Republic of the Philippines
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES IONNO. 17 wcdnesday, August 30,2006 SESSION NO. 17 Wednesday, Auj::ist 30,2006 CALL TO ORDER loved. If he were alive today, I am certain he would question the twin scourges of the At 3:26 p.m., the Senate President, Hon. Manny Garcillano and Bolante cover-ups, the nursing exams scandal, the unresolved and forgottcii Villar, called the session to order. jueteng issue, the military unrest, the appointment of unfit civil servants, the extra- PRAYER judicial killings of activists and mediamen, and the ugly bickerings of pro- and anti-charter The Body observed a mini& of silent prayer. changc advocates. It is not difficult to draw a conclusion as to the root of all these problems DEFERMENT OF THE ROLL CALL - grart and corruption. The Philippines is undoubtedly in the throes Upon motion of Senator Pail hian, there being of a crisis in government ethics. Graft and no objection, the Body deferret’ the’ roll call to a corruption is everywhere we care to look. The later hour. media echoes these realiti, .s and more, on a daily basis, and we find that most offenders are people DEFERMENT OF THE in power and authority. Can anything be done to APPROVAL OF THE JOURNAL arrest the spread of this vile disease that weakens our moral fabric? Upon motion of Senator Pangilinan, there being In a survey conducted by the Social no objection, the Body deferred the consideration Weather Stations between November 23 and and approval of the Journal of Session No. 16 to a December 2, 2004, perceptions of public sector later hoiir. corruption remain high. The study reveals a rising trend from September 1998 to December DEFERMENT OF 2004, with the highest upsurge registering THE REFERENCE OF BUSINESS between September and November 1998 - from 38% shooting to 52% of those surveyed, citing Upon motion of Senator Pangilinan, tlicre being a great deal of corruption in the public sector. However, there was a bi!: decrease recorded in no objection, the Body deferred the Reference of the extent of corruption in the period between Business later hour. to a June and September 2000, from 51% to 36%, and a slight dip - from 49% to 44% between March PRIVILEGE SPEECH and September 2001. The subsequent quarters OF SENATOR MAGSAYSA~ followed a general uptrend, reaching the hight percentage of 53% in December 2004. Availing himself of the privilege hour, Senator Every year since the release of the Global Magsaysay delivered the following speecli: Corruption Rcport in 2001 by the international ARE WE ASKING TOO MUCH? NGO, TranJparency International, our country continues to Care poorly as far as the Corruption Today is the eve of my father’s 99th birth Perception Index (CPI) is conci:rncd. Last year, anniversary, and 1 fed much obliged fo stand in the Philippiiicr ranked 124th out (if 159 countries this august Chamber to lament the sorry state of in the CPI. ‘l’he Philippinas rec. ked a measly governance that has caused ,much misery and score of 2.5 within the range .;f IO (“highly hopelessness to the Filipind people whom he clean”) and 0 (“hi!!lily currupt”).,$r b 234 WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 30,2006 In 2004, the Philippines ranked 104th out of the “Sunshine Law” in some of the states in the 146 countries in the CPI, with a score of 2.6. Iti United States of America. 2003, the Philippines ranked 97th out of 133 nations, with a score again of 2.6 among the The Bill of Rights provided “the right of bottom dwellers as to transparency and corruption. the people to information on matters of public Transparency International Chairman Peter concern.” In Article XI, the fundamental law Eigen stressed, “Corruption is a major cause of states that, “Public office is a public trust. Public poverty as well as a barrier to overcoming it. The officers and employees must at all times be two scourges feed off each other, locking their accountable to the people.” populations in a cycle of misery and poverty.” These provisions are all geared towards The studies of the Social Weather Stations making the bureaucracy work for the people. and Transparency International are even confirmed They guarantee the citizens a responsible by the Political and Economic Risk Consultancy government. Thus, when Filipinos seek the (PERC) which placed the Philippines as the second resolve of the leadership for genuine most corrupt country in the Asia-Pacific last year transparency and honesty, we ask ourselves, in 2005. “Do we ask too much from government?’ The World Bank estimates that losses due Wala sa aking pagkalao ang magsalita ng to graft and corruption can be placed at 20% of inasama sa aking kapwa at pumuna sa mga the country’s national budget. Iflthis estimate is bagay na aking nakikita. Pipiliin ko pang used, financial losses would cbnstitute about magmasid. mag-isip at tzrmulong na lamang. 