Palace hopeful Congress will pass all its priority
bills this year
The Palace on Sunday said it is hopeful that the
Senate and the House of Congress will pass all its priority bills this year.
"Umaasa ang pamahalaan na hindi bababa sa 18
sa 29 na priority legislative agenda na inihain ng Pangulo at ng administrasyon
sa Kongreso noong nakaraang taon ang pormal na maipapasa ng Senado at ng
Kamara," said Communications Secretary Herminio Coloma, Jr., in a radio
interview over dzRB Radyo ng Bayan.
Coloma was quoting Presidential Legislative
Liaison Office (PLLO) Secretary Manuel Mamba, who coordinates with both the
Senate and the Lower House regarding the President's priority bills.
"Isa sa mga panukalang batas na ito ang
Bangsamoro Basic Law na siyang magbibigay daan upang maitatag ang Bangsamoro
Transitional Assembly bago idaos ang halalan para sa mga opisyal ng Bangsamoro
Political Entity sa taong 2016," said Coloma.
The Aquino administration is also proposing to
amend some existing laws.
This includes the laws on Build-Operate-Transfer
(BOT), Road Right of Way for the infrastructure projects, and the shipping
industry's Cabotage.
"Ibig din ng pamahalaan na ganap na
maisabatas ang Rationalization of Fiscal Incentives, Rationalization of the Mining
Fiscal Regime, Tax Incentives Management and Transparency Act, Antitrust Act,
National Land Use Act, at ang Strategic Trade Management Act," Coloma
added.
According to Secretary Mamba, the government is
prioritizing the passing of the Customs Modernization Act which is included in
the fiscal reform package, said Coloma.
The government is also proposing for the enactment
into law of the designation of the Philippine maritime zone, and archipelagic
sea lanes, plus the delineation of specific forest limits of public domain.
"Nais din ng pamahalaan na palakasin ang
sistemang panghustisya ng bansa sa pamamagitan ng pagsasabatas ng
Whistleblowers Protection Act at ang pagpapatatag ng Witness Protection
Program," he added.
Part of the PLLO's priority list is the Act
Protecting the Rights of Internally Displaced Persons, Freedom of Information
Act, proposal to proclaim as alienable and disposable land a part of Bantayan
Island in Cebu, that will be used as resettlement site for those affected by
Typhoon ‘Yolanda. PND (ag)
Government ready to assist Filipino seamen
involved in the sunken Bahaman cargo ship
The government is ready to help the Filipino
seamen involved in the sunken Bahaman cargo ship off the coast of Vietnam, a
Palace official said on Sunday.
"Nakahanda naman pong tumulong ang ating
pamahalaan sa bawat paraan na nararapat para po makabigay ng kalinga sa kanila
at sa kanilang mga pamilya. Kailangan lang pong mabatid kung ano ang sitwasyon
ngayon dahil wala pa po tayong update," said Communications Secretary
Herminio Coloma, Jr., in a radio interview over dzRB Radyo ng Bayan.
According to reports, the cargo vessel Bulk
Jupiter sank Friday en route from Malaysia to China. It was reported that the
ship has an all Filipino crew.
Coloma added that the Philippine Embassy in
Vietnam is still carefully gathering more information about the incident before
the Department of Foreign Affairs issues a statement. PND (ag)
Palace defends MRT, LRT fare hike
The Palace on Sunday defended the fare hike on the
Metro Rail Transit (MRT) Line 3 and the Light Rail Transit Lines 1 and 2.
In a radio interview over dzRB Radyo ng Bayan,
Communications Secretary Herminio Coloma, Jr., said the government is just
implementing the 'user pay' principle under Philippine Development Plan for
2011 to 2016.
"Dapat ang gumagamit ng serbisyo ay
magbabayad ng malaking bahagi ng kanilang biyahe at ito na nga po ang
ipinupunto rin na ang tuwirang nakikinabang lamang sa serbisyong ito ay ang mga
naninirahan sa National Capital Region at hindi naman po ang buong populasyon
ng ating bansa,"
"Kaya ito pong pagbabago sa singil sa MRT/LRT
ay paglalagay lang po sa tamang kaayusan ng ating patakaran sa pagsingil at
pagsasaayos ng resources na ginagamit para patuloy na mapahusay ang serbisyo
para dito," he said.
Coloma added that the last fare increase was made
over ten years ago.
"Yon pong last fare increase ay sa LRT-1 na
2003 pa isinagawa. Ang sa LRT-2 naman ay hindi po naitaas simula ‘nung
nag-umpisa ito. Sa MRT-3 hindi lang ‘hindi itinaas,’ ibinaba pa mula sa
orihinal na singil na 17 pesos to 34 pesos in 1999. Binabaan pa po ito doon sa
range na 12 pesos to 20 pesos in 2000, at sa kasalukuyan, mas mababa pa dahil
ang range ng singil sa MRT-3 ay 10 to 15 pesos lamang," said Coloma.
"At ang pagkaantala o pagkabinbin ng desisyon
na itapat ang fare adjustment doon sa operating cost ay balakid doon sa
pagkakaroon ng investment sa large-scale improvement sa mga pasilidad, katulad
nga ‘nung acquisition of new train coaches na isinagawa lang sa kasalukuyang
administrasyon," he added. PND (ag)
