REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES Senat:e Pasay City Journal SESSION NO. 42 Tuesday to Friday, November 23 to 26, 2010 Tuesday, November 30,2010 FIFTEENTH CONGRESS FIRST REGULAR SESSION SESSION NO. 42 Tuesday to Friday, November 23 to 26, 2010 Tuesday, November 30, 2010 CALL TO ORDER Angara, E. J. Honasan, G. B. Arroyo, J. P. Legarda, L. At 3:21 p.m., Tuesday, November 23,2010, the Cayetano, A. P. C. S. Marcos Jr., F. R. Senate President, Han. Juan Ponce Emile, called the Cayetano, C. P. S. Pangilinan, F. N. session to order. Drilon, F. M. Sotto 1lI, V. C. Ejercito Estrada, 1. Zubiri, J. M. F. PRAYER Emile, J. P. Sen. Joker P. Arroyo led the prayer, to wit: With 13 senators present, the Chair declared the presence of a quorum. As we start our deliberations of the Senators Escudero, Guingona, Osmefia, Recto, budget, please help us, 0 Lord, to sharpen Revilla and Villar arrived after the roll call. our skills in addition and subtraction, division and multiplication, to better dissect the Senator Defensor Santiago was on sick leave. thousands of items in the budget. Fortify our understanding in the general "Senators Lacson and Lapid were absent. and special provisions that provide the Senator Trillanes was unable to attend the session gu idance on the spending authority of the as he was under detention. Executive of the hard-earned funds collected from the people. APPROVAL OF THE JOURNAL With Your blessings and guidance, the Senate will enact a fair and good budget for Upon motion of Senator Sotto, there being no the people. objection, the Body dispensed with the reading of the Journal of Session No. 41 (November 22, 2010) and Amell. considered it approved. ROLL CALL ACKNOWLEDGMENT OF THE PRESENCE OF GUESTS Upon direction of the Chair, the Secretary of the Senate, Atty. Emma Lirio-Reyes, called the roll, to At this juncture, Senator Sotto acknowledged which the following senators responded: the presence in the gallery of Gov. Imee R. Marcos ~#" 720 TUESDA Y. NOVEMBER 23. 20 I {) of Ilocos Norte, councilors of Davao City, and some Introduced by Senator Escudero members of the President's Cabinet. To the Committee ou Labor, Employment Senate President EIlI'ile welcomed the guests and Human Resources Development to the Senate, expressing hope that the President's men would be able to help the senators scrutinize Senate Bill No. 2602, entitled the budget so that it could be approved as soon as possible. AN ACT TO REGULATE THE SALT INTAKE OF CONSUMERS BY REFERENCE OF BUSINESS PROVIDING AL TERNA TlVES TO THE CONVENTIONAL USE OF The Secretary of the Senate read the following SALT, REQUIRING STRICT LABEL­ matters and the Chair made the corresponding LING STANDARDS, CONSUMER referrals: EDUCATION AND INITIATING PARTNERSHIPS WITH THE FOOD MESSAGES FROM THE HOUSE INDUSTRY OF REPRESENTATIVES Introduced by Senator Defensor Santiago Letter from Speaker Feliciano Belmonte .Ir. of the House of Representatives, dated 15 November To the Committees on Trade and 20 I 0, respectively designating the following Commerce; and Health and Demography Representatives as members of the House panel on the following Congressional Oversight Senate Bill No. 2603, entitled Committees/Commission: AN ACT AMENDING PRESIDENTIAL Representatives Mandanas (H.), Gunigundo DECREE NO. 442, BOOK V, I (M.), Remulla (.I. C.), Aggabao (G.) CHAPTER II, ARTICLE 248, TO and