Thursday, October 16, 2008

Revilla backs sugar coops; says no to Charter change

Senator Ramon “Bong” Revilla Jr. Saturday said he supports the opposition of sugar cooperatives to taxes imposed on their produce by the Bureau of Internal Revenue, and that he will vote against any move towards Charter Change at this time.

He stressed that government officials should instead focus on a mitigation plan for the inevitable effect of a global economic slowdown that could result in Filipinos losing their jobs.

The senator was in Bacolod City Saturday to sign a Memorandum of Agreement with the Corazon Locsin Montelibano Memorial Regional Hospital, and to speak before gatherings of the Philippine Councilor’s League, Negros Occidental Group of Contactors Inc., and the Motorcycle Philippines Federation.

“We will not allow additional taxes to be imposed on the sugar cooperatives,” he said, but did not elaborate on how this will be done.

Some sugar cooperatives will seek a Temporary Retraining Order against Revenue Regulation 13-2008 issued by the BIR last week, which, they said, has made it near impossible for them to seek an exemption from Advance Value

Added Tax on their refined sugar.

The coop leaders insist that the law prohibits taxing of cooperatives that are currently reeling from the high costs of production.

CHA-CHA

Revilla, who is an administration senator, also said he is not in favor of Charter change and will vote against it. For sure it will not pass in the Senate, he said.

He also said he does not think the Supreme Court will grant the bid for the House and the Senate to vote as one on Charter Change.

As to moves to again impeach the president, Revilla said focus should instead be made on the real problem of the nation that is poverty.

Impeachment cases that have been filed in the past have failed and if nothing happens again now we will just be wasting time and money, he said.

FOCUS ON WORK

Asked is he is running for vice president in 2010, Revilla said “we will see when the time comes”
He said if the people want him to run for vice president, why not, but, “For now let us focus on work”.

According to one of President Arroyo’s economic advisers, the Philippines has yet to see the major effects of the financial troubles being experienced by top trading partner the United States, he said.

It is estimated that once the crisis hits full-blast, at least 250,000 Filipinos may lose their jobs, primarily in the export industry, because 35 percent of the country’s exports go to the US, he added.

“Hunger is the number one problem of the country right now, followed by unemployment. If this projection is not mitigated, another 250,000 will become unemployed and fall into hunger. Government has a responsibility to prevent this,” Revilla said.

Revilla said he is urging the Department of Labor and Employment to immediately activate its Quick Reaction Team to implement a mitigation plan to provide immediate alternative sources of income for workers who will be displaced.

USE HELMET

In his speech before the Motorcycle Philippine Federation in front of the Provincial Capitol in Bacolod City, the senator thanked its members for their support for his road safety crusade.

Revilla said he is pushing for the passage of his Mandatory Helmet Bill and Kids Off Motorcycle Bill to prevent road accidents.

While the passage of these bills into law is being awaited, Revilla said he is urging motorcycles drivers and their riders to already wear helmets and not to allow children 7 years old and below to ride motorcycles, he said.

The Bacolod City government has already passed ordinances requiring those riding motorcycles to wear helmets and banning children, 7 years old and below, from riding on.


CORRUPTION


In his speech before the PCL, Revilla told the councilors: We have to remain grounded with the people we serve so that the laws and measures we enact are the expression of their will and not ours.”

While at the contractors’ affair, Revilla stressed the need for them to help fight corruption. “Because of corruption, our people are further set in to poverty,” he said. “We must act together to battle corruption at all levels,” Revilla told the contractors.

When he joined the Senate, Revilla said, the Department Public Works and Highways was listed as the number one most corrupt government agency and today it is in 5th place but there is still corruption.

“Let it not be said, therefore, that the construction industry is also in the list of corrupt-tainted businesses,” he said. “Police your own ranks and maintain a high standard of morality in your organization,” he said.

