so BY A DECISIVE VOTE of 173- can pursue a government of members of his committee. majority coalition led by Deputy that every Filipino in the ‘super 32 with one abstention after an national unity,” de Venecia said as Congress resumes session on Speakers Raul del Mar, Reps. Eric regions’ of the country can have overnight marathon debate, the he lauded Datumanong for his November 6. Singson, Emilio Espinosa, and the opportunity to rise from where House of Representatives struck brilliance and statesmanship in As Malacañang originally Gerry Salapuddin; Majority Leader he is,” Salceda said. down on the second attempt to guiding the impeachment process proposed, DepEd got the biggest Prospero Nograles and deputies “Super Regions” refer to the impeach President Gloria to its logical conclusion. allocation of P132.9 billion; Reps. Del de Guzman, Arthur North Luzon Quadrangle, which Macapagal-Arroyo. “We should not anymore DPWH - P73.6-billion; DILG - Defensor, Hussin Amin, Fredenil prioritizes agribusiness After the 17-hour televised allow the cycle of boom and bust P51.1-billion; DND - P49.5- Castro, Luis Villafuerte and Edcel investments; Metro Luzon Urban proceedings, which started on to reign in the nation’s economic billion; and DA, inclusive of its Lagman, among others. Beltway, which serves as a globally August 23 and ended life. We owe it to our people. Agricultural and Fisheries He also lauded the active competitive urban, industrial and midmorning the following day, National reformation must start Modernization Program participation and constructive services center; Central Speaker Jose de Venecia now,” he said.