Garcia-Albano (M.) for the PROTECT THE RIGHTS OF THE Congressional Oversight Committee on EMPLOYERS Comprehensive Tax Reform Program (COCCTRP); Introduced by Senator Defensor Santiago Representatives Ong (E.), Gunigundo I (M.), Mariano (R.), Mendoza (R.) and Lagman To the Committee on Labor, Employment (E.) for the Congressional Oversight and Human Resources Development Committee on Labor and Employment (COCLE); and Senate Bill No. 2604, entitled Representatives Ledesma IV (J.), Abaya (J. AN ACT PROVIDING FOR THE E.), Palmones (A.), Noel (F.) and Angara PROTECTION OF WORKERS IN THE (J. E.) for the Congressional Commission CALL CENTER INDUSTRY on Science and Technology, and Engineering (COMSTE). Introduced by Senator Defensor Santiago To the Committee on Rules To the Committee on Labor, Employment and Hnman Resources Development BILLS ON FIRST READING Senate Bill No. 2605, entitled Senate Bill No. 2601, entitled AN ACT PROHIBITING THE PRES­ AN ACT PENALIZING CERTAIN ACTS IDENTIAL RE-NOMINA TlON OR IN THE IMPOSITION OF EXCES­ RE-APPOINTMENT OF A NOMINEE SIVE PLACEMENT FEES AGAINST OR AN APPOINTEE WHOSE OVERSEAS FILIPINO WORKERS NOMINATION OR APPOINTMENT v r~ TUESDA Y. NOVEMBER 23. 2010 721 IMD BEEN TWICE BY-PASSED BY RESOLUTIONS THE COMMISSION ON APPOINT­ MENTS, BANNING THE PAYMENT Proposed Senate Resolution No. 286, entitled Of SALARIES, EMOLUMENTS, PER DIEMS TO THE PERSONS RESOLUTION DIRECTING THE PROPER CONCERNED, AND FOR OTHER SENATE COMMITTEE TO CONDUCT PURPOSES AN INQUIRY, IN AID OF LEGIS­ LATION, ON THE ALARMING Introduced by Senator Villar INCREASE OF INCIDENTS OF INCEST IN THE COUNTRY WHICH CAN BE To the Committee on Constitutional Amend­ ATTRIBUTABLE TO THE FEMINI­ ments, Revision of Codes and Laws ZATION OF LABOR MIGRATION Senate Bill No. 2606, entitled Introduced by Senator Defensor Santiago AN ACT PROVIDING FOR THE To the Committees on Youth, Women and PROMOTION OF BREASTFEEDING Family Relations; and Labor, Employment and PRACTICES AND INSTITUTING Human Resources Development MEASURES THEREFOR AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES Proposed Senate Resolution No. 287, entitled Introduced by Senator Zubiri RESOLUTION DIRECTING THE PROPER SENATE COMMITTEES TO INVES­ To the Committees on Health and Demo­ TIGATE, IN AID OF LEGISLATION, graphy; Youth, Women and Family Relations; ON THE ALLEGED USE OF THE and Ways and Means D10SDADO MACAPAGAL INTER­ NATIONAL AIRPORT AS AN EXIT Senate Bill No. 2607, entitled POINT IN THE TRAFFICKING OF FILIPINO WOMEN AN ACT DECLARING A PARCEL OF LAND OF THE PUBLIC DOMAIN Introduced by Senator Defensor Santiago AN AGRICULTURAL LAND FOR TOWN SITE PURPOSE OF THE To the Committees on Public Services; and MUNICIPALITY OF SALVADOR Justice and Human Rights BENEDICTO, PROVINCE OF NEGROS OCCIDENTAL AND FOR Proposed Senate Resolution No. 288, entitled OTHER PURPOSES RESOLUTION l)RGING THE SENATE Introduced by Senator Zubiri COMMITTEE ON PUBLIC SERVICES AND OTHER APPROPRIATE COM­ To the Committee on Environment and MITTEES TO CONDUCT AN INQUIRY. Natural Resources IN AID OF LEGISLATION, FOR POSSIBLE REVOCATION OF FRAN­ Senate Bill No. 2608. entitled CHISE OF BUS COMPANIES FOR DEFYING THE RULES AND REGULA­ AN ACT PROVIDING A fRAMEWORK TIONS ATTACHED TO A CERTIFI­ FOR THE OBSERVANCE OF CATE OF PUBLIC CONVENIENCE COMMAND RESPONSIBILITY IN AND NECESSITY THEREBY CAUSING GOVERNMENT SERVICE CRITICAL INCONVENIENCE