3.8% of our Gross National Product (GNP). Ngunit di ko maiwasang magtanong at mag- alala sa nangyayari: Ang pamahalaan bang But while the government, specifically the aking kinabibilangan ay protektor ng kasa- Executive department, acknowlqdges that graft maan? Ang gobyerno bang ita ay kunsintidor and corruption is a complex and depply ingrained ng kahalayan sa bayan? Ang gobyerno bang problem, it does not lift a finger in addressing the it0 ay kaibigan ng buktot na pagmamaltrato sa malady. In fact, it adopts a suspiciously silent mamamayan? stance on many issues - the fertilizer fund scam, the squander of OWWA funds, the Venable Corruption is a form of injustice and tyranny. contract, the Northrail project and the nursing It saps the wealth of the country and deprives exams leakage, among many others. the people of basic services due them. It shuns potei~tial investors that generate employment. The people demand answers and explanations. It tarnishes national pride, promotes disrespect They want access to information on matters of for authority and government and weakens or public concern. They want to be afforded docu- paralyzes positive programs, obstructs progress, ments and papers that honor transparency and incites strife, and causes social and political accountability, The Filipinos deserve to know instability. But the moral degeneration caused by the truth. corruption far outweighs the social damage it Are they asking too much? inflicts. Are we overly demanding from our The government has been weighed by our government? people and has been found wanting. MENE MENE TEKEL PARSIN. Are the Filipinos not only asking for the guarantee of their rights? I ask our colleagues, honest men and women in government, and the entire bureaucracy to The hallmark of the 1987 Philippine exercise vigilance in the fight against the twin Constitution is the generosity of provisions that menace of graft and corruption. An important recognize the right of the citizens to information element in this formula is an informed citizenry, and their right to take positive steps and including selfless individuals whose efforts in effective measures against graft and corruption. the fight have been relentless and admirable. Let In the State Policies are the deharations in us be reminded of the selfless commitment of which the State is mandated to “maintain honcsty Sister Eva Fidela Maamo and Antonio Meloto of and integrity in public service’’ (Article 11, Gawad Kalinga, of the quest for truth of Section 27) and the adoption and implementation journalist Sheila Coronel, Bienvenido Lumbera of “a policy of full public disclosure of all its and Eugenia Duran Apostol, and of the honesty of and inteeritv of Jesse Robredo. mavor NaeaI transactions involving public inLerest” (Article -. I ., 11, Section 28). This is all part df what they call City, and the late Haydee Yorac. WEDNESPAY, AUGUST 3o,?no6 235 --__;_ - ___ - - .~ ,_.~ The wisdom of my father is etched in my Eldwin Alibutan, Richard Ranbuyong, and Crc zncio memory in these words, "Ang paglilingkod sa Jose; and 12 mayors of the n.iinicipa1ities of I$, gobyerno ay hindi binibilang sa dami ng taon Alicia. Imelda, Kabasalan. Mabuhy, Malangas, N,,, a, kung hindi sa iyong nagawa para sa bayan, sa Oluta:iga, Payao, Roseller T. Lim, Siay and Titay. mga inaliliit ...kung ang iyoii:,: iisipin ay ang pagpapasasa at pagpapayanian ay madaling maglingkod. Ngirnit kung mga naghihirap na APPROVAL OF THE JOURNAL Pilipino ang iyong isrisapuso, lilimiitin ma ang iyong sarili para sa .: nnila. " Upon motion of Senator Pangilinan, there being no objection, the Body dispensed with the reading of SUSPENSION OF SI*;.:;ION the Journal of Session No. 16 and considered it approved. Upon motion of Senator Pangilinan, the session was suspended. REFERENCE OF BUSINE.,S It was 3:38 p.m The Acting Secretary of the Senate read Proposed Senate Resolution No. 554, which the Chair referred RESUMPTION OF SES'$lON to the Committee on Agriculture and Food: At 3:38 p.m., the session was resumed. RESOLUTION URGING THE SENATE COMMITTEE ON AGRICULTURE ROLL CALL AND FOOD TO CONDUCT AN INQUIRY, IN AID OF LEGISLATION, Upon direction of the Chair, the Acting Secretary ON THE REPORT' D EXCESSIVE of the Senate, Emma Lirio-Reyes, called the roll, to ISSUANCE OF IM! ORT PERMITS which the following senators responded: BY THE DEPARTMENT OF AGRI- CULTURE-BUREAU OF PLANT Atigara, E. J. Lacson, P. M. INDUSTRIES RESULTING TO THE Arroyo, J. P. Lapid, M. L. M. MASSIVE FLOODING OF IMPOR- Cayetano, C. P. S. Lim, A. S. TED ONIONS IN THE MARKET TO Defensor Santiago, M. Magsaysay Jr., R. B. THE DETRIMENT OF FILIPINO , Drilon, F. M. Osmeiia 111, S. R. ONION GROWERS AND TRADERS Ejercito Estrada, J. Pangilinan, F. N. WITH THE END IN VIEW OF Ejercito Estrada, L.