Pamalakaya warns Bong Revilla of political defeat

The Pambansang Lakas ng Kilusang Mamamalakaya ng Pilipinas (Pamalakaya) on Thursday warned Senator Ramon "Bong" Revilla Jr. of possible electoral defeat in 2010 if he would not stop his father, Ramon Sr., from pursuing a project that would evict small fishermen and poor communities in several coastal towns of CavitePamalakaya, a left-leaning fisherfolk alliance, wanted Ramon Sr., chair of the Philippine Reclamation Authority (PRA), to rescind the P8-billion Coastal Road 2 Project because it would lead to the reclamation of Cavite's coastal towns - Bacoor, Tanza, Kawit, Noveleta, Rosario and Cavite City.

The reclamation activities will pave the way for the revival and expansion of the former American naval base Sangley Point, which Revilla Sr. wanted to develop as a major international port, along with gambling and entertainment centers.

In order to proceed with the reclamation, the PRA has to demolish 26,000 fisherfolk families sourcing their living from Manila Bay and living along the coastal towns of the province. Pamalakaya national chair Fernando Hicap said in a statement that "Senator Bong will pay very dearly" if he fails to convince his father to scrap the project. The militant leader said Pamalakaya will not hesitate to campaign against Bong Revilla's candidacy whether in the senatorial or vice-presidential elections should he ignore their plea. "For us, politics is always in command.

He will not entertain a second thought of publicly campaigning against him, if he will not do his legal, moral and political assignment to defend the fisherfolk's rights against this grandslam, grand scam corporate takeover of Cavite fishing areas," Hicap added.

The young Revilla was reportedly eying the vice-presidency in the 2010 national elections, and could be the official vice-presidential standard-bearer of Lakas-CMD and Kabalikat ng Malayang Pilipino (Kampi).

Tuesday, October 14, 2008

Bong Revilla rides in Negros Occ for safety, peace in Mindanao

Senator Ramon “Bong” Revilla Jr. met with more or less 500 motorcycle owners and riders in Bacolod City over the weekend.Revilla discussed with them the growing number of accidents involving motorcycles in the country.

The senator also stressed upon them the importance of wearing a helmet when driving motorcycles to protect themselves from fatal injuries.


Revilla explained that the Mandatory Helmet and the Kids Off Motorcycles bills in Congress aim to protect motorcycle riders and their families and at the same time to minimize fatal motorcycle accidents.


He also vowed to wear a helmet when shooting his films to further promote the use of motorcycle helmets.


Revilla led the Ride for Peace launched by Motorcycles Federation of the Philippines from Bacolod City to Don Salvador Benedicto town which called for peace in Mindanao.

Sen. Revilla cites role of contractors in nation building

BACOLOD CITY – Around 150 contractors all over the province listened to Senator Ramon "Bong" Revilla Jr. when he graced the 1st Induction Ceremony of the Negros Occidental Group of Contractors Inc. (NOGCI) and served as the guest speaker of the activity held in Planta Hotel Sunday.

Revilla, who chairs the Senate Committee on Public Works and Committee on Public Information and Mass Media, said he was very grateful and honored to be with Negros contractors as he look forward the significance of construction industry in the country today.

He reiterated the importance of infrastructure as he defined it as the backbone of the nation, the foundation of development and measure of progress.

Revilla cited that better infrastructure facilities such as roads have something to do with investments.
"Kung maayos ang lansangan, bababa ang presyo ng mga produkto at bibilis ang kaunlaran. Kung sapat ang mga pasilidad, aayos ang mga serbisyo", Revilla added.

Bureaucracy leads to corruption as he described the paper trails with many "checkpoints". The so called "checkpoints" would mean additional burden to people's money since the contract of 50 million for example would become 100 million because of "tongpats". Out of this, Revilla said to the listening contractors to do their role in fighting graft and corruption.

Contractors are builders with great responsibility and partners of government in working for a more and efficient, effective and responsive construction industry.