TO THE COMMUTING PUBLIC Introduced by Senator Villar Introduced by Senator SOlto III To the Committees on Justice and Human Rights; and National Defense and Secnrity To the Committee 011 Public Services /II'" r 722 TUESDAY. NOVEMBER 23.2010 Proposed Senate Resolution No. 289, entitled House Bill No. 310 I (Committee Report No. II), entitled RESOLUTION URGING THE APPRO­ PRIATE SENATE COMMITTEE/S TO AN ACT APPROPRIATING FUNDS FOR CONDUCT AN INQUIRY, IN AID THE OPERATION OF THE GOVERN­ OF LEGISLATION, ANENT THE MENT OF THE REPUBLIC OF THE STATE OF TOBACCO INDUSTRY PHILIPPINES FROM JANUARY ONE vis-A-vIS THE IMPLEMENTATION TO DECEMBER THIRTY-ONE, TWO OF WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZ­ THOUSAND AND ELEVEN, AND A TlON FRAMEWORK CONVEN­ FOR OTHER PURPOSES. TION ON TOBACCO CONTROL (WHO FCTC) TO HELP ALLEVIATE Pursuant to Section 67, Rule XXIII of the Rules THE PLIGHT OF TOBACCO of the Senate, with the permission of the Body, upon FARMERS IN THE COUNTRY motion of Senator Sotto, only the title of the bi II was read without prejudice to the insertion of its full text Introduced by Senator Villar into the Record of the Senate. To the Committees on Trade and Commercc; The Chair recognized Senator Drilon for the and Agriculture and Food sponsorship. COMMITTEE REPORT SPONSORSHIP SPEECH OF SENATOR DRILON Committee Report No. II, submitted by the Committee on Finance, on House Bill No. 3101, introduced In presenting House Bill No. 3101 for the by Representative Abaya, el al., entitled consideration of the Body, Senator Drilon delivered AN ACT APPROPRIATING FUNDS FOR the following speech: THE OPERATION OF THE GOVERN­ MENT OF THE REPUBLIC OF THE THE FY 2011 NATIONAL BUDGET: MAKING REFORMS WORK PHILIPPINES FROM JANUARY ONE TO DECEMBER THIRTY-ONE, TWO The ascent to power of a new administration THOUSAND AND ELEVEN, AND invariably opens a fresh chapter in the history of FOR OTHER PURPOSES, a nation. A time to start anew and to institute much-needed refonns for a better nation for recommending its approval with amendments. generations to come. On August 24, 2010, Pres. Benigno S. Sponsors: Senators Drilon, Angara, Recto Aquino III, armed with an overwhelming mandate and the Members of the Committee on given him by the Filipino pepple, presented to Finance Congress his administration's first national budget. Branded as the "Reform Budget," the To the Calendar for Ordinary Busincss National Expenditure Program (NEP) sought to put in place several noteworthy reform-oriented SPECIAL ORDER measures to address critical gaps in governance. Basic Governal1ce Principles Upon motion of Senator Sotto, there being no objection, the Body approved the transfer of The Programmed New Appropriations stand Committee Report No. lion 1·louse Bill No. 3101 at P933.479 billion. from the Calendar for Ordinary Business to the P540.382 billion is proposed for Personal Calendar for Special Orders. Services, the biggest component of the national budget, which will fund the salaries and other COMMITTEE REPORT NO. 11 benefits of about 1.163 million permanent posi­ ON HOUSE BILL NO. 3101 tions. It is an increase ofP47.240 billion, or 9.6% over its current adjusted level of P493.142 billion. Upon motion of Senator Solto, there being no This increase is a consequence of the implement- objection, the Body considered, on Second Reading, ation of the Salary Standardization Law Ill.