| PGMA's Speech During the Ceremonial Signing of the Power Reform Bill and Supplemental Budget |
Ceremonial Hall, Malacanang (June 8, 2001) |
| SENATE PRESIDENT NENE
PIMENTEL; SPEAKER SONNY BELMONTE, INCOMING CITY MAYOR; MAJORITY LEADER KIT TATAD; THE AUTHORS, SPONSORS AND CONFEREES OF REPUBLIC ACT 9136 -- AND GABBY CLAUDIO HAS ALREADY MENTIONED THEM; MEMBERS OF THE CABINET; REPRESENTATIVES FROM THE ENERGY SECTOR AND CIVIL SOCIETY; LADIES AND GENTLEMEN: UNA'Y GUSTO KONG PASALAMATAN ANG MGA SENADOR AT KONGRESISTA NA TUMAWID NG "PARTY LINE" AT NAGTULONG-TULONG PARA PUMASA ANG POWER REFORM BILL. THE PASSAGE OF THIS BILL DEMONSTRATES THAT HEALING IS MORE PRODUCTIVE THAN HATRED. TO GOD BE THE GLORY. DAHIL SA BATAS NA ITO, MATITIGIL NA NATIN ANG NAPAKALAKING BINIBIGAY NG GOBYERNO SA NAPOCOR BAWA'T TAON BILANG SUBSIDY. MALAKI PONG HALAGA IYAN. THIS LAW UNBURDENS GOVERNMENT FROM HAVING TO MAINTAIN AND OPERATE GENERATING PLANTS. AT 38 BILLION PESOS ANNUALLY, GOVERNMENT'S SUBSIDIES TO THE POWER SECTOR COULD BE USED TO FUND OTHER SERVICES. THIS AMOUNT CAN BUILD MORE THAN 116,000 CLASSROOMS, IRRIGATE ALMOST 127,000 HECTARES, PUT UP 76,000 LOW-COST HOUSES, OR CONSTRUCT 6,300 KILOMETERS OF ROAD. THIS ASPECT, TO ME, IS MOST SIGNIFICANT, FOR IT ENABLES GOVERNMENT TO STRETCH ITS SCARCE FINANCES TO MEET OTHER BASIC NEEDS THAT OUR PEOPLE SHOULD HAVE IMMEDIATELY. DAHIL SA BATAS NA ITO, SANA HINDI NA MAGKAKAROON NG PROBLEMA ANG GOBYERNO NA MAGHANAP NG DAGDAG NA PUHUNAN PARA SA ENERGY SECTOR. AT THE CORE OF THIS LAW IS THE FRAMEWORK FOR GREATER COMPETITION AND THE PROVISION OF A LEVEL PLAYING FIELD FOR POWER GENERATORS. DAHIL SA BATAS NA ITO AY MALULUTAS ANG UTANG NG NAPOCOR. KUNG HINDI PUMASA ANG POWER REFORM BILL, PATULOY SANA ANG PAGLOBO NG UTANG NA ITO. IYAN PO ANG ILAN SA MGA DAHILAN KUNG BAKIT MASYADONG MATAAS ANG PRESYO NG ATING KORYENTE, ISA SA PINAKAMATAAS SA BUONG ASIA. ITO ANG DAHILAN KUNG BAKIT NAPAKAMAHAL ANG PRESYO NG MGA BILIHIN. SA PAGPASA NG POWER REFORM BILL, MAGKAKAROON NG KOMPETISYON. INAASAHAN NATING BABABA ANG PRESYO NG KORYENTE. OUR REPUTATION AS HAVING ONE OF THE MOST EXPENSIVE ELECTRICITY RATES IN ASIA WILL HOPEFULLY CHANGE WITH THE LAW'S MANDATE OF RATE REDUCTION OF AROUND 30 CENTAVOS PER KILOWATT-HOUR FOR RESIDENTIAL CONSUMERS. THE LAW ALSO PROVIDES FOR A REDUCTION IN INDUSTRIAL POWER RATES. KUNG BABABA ANG PRESYO NG KORYENTE, DAPAT SUSUNOD ANG PAGBABA NG PRESYO NG MGA BILIHIN, O KAYA MAN LANG MAIIWASAN ANG MALUBHANG PAGTAAS PA NG MGA PRESYO. MAGIGING COMPETITIVE TAYO SA IBANG BANSA. MARAMI PO ANG PABOR SA BATAS NA ITO. MARAMI DIN ANG TUTOL. PINAKINGGAN KO PONG MABUTI ANG DALAWANG PANIG. PINAKINGGAN DIN SILA NG MGA KONGRESISTA