REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES SS OF THE PHILIPPINES SENATE THIRTEENTH CONGRESS THIRD IbEGUEAR SESSION 2006 - 2007 VOLUME I Begun and held ut the Session Hull of ihe Senate, GSIS Building, Pasay City, on Monday, July 24, 2006 Session No. 1 Monday, July 24,2006 ,, CALL TO ORDER PRAYER ", Pursuant to Section 15, Article VI of the Sen. Juan M. Flavier led the prayer, to wit: Constitution of the Republic of the Philippines, Let us bow OUT heads in pmyes. mandating Congress to convene in regular session on 0 Lord, our Governor of the Universe, bless th,e fourth Monday of July of each year, the Third the lekders of our land, that we may be a people Regular Session of the Senate of the Thirteenth at pe?ce among ourselvys and a blessing to Congress of the '.Philippines was declared open on other ,nations of the earth, July 24, 2006, at 10:25 am., in the Senate Session Hall, GSTS Building, Financial Center, Pasay City, Lord, keep this nation under your care. Metro Manila, with the Senate President, Honorable To the President and members of the Franklin M. Drilon, presiding. Cabinet, to governors and mayors and to all in # 2 MONDAY, JULY 24,2006 administrative authority, grant wisdom and grace PROPOSED SENATE RESOLUTION NO. 506 in exercise of their duties. Give grnce to Your servanrs, 0 Lord, Upon motion of Senator Pangilinan, there being no objection, the Body considered Proposed Senate To senators and representatives and those Resolution No. 506, entitled who make our laws in our land. give courage, wisdom, and foresight to provide for the needs RESOLUTION INFORMING HOUSE of all our people, and to fulfill our obligations in THE the cornmunity of nations. OF REPRESENTATIVES THAT A QUORUM IS PRESENT IN THE Give grace to Your servants, 0 Lord. SENATE AND THAT THIS BODY To the judges and officers of our courts, HAS ENTERED UPON THE give understanding and integrity, that human EXERCISE OF ITS FUNCTIONS FOR rights must be safeguavded and justice served. THE THIRD REGULAR SESSION Give grace to Your servant,T, 0 Lord OF THE THIRTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE PHILIPPINES And finally, teach our people to rely^ on Your strength and to accept their responsibilities Secretary Yabes read the text of the resolution, to their fellow citizens, that they may choose trustwolrhy leaders and make wise decisions Cor to wit: I/ the well-being of our society, that we may serve &solved by the Senate, That the House of You faithfully in our generation and honor Your boly name. Representatives be informed that a quorum is present in the Senate and that this Body has For yours is the^ kingdom, 0 Lord. and You entered upon the exercise of its functions for the are exalted as head above all. Third: 'Regular Session of the Thirteenth Amen Congreks of the Philippines. NATIONAL ANTHEM ADOPTION OF PROPOSED SENATE WSOLUTION NO. 506 The Las Pilias Boys Choir led the singing of the national anthem and thereafter rendered tlic songs Upon motion of Senator Pangilinan, there being entitled, Cantate Domino and Song of the Rainbow. no objection, Proposed Senate Resolution No. 506 was adopted by the Body. ROLL CALL PROPOSED SENATE RESOLUTION NO. 507 Upon direction of the Chair,.fhe Secretary of the Senate, Osear G. Yabes, called the~roIlio which the Upon motion of Senator Pangilinan, there being following seiiators~responded: no objection, the Body consibered Proposed Senate Resolution No. 507, entitled Arroyo, J. P. Lapid, M. L. Biazon, R. G. Lini, A. S. RESOLUTION INFORMING HER Cayetano, C. P. S. Madrigal, M. A. EXCELLENCY, Tm' PRESIDENT OF Defensor Santiago, M. Magsaysay Jr., R. B. THE PI&IPPn\[ES, THAT A QUORUM Drilon, F. M. Pangilinan, F. N. IS PRESENT IN THE~SENATEAND Ejercito Estrada, J. Pimentel Jr., A. Q, TVT THIS BODY HAS ENTERED Ejercito Estrada, L. L. P. Recto, R. G. UPON THE EX!3RCISE OF ITS FUNC- Enrile, J. P. Rekilla Jr., R. B. TIONS FOR THE THIRD REGULAR Flavier, J. M. Roxas, M. SESSION OF THE THlRTEENTH Gordon, R. J. Villar Jr., M. B. COPGRESS OF THE PHILIPPINES. Lacson, P. M. Secretary Yabes read the ltext of the resolution, With 21 senators present, the Chair declared the to wit: presence of a quorum. Resolved by the Senate, That Her Excellency, Senators Aiigara~and Osmefia were absent the President of the Philippines, be informed thaty MONDAY, JULY 24,2006 3 a quorum is present in the Senate and that this Libre ang mangarap, sabi nila. Moreover, Body has entered upon the exercise of its after having spent twenty productive years of functions For the Third Regular Session of the my life in government service, I have become Thirteenth Congress of the Philippines. more motivated and relentless in pursuing this dream, a dream that I certainly share with all of ADOPTION