Stop implementation of NFA rationalization plan – solon
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A Nueva Ecija lawmaker today warned unscrupulous traders and rice cartel would prevail and control the rice
industry once the National Food Authority (NFA) pushed through with its rationalization plan.
Rep. Eduardo Joson (1st District, Nueva Ecija) said the rationalization would place the country's food security
in great danger.
Joson said the supply and price of rice would be manipulated by rice cartel and traders once the rice industry
is privatized.
“This rationalization plan will remove several social programs for poor farmers including almost all programs
and projects under the indirect marketing interventions,” Joson said.
Joson urged the Department of Agriculture (DA), National Food Authority (NFA) and the Department of Budget
and Management (DBM) to immediately stop the implementation of the NFA rationalization plan.
Joson said the NFA was created by Presidential Decree No. 4 as amended by P. D. 699, 1485 and 1770
collectively known as the NFA Charter mandated to provide adequate and continuous food supply to the
nation and to contribute its proper share to the national economy.
in October 2004, President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo issued Executive Order 366 or the Government
Rationalization Plan directing the strategic reorganization and rationalization of functions of government
agencies.
The NFA rationalization plan, otherwise known as the Rat Plan, aims to restructure, streamline and privatize
certain core functions and activities of the NFA.
Joson said one of the major effects of the rationalization plan is the scrapping of NFA's marketing
development mission and support services for grain farmers and producers,
Likewise, Joson said three departments and 78 field units of the NFA would be abolished. These are the
Extension Services Department (EXD), Business Development and Promotion Department (BDPD), and the
Technology Resource Development Department (TRDD).
He said to be included in the abolition are the Business Regulations Department (BRD) and the Department
for Public Affairs (DPA).
Joson said there are many bills pending before Congress seeking to amend the NFA charter such as House
Bill Nos. 40, 1096, 2475 and Senate Bill Nos. 818 and 1396.
“Any rationalization or reorganization that alters the provisions of the NFA Charter is void unless it emanates
from Congress,” Joson said.
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Bill to curb pyramiding scams filed
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A bill aimed to reduce if not prevent the proliferation of the pyramiding scam was filed at the House of
Representatives.
Rep. Rufus B. Rodriguez (2nd District, Cagayan De Oro, PMP), author of House Bill 6094, said thousands of
people have already been victimized by some unscrupulous individuals and criminal syndicates who are
using the pyramiding scheme in their illegal activities.
Rodriguez cited the pyramiding scheme of Rose Baladjaya, the SM Fund, Franc Swiss, PIPC, Royal
Manchester and the Legacy Group of Companies involving billions of pesos.
He said in the case of the Legacy Group, the victims are lowly sectors like teachers, soldiers, police, workers,
farmers and other low-income earners.
Rodriguez said bouncing checks were used by persons engaged in pyramid scams as payment for the
recruited investors either as a return of their investments or a grant of commission.
He added that the victims of these pyramid scams had difficulty in filing cases for bouncing checks because
signatories or drawers of the checks issued are unknown.
“This is especially true for those checks issued by corporations where no names are provided,” Rodriguez
said.
At present, Rodriguez said the Negotiable Instruments Law, which governs the issuance of checks, does not
require the name of the signatory or drawer to appear on the face of the checks.
Rodriguez also cited the Batas Pambansa Blg. 22, otherwise known as “An Act Penalizing the Making or
Drawing and Issuance of a Check without Sufficient Funds or Credit,” which was signed into law to curb
the issuance of bouncing checks.
Santiago’s bill requires the signatories or drawers of checks to legibly print his or her name before signing
and issuing such checks, thereby revealing in no uncertain terms who could be held liable for violation of
Batas Pambansa 22.
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PEDICAB ni ROXAS pinakikilo para pambili ng gamot
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Dahil sa patuloy na pagtaas ng bilihin ng gamot, iminungkahi ng isang Kongresistang Doktor kay Sen.
Manuel Roxas na ipakilo na lamang nito ang kanyang pedicab upang ang mapagbentahan ay maipambili ng
gamot.
Ayon kay Iloilo Rep. Ferjenel Biron na maspapakinabangan umano ang pedicab ni Roxas na gamit niya
gimik sa kanyang TV ads kung ipapakilo at ibigay na lamang sa may sakit niyang pasahero ang
napagbentahan.
" Ipakilo na lang ang pedicab para may pambili ng gamot ang pasahero na may sakit." ani Biron.
Naunang minungkahi ni Biron na muli niyang paamiyendahan ang Cheaper medicine Act, dahil sa kabiguan
umano nitong maprotektahan ang mga mahihirap na Pilipino na walang pambili ng gamot.
Tiniyak din ng Kongresista na agarang din mapapag-usapan sa plenaryo ang nasabing pag-amiyenda, dahil
naniniwala umano ang Kongresista na mayorya ng mga Mambabatas ay susuporta sa kanyang adhikain na
maibalik ang Mandatory Price Regulation sa nasabing batas.