AT SENADOR. AT SA ISANG MAKASAYSAYANG BOTO, NAGPASYA ANG ATING MATATALINONG MAMBABATAS NA IPASA ANG POWER REFORM BILL. MANY OF OUR COUNTRYMEN, AND EVEN SOME LEGISLATORS WHO VOTED FOR THIS NEW LAW, BELIEVE THAT THIS NEW LAW CAN STILL STAND SOME IMPROVEMENT. IN PARTICULAR, THEY WANT THE LAW TO LEVEL THE PLAYING FIELD MORE IN THE POWER INDUSTRY AND TO INSTITUTE ADDITIONAL SAFEGUARDS TO PROTECT CONSUMERS. I BELIEVE THESE ARE VALID CONCERNS. AND I AM DIRECTING THE INCOMING SECRETARY OF ENERGY, VICENTE PEREZ, WHO IS RIGHT HERE -- STAND UP DEAN SO THAT THEY'LL KNOW YOU IN THE ENERGY SECTOR -- TO CONDUCT PUBLIC HEARINGS TO DETERMINE IF FURTHER AMENDMENTS ARE NEEDED AND WHAT THESE AMENDMENTS ARE THAT ARE NEEDED TO FURTHER PROTECT THE PUBLIC INTEREST. AND WITH THE INDULGENCE OF OUR SENATORS AND CONGRESSMEN WHO HAVE WORKED SO HARD IF THE HEARINGS COME ABOUT WITH CONSENSUS AMENDMENTS, THEN I HOPE YOU WILL INDULGE ME WHEN I CERTIFY TO THE 12th CONGRESS AS URGENT THE ENACTMENT OF THESE NEEDED CONSENSUS AMENDMENTS TO THE LAW. MAY MAGKASAMA PONG GINHAWA AT SAKIT ANG BATAS NA ITO. MAY GINHAWA PO AT MGA GINHAWA ILAN DIYAN AY MAGSISIMULA KAAGAD -- YUNG PAGBABA NG ATING ELECTRIC BILLS. ANG MGA SAKIT NAMAN AY INAASAHAN NATING UNTI-UNTING MAWAWALA. NGUNIT KUNG HINDI PO NATIN INALIS O GINAMOT ANG KARAMDAMAN, LALO PANG GA-GRABE ANG MGA SAKIT. GAGAMITIN PO NATING ANG PERANG MASE-SAVE, GAYA NG SINABI KO KANINA, PARA SA MGA PRAYORIDAD NATIN, TULAD NG MURANG PABAHAY, LIBRENG GAMOT, IMPRASTRAKTURA, MASS EDUCATION AT SMALL BUSINESS. PASIGLAHIN NATIN ANG EKONOMIYA AT ANG KALIDAD NG ATING BUHAY. MARAMING SALAMAT MULI SA MGA SENADOR AT KONGRESISTA. LADIES AND GENTLEMEN OF THE 11TH CONGRESS, ASIDE FROM THANKING YOU FOR PASSING THIS BILL, I ALSO OFFER YOU THE DEEP APPRECIATION OF THE FILIPINO PEOPLE FOR ALL YOUR ACCOMPLISHMENTS DURING THIS CONGRESS. THIS CONGRESS HAS SET MANY FIRSTS. THIS IS THE FIRST BUT HOPEFULLY THE ONLY CONGRESS OF OUR COUNTRY THAT HAS WORKED WITH TWO ADMINISTRATIONS. AND IT IS THIS CONGRESS THAT WILL FINALLY SEE THE PASSAGE INTO LAW OF WHAT IS PERHAPS THE LONGEST-RUNNING BILL IN OUR HISTORY -- BECAUSE IT SPANNED THREE ADMINISTRATIONS AND TWO CONGRESSES -- INDEED THE LONGEST-RUNNING BILL IN PHILIPPINE CONTEMPORARY LEGISLATION: THE ELECTRIC POWER INDUSTRY REFORM BILL WHICH WILL SOON BECOME REPUBLIC ACT 9136. I AM GLAD THAT THE SOON-TO-BE R.A. 9136 IS THE PRODUCT OF THE JOINT EFFORTS OF THE IMMEDIATE PAST AND THE PRESENT ADMINISTRATIONS. IT WAS IN THE PAST ADMINISTRATION THAT THIS BILL REACHED THE BICAMERAL CONFERENCE COMMITTEE LEVEL. THIS ADMINISTRATION HAS ENSURED THAT THE WORK DONE TO PUSH THIS BILL WOULD NOT COME TO NAUGHT. AS THE CHILD OF