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People Power Coalition Liberal Party

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LEGISLATIVE AGENDA


For almost a week in January 2001, millions of our compatriots gathered at EDSA and in other urban centers to demand that governance, in essence and in conduct, be anchored on the principles of justice, transparency, an equal playing field, and a broad-based economic growth. They emerged victorious in the first step they took, and such victory has made us realize anew that governance is not just by government but by the people themselves. Following up on this lesson, we are currently challenged to transform government into a completely enabling institution for the people's will to prevail and their interests to be served.

I am now running for the Senate because I realize that the Senate plays a crucial role in providing an enabling body of laws for the complete realization of the demands made manifest by the People Power II. My agenda in the Senate, if once again voted, will focus on institutionalizing measures to improve the accountability system in government, curb corruption and the growth of monopolies, reform the budget process to make it more efficient and effective, and intensify social reforms to propel a broad-based economic growth.


Improving the Accountability System in Government

To instill a sense of greater accountability among public officials, especially those occupying high positions in government, I will work to:

- Institutionalize an inspectorate general similar to that of the United States.

- Amend the bank secrecy law to the effect that it will be waived in the case of public officials charged with plunder, embezzlement, and the like.


Curbing Corruption and the Growth of Monopolies

Privatization, particularly of public works and the operation of utilities, has become a major source of corruption and the growth of monopolies. To correct this, I will work to amend the Build, Transfer and Operate (BOT) law to the effect that:

- The rules in the bidding process in any privatization project will be widely publicized, made more transparent, and with minimum standards rigorously established. Negotiated sales or bids will be disallowed.

- Greater competition will be promoted, not monopoly formation or control by a few of the strategic areas in the economy.

- Government guarantees on BOT contracts, if needed, will be done in the most transparent manner.


Reforming the Budget Process

The yearly exercise of both the House of Representatives and the Senate to go over and approve the Executive's proposed budget is not only tedious but also costly. To make it more efficient and effective, I will push for:

- A three-year budget framework that is based not only on the government's medium-term development plan but within flexible terms that take into account revenue collection, the growth in Gross Domestic Product (GDP), foreign exchange rate, interest and inflation rate, and agency performance.


Intensifying Social Reforms to Propel a Broad-based Economic Growth

Economic growth alone will not work to reduce poverty and improve the livelihood capacities and quality of life of the impoverished majority of Filipinos. At the very least, it should be coupled with redistributive asset reforms and the provision of social services and safety nets to cushion the poor and vulnerable sectors from the impact of liberalization. To complement and temper economic growth with such reform measures that will improve the poor's access to and participation in the processes and benefits of development, I will work to:

- Introduce adjustments in the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program (CARP) to end uncertainties in agricultural investments, strengthen the implementation of the program for farms owned by middle-class families, and strengthen the role and participation of agricultural reform communities (ARCs) in agricultural modernization.

- Push for the review and strengthening of safety nets in relation to the liberalization deadlines and commitments made under the World Trade Organization (WTO), the ASEAN Free Trade Association (AFTA) and the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC).

- Institutionalize the allocation and actual spending of 20% of government budget, at the national and the local levels, for the provision of social services and in so doing, encourage donor agencies to allocate 20% of their foreign assistance to social services.

- Push for the review and strengthening of safeguards and anti-dumping measures to give meaningful support to local industry against unfair foreign competition.

- Push for a widely participatory development of a blueprint for an industrial modernization and upgrading program in the soonest time to constitute our best defense against foreign competition.


Oversight Work

The Senate and the House of Representative must continue to be the conscience of the nation and the positive check against misconduct, malfeasance and irregularities in government. They should not hesitate to back up reform measures initiated by the executive branch in support of a responsive and responsible governance. However, they should not also hesitate to counter such moves that will work against the interests of the Filipino people.


My Priority Bills

1. A national land use policy - The enactment of this bill into law is long overdue. The reason for pushing this is quite straightforward: Land is not an unlimited resource. The spate of land conversion and even the conversion of forested areas into alienable and disposable lands have been done at the whim of local government units and even Congress. Land use must be rationalized and its framework must be provided by Congress. Food security and environmental security are non-negotiable bases for a framework on land use.

2. Declaring the coconut levy as public fund - This fund which is estimated to have reached P100 billion is an exaction from our coconut farmers. More than a decade has passed and they have yet to reap the fruits of this exaction, the basis of which is a law that purportedly intends to push the coconut industry's development. While the matter is now with the courts, I am of the position that Congress, as a policy-making body, can and should, once and for all, declare the fund as public to finally give our the small coconut farmers what is due them in terms of concrete projects and programs that will modernize and develop the sector and push R&D to the limits as the industry, I maintain, has a lot of potential.

3. Absentee Voting for Overseas Filipinos - When I was still Senator of the 9th Congress, I already filed a bill to put this into law but up to now, we're already on the 11th Congress, it still remains a bill. Overseas voting by qualified Filipinos is actually mandated by the Constitution, to wit:

"Congress shall provide a system for securing the secrecy and sanctity of the ballot as well as a system for absentee voting by qualified Filipinos abroad." (Sec. 2, Article V)

I believe that our OFWs are among the most educated among our citizens. If we are to break away from the traditional patronage politics, OFWs whose main concerned would be to come home and be united with their families, will most likely contribute to a more enlightened electoral exercise.

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