" i believe majority," aniya.
Binigyan linaw pa ng Kongresista na hindi niya intensyon na hadlangan ang kandidatura ng Senador sa
pagkapangulo, bagkus kung sakali umano maging pangulo si Roxas, patunayan umano niya ang kanyang
katapatan na mapaglikuran ang mga mahihirap sa pamamagitan ng pagbabalik ng inalis na probisyon sa
bersyon ng Kongreso na pinaniniwalaang magpapababa ng presyo ng gamot sa merkado.
"assuming he becomes president if he was indeed honest about his intention to help the poor, he should
have agreed with our version of mandatory price regulation,” pahayag ni Biron sa pamamagitan ng texting.
Biniyan katwiran naman ni Muntinlupa Rep. Ruffy Biazon si Sen. Roxas na hindi lamang umano ang Senador
ang nagdesisyon, bagkus maging mga kritiko ng Senador ay kasamang bumoto sa pagpasa ng Cheaper
Medicine Act.
Nilinaw pa ng Kongresista na hindi masasabing palpak ang nasabing batas, bagkus nginuso nito ang
pangulong Arroyo na hindi pinatutupad ang kapangyarihang pinagkaloob sa kanya ng bagong batas ang
Maximum retail Price na siyang magtatakda ng tamang presyo sa gamot.
“ the price of medicine did not go down not because of how the cheaper meds law was passed but because
of haft hearted implementation by the Executive dept., “ dagdag pa ni Biazon.
Ganun paman, kung sakaling hindi naman palarin sa pagkapangulo si Roxas ayon kay Biron, “the surveys
will speak for itself.”
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Amnestiya ni gordon, pinagmumulan ng pagkalabolabo ng mga kongresista
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MATAPOS simulan ni Red Cross Chairman at Sen. Richard Gordon ang usapin ng amnestiya sa bandidong
grupong Abu sayyaf, labo-labo na ngayon ang mga pananaw ng mga kongresista sa isyu.
Habang nagpapakamatay ang hukbong sandatahan sa Southern Mindanao sa paghabol sa Abu sayyaf,
malaking bentahe na ngayon sa mga Kongresista ang pagsabit sa isyu ng amnestiya.
Sang ayon Rep. Rufus Rodriguez (2nd District, Cagayan de Oro City)
na matapalan ng amnestiya ang grupo ng bandidong abu sayyaf sakabila ng sandamukal na kaso na dapat
harapin ng grupo. Ito ay upang mabigyan umano ng pagkakataong magkaroon ng kapayapaan sa rehiyon.
Niintindihan ni Rodriguez ang sitwasyon sa Mindanao kasi, “Mula ako sa Mindanao at hangad ko na
mamayani ang kapayapaan sa
lugar na ito, at upang maghari ang kapayapaan dito, kailangang
mayroong kapayapaan sa grupong Abu Sayyaf.”
Malaki ang pananampalataya ni Rodriguez na matatamo ang kapayapaan sa rehiyon kung mahihikayat ang
mga bandido na bumalik sa kapatagan, makisalamuha sa bayan, isuko ang kani-kanilang mga
armas, at itigil na ng tuluyan ang paggawa ng krimen.
Binigyan diin pa ng KOngresista na dapat umanong mauunawaan din ang mga bandido kung ano ang
kanilang ipinaglalaban, at kung ano ang naging dahilan kung bakit sila lumalaban ngayon sa pamahalaan.
Kaya ang panawagan ni Rodrigues sa Pamahalaang Arroyo, “Nananawagan ako sa ating pamahalaan na
bigyang pagkakataon na
Mamayani ang kapayapaan. Lalagi ng may kapalit na halaga ang pagkamit
ng kapayapaan at kung hindi natin ito magagawa, patuloy lamang na
makakaranas ng parehong problema ang ating bansa.”
Kontra pelo naman dito ang kaalyado niyang mambabatas sa oposisyon na si Rep. Roilo Golez (2nd District,
Parañaque).
Apela ni Golez wag nang samahan pa ng usaping pampulitika ang pagbibigay ng amnestiya sa bandidong
grupo, na sakit ng ulo ng Mindanao.
“Hindi ako pabor diyan sa dahilang ang Abu Sayyaf ay itinuturing na
terrorist group at ang amnestiya ay maaari lamang ibigay sa mga tao op
grupo na nakagawa ng political offenses tulad ng New People's Army
(NPA), mga rightist group at MILF,” ani Golez.
Binigyan diin pa ni Golez na mamatay tao, kidnaper, at namumugot ng ulo ang Abu Sayyaf kaya hindi sila
kasama sa amnestiya.
Ipanaalala naman ni Golez na karapatan ng Pangulo na makapagpagbigay ng amnestiya, dahil itinadhana
ito ng salinggang batas, ngunit nangangailangan pa rin umano ito ng pag-sang ayon ng Kongreso.
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