TWO ADMINISTRATIONS, THIS LAW SHOULD PROVE THAT, WHEN THE INTEREST OF THE FILIPINO PEOPLE IS AT STAKE, CONGRESS AND THE EXECUTIVE BRANCH WILL READILY SET ASIDE POLITICS AND JOIN HANDS TO BENEFIT OUR PEOPLE. LET IT ALSO BE SAID HERE THAT THIS ADMINISTRATION WILL CONTINUE SOUND POLICIES STARTED BY PREVIOUS ADMINISTRATIONS. MARAMING SALAMAT DIN SA MGA NGO NA SUMUPORTA SA ATIN. ANG PAGPASA NG POWER REFORM BILL NA PINAGDEBATEHAN NOONG NAKARAANG SIYAM NA TAON AY ISANG DEMONSTRASYON NG BAGONG DIWA NG PAGTULUNGAN NG MGA PILIPINO. IPAGPATULOY PO NATIN ANG DIWANG ITO NG PAGKAKAISA PARA SA ATING BAYAN, PARA SA ATING KABATAAN, PARA SA ATING KINABUKASAN. TODAY ALSO, WE WITNESS THE SIGNING INTO LAW OF R.A. 9137 OR THE SUPPLEMENTAL APPROPRIATIONS FOR FISCAL YEAR 2001. NAGAGALAK AKONG PIRMAHAN ANG PANUKALANG BATAS NA ITO, NA BUKOD SA IBANG BAGAY, AY MAGBIBIGAY NG LIMANG PORSYENTONG DAGDAG SA SAHOD NG MGA GOVERNMENT WORKERS. THIS SUPPLEMENTAL BUDGET IS VITAL TO THE OPERATIONS OF THE BUREAUCRACY. OF THE TOTAL OF 10.9 BILLION PESOS IN THE BUDGET, THE SUPPLEMENTAL BUDGET, 1.45 BILLION WILL COVER THE SECOND (INSTALLMENT) OF THE SALARY INCREASES FOR THE PHILIPPINE NATIONAL POLICE AS MANDATED BY REPUBLIC ACT 8551; 500 MILLION PESOS COVERS THE P500-INCREASE IN THE MONTHLY OLD-AGE PENSIONS OF VETERANS AND SURVIVING SPOUSES UNDER REPUBLIC ACT 7696, AND ONE BILLION PESOS WILL GO TO THE DEFICIENCIES IN THE APPROPRIATION OF FOREIGN-ASSISTED PROJECTS AS WELL AS THE COUNTERPART REQUIREMENT OF PROJECTS THAT WILL BE IMPLEMENTED STARTING THIS YEAR. THE BULK OF THIS SUPPLEMENTAL BUDGET, AMOUNTING TO 7.95 BILLION PESOS WILL COVER SALARY DEFICIENCIES AND ADJUSTMENTS. OF THIS AMOUNT, 4.15 BILLION PESOS WILL BE USED TO PAY 5,000 TEACHERS HIRED IN FISCAL YEAR 2000; THE INCREASE IN GOVERNMENT SHARE OF HEALTH AND INSURANCE PREMIUMS OF GOVERNMENT EMPLOYEES; RETIREMENT BENEFITS FOR PNP PERSONNEL; AND THE DEFICIENCY IN THE REGULAR RETIREMENT BENEFITS OF OTHER GOVERNMENT PERSONNEL. THE REMAINING AMOUNT OF 3.8 BILLION PESOS WILL BE USED TO COVER THE FIVE PERCENT ACROSS-THE-BOARD INCREASE OF ALL NATIONAL GOVERNMENT EMPLOYEES. AKO NA ANG UNANG MAGSASABI NA HINDI PA RIN SAPAT ANG UMENTO PARA LUBUSANG TAPATAN ANG PAGTAAS NG PRESYO NG MGA BILIHIN. AKO NA RIN ANG UNANG AAMIN NA MATAGAL NANG DAPAT IBINIGAY ANG NASABING UMENTO SA MGA GOVERNMENT WORKERS DAHIL MATAGAL NANG NALAMPASAN NG PRIVATE SECTOR ANG SALARY SCALE NG PUBLIC SECTOR. ISANG NAPAKA-IMPORTANTENG BAHAGI ANG GOVERNMENT SERVICE SA ATING PROGRAMA PARA SA REPORMA. HINDI NATIN MATATAPOS ANG ATING MGA PLANO KUNG WALA TAYONG MATAPAT, MASIPAG AT EDUKADONG GOVERNMENT WORKERS. TAON-TAON AY NABABAWASAN TAYO NG MAGAGALING NA GOVERNMENT