OF PROPOSED you who are here today. SENATE RESOLUTION NO. 507 I have dreamed of making our country a better place to live in and provide opportunities Upon motion of Senator Pangilinan, there being for o,ur countrymen, so that the nearly eight (8) no objection, Proposed Senate Resolution No. 507 million of our countrymen living abroad may one was adopted by the Body. day come back and share their tomorrows with their families. VALEDICTORY SPEECH OF Thus, I am truly proud to report to the SENATE PRESIDENT DRXLQN nation that under my watch, the Senate passed vital economic and social legislations, notable Senate President Drilon delivered the following among which were the Anti-Money Laundering valedictory speech: Act, the Special Purpose Vehicles Act, the General Banking Law, the E-Commerce Law, the My esteemed colleagues, excellencies of the Dual Citizenship Act, the Anti-Violence Against diplomatic corps, fellow workers in government, Women, the Anti-Trafficking in Persons, the distinguished guests, friends, ladies and gentle- Overseas Absentee Voting Act, the Abolition of men, a pleasant good morning to all of you. the Death Penalty Law, the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act, the Government Today, we open the Third Regular Session Procurement Reform Act, the Clean Water Act, of the Thirteenth Congress with the renewed the Law Increasing the Salaries of Judges and commitment to defend democracy, a stronger Prosecutors, the Alternative Dispute Resolution resolve to uphold the national interest and a Act, ,the Expanded Value-Added Tax Law, the resolute^ spirit to work as one in steering our Juvenile Justice System Act, the Securities nation. toward its peace and development goals. Regulation Code, and the Optical Media Act, among others. I stand before you, honored and proud. For more than five years, you have given me your On a personal note, 1 am particularly proud trust and confidence. But, more important, you that'over the years, I have made my small have given me your support as the Senate stood contribution to make a difference in the lives of as one in addressing the urgent needs of ow countty our countrymen through my Priority Develop- and in defending democracy when strong political ment, Assistance Fund (PDAF). In response to storms pummeled our country in recent times. the huge shortage of classrooms in mal areas natidnwide, I have allocated P250 million to a I beg your indulgence for I cannot help but schoolbuilding project in coordination with the recall those days when the voices of the great Federation of Filipino-Chinese Chamber of men of Philippine politics resonated through Commerce and Industry. To date, 1 am proud to the halls of this august Chamber. We stood in say tbat we have completed the construction awe as Claro M. Recto, Jose W. Diokno, Sergio of over 1,400 classrooms a11 over the country. OSmefia Jr., Gerardo Roxas, Benign0 Aquino Jr., Let me once more emphasize that we are building and Jovito R. Salonga, who is in our midst today, these classrooms at approximately P180,OOO per dazzled lhe'nation with their eloquence, wit and classroom versus P400,OOO when done by other brilliance.. And how they inspired our people by government contractors.* We will continue to their peerless love for our country, their uncommon devote budgetary allocations for this purpose. valor, integrity, and sense of humanity Because of the sad state of our health care I am one of the millions of Filipinos whose system and high cost of seeking medical treat- lives have been profoundly touched by these ment, mcst poor Filipinos have no one to turn to great men. As a young boy growing up in Iloilo, for their health care needs. Hence, 1 allocated I was not only amazed and impressed by them, PI48 lmillion to help the poorest of the poor of I developed a strong yearning to serve my count~y our kababayans and entrusted this money to like they did. To this day, 1 nurture the dream of one day seeing the Philippines in the league --A_- of democratic and wealthy countries in the world.' * As cbrrected by Senator Drilon on July 26, 2006 P~W 4 MONDAY, JULY 24, 2006 government hospitals such as the Philippine To the men and women of the Senate General Hospital, the National Kidney Institute, Secretariat, my respect and profound gratitude the Philippine Children’s Medical Center and for your hard work, support and loyalty to the the Philippine Heart Center, benefitting around institut.ion during its highest and even the 116,784 Filipinos. lowest moments, As Senate Preesidcnt, I have been humbled Today, we are at the threshold oE another by the distinct honor of leading this Chamber chapter in the Senate’s history. To lionor a and the immense responsibility that goes with it.