WORKERS DAHIL SILA AY LUMILIPAT SA PRIVATE SECTOR O UMAALIS PATUNGONG IBANG BANSA. BILANG ISANG EKONOMISTA, HINDI KO SINISISI ANG KANILANG DESISYON DAHIL PRAYORIDAD NILA ANG INTERES NG KANILAN PAMILYA. MAKATUWIRAN ANG KANILANG DESISYON. PERO SA KATAGALAN, ANG KAWALAN NG EDUKADO AT DISIPLINADONG GOVERNMENT WORKERS AY MAKAKAAPEKTO SA PAGHAHATID NG SERBISYONG BAYAN SA MGA MAMAMAYAN. GANOON PA MAN, KAILANGAN NATING PATAASIN PA ANG KALIDAD NG GOVERNMENT SERVICE SA PAMAMAGITAN NG TRAINING, IMPROVED RECRUITMENT, AT BETTER PAY. SINISIKAP NATIN NA SAPAT ANG SAHOD NG MGA GOVERNMENT WORKERS SAPAGKAT MALAKI ANG KANILANG SERBISYO SA BAYAN. KUNG SA BAGAY AY HINDI LAGING SALAPI ANG KABAYARAN SA PUBLIC SERVICE. ANG MAKATULONG SA PAGBUO NG BANSA AY ISANG URI NA TINATAWAG NA "PSYCHIC INCOME," ISANG KASIYAHANG LOOB NA MAHIGIT PA SA SALAPI. PERO NARIYAN PA RIN ANG PANGANGAILANGAN SA PERANG NASA BULSA O NASA BANGKO. BUKOD SA 3.8 BILYONG PESOS NA SALARY INCREASE NA BINANGGIT KO PARA SA GOVERNMENT WORKERS, UULITIN KO DARAGDAGAN DIN NG BATAS NA ITO ANG SAHOD NG MGA PULIS, MGA GURO, ANG PENSYON PARA SA MGA BETERANO, AT POPONDOHAN DIN ANG RETIREMENT BENEFITS PARA SA MGA KAWANI NG PAMAHALAAN. KAYA GUSTO KO PONG PASALAMATAN MULI ANG KONGRESO SA KANILANG PAGPASA NG SUPPLEMENTAL BUDGET NA NAGHAHALAGANG 10.9 BILLION PESOS. PINASASALAMATAN KO ANG MGA MAGIGITING NA SENADOR AT CONGRESSMAN NA NAG-OVERTIME PARA SIGURUHING MAGKAROON NG DAGDAG NA UMENTO ANG MGA MASISIPAG NA EMPLEYADO NG PAMAHALAAN. SALAMAT PO SA INYONG LAHAT MGA SENADOR AT CONGRESSMEN. YOU, THE MEMBERS OF THE 11th CONGRESS, HAVE MADE YOUR MARK AS LEGISLATORS AND STATESMEN, WITH MORE THAN 412 NEW LAWS TO YOUR CREDIT. THESE LAST TWO LAWS TO BE SIGNED SOON ARE TESTAMENTS TO THE SINCERITY AND THE POLITICAL WILL OF BOTH THE LEGISLATIVE AND EXECUTIVE BRANCHES IN SEARCHING FOR ENDURING PROCESSES, SYSTEMS AND PLANS THAT POSITIVELY IMPACT ON OUR PEOPLE'S LIVES. I AM PARTICULARLY HAPPY THAT AFTER I BECAME PRESIDENT, THIS CONGRESS PASSED 133 BILLS, INCLUDING THE LAST TWO BILLS, AND 22 OF THEM ARE OF NATIONAL APPLICATION. SINCE I HAVE BEEN PRESIDENT FOR ONLY A 140 DAYS, THIS MEANS DURING THE TIME THAT WE WORKED TOGETHER, YOU, THE CONGRESSMEN AND SENATORS PASSED ALMOST ONE LAW PER DAY. AND I HOPE THAT THE 12th CONGRESS -- WHEREIN MANY OF YOU WILL STILL SIT -- WILL BE AS PRODUCTIVE. TAKE A BOW, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN OF THE 11TH CONGRESS, AND RECEIVE THE APPLAUSE OF THE FILIPINO NATION. IT HAS BEEN MY GREAT HONOR TO HAVE WORKED WITH YOU. AT SA LAHAT NG ATING MGA KAPWA PILIPINO, BAYAN MAGKAISA. MARAMING SALAMAT SA INYONG LAHAT. |
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