"I'd like to believe, you are into this business not primarily to earn, but to help in the efforts of our government in uplifting the present state of our country's infrastructure. We must act together to the battle against corruption, at all levels," he stressed.

On the other hand, Engr. Bernabe Gilbor, the first NOGSI President he was very glad for having the good senator to be their guest speaker.

Gilbor was emotional in saying that in their endeavor, though they mean business but some people did some personal attacks against them as he exampled what happened to him in the Southern Negros where his license was suspended.
But despite of this situation still they are with the industry as he considered it as a very noble job with sense of professionalism.

Negros Governor Isidro Zayco as an inducting officer made a big challenge to the group to do the active role in nation building as he believed that contractors are the allies of the province in the development.

Gilbor on the other hand accepted the challenge and promised to work together in line with government's vision.
Also with the new group is 4th District Congressman Jeffrey Ferrer together with Rene Fajardo, the OIC of the Philippine Contractors Accreditation Board.

Tuesday, October 7, 2008

Pamalakaya to Bong Revilla: 'Stop your father’s Sangley dream'

The Pambansang Lakas ng Kilusang Mamamalakaya ng Pilipinas (Pamalakaya) is objecting to the reclamation of coastal areas along Manila Bay to give way to the development of Sangley Point in Cavite City.

The activist fisherfolk alliance on Thursday called on Sen. Ramon “Bong" Revilla Jr to convince his father Ramon Sr, a former senator and concurrent chair of the Philippine Reclamation Authority (PRA), to scrap the project because it would affect fishermen in Cavite.

Revilla Sr wants to transform Sangley Point, a former US Naval Station, as an international logistics hub in Southern Tagalog region.

“Senator Bong Revilla, as chair of the Senate Committee on Public Works and Highways, must listen to the voice of the fisherfolk and the people in general who are affected by this across-the-bay reclamation project of his father to pave way for the transformation of Sangley Point into an international port harbor in the tradition of Hong Kong and Singapore," Pamalakaya national chair Fernando Hicap said in a statement.

Revilla Sr had talked about his dream to develop the Sangley Point as an international logistics hub where casinos, hospitals, call centers and recreational centers would be built.

But before construction could take place, the PRA must first reclaim coastal areas in Manila Bay, particularly in the coastal towns of Bacoor, Tanza, Noveleta, Kawit and Cavite City.

Hicap said the reclamation project would displace not less than 26,000 fishing families along the bay from Bacoor to Cavite City. He said the reclamation would also fast track the “death of Manila Bay" as a major fishing ground in the country.

Pamalakaya said Senator Revilla, as chairman of the powerful Senate Committee on Public Works and Highways, could intervene in favor of the collective interest of the people in Cavite.

Revilla Sr, a strong ally of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, said the P 200-billion Sangley Point Development Project can lead to various businesses and if completed could rival other major international ports in Asia like that in Singapore and Hong Kong. It is also seen to generate jobs to people of Cavite.

Friday, October 3, 2008

New prosecutor to handle Revilla case

A new prosecutor will handle the preliminary investigation of the child abuse case against Princess Revilla, sister of Sen. Ramon “Bong” Revilla Jr., filed by her former maid.

Lawyers of Renalyn Arota, 17, sought a new prosecutor after they expressed concern that she would not get a fair hearing. They asked the former prosecutor, Dennis Pastrana, to inhibit himself from the case for allegedly showing “extraordinary preferential treatment” to Revilla. The Pasig Regional Trial Court resumes hearing of the case this month when the new prosecutor, who has yet to be named, will take over.

In a motion filed in August, lawyers Yvonne Gaddi-Festejo and Irene Alogoc said certain acts of Pastrana created “serious doubts in the mind of the complainant as to his impartiality.”

The lawyers said that during the July 14 hearing, for example, the prosecutor allowed Arota’s mother and relatives to participate in the proceedings “despite the fact that they are not parties to the case.”

Arota’s mother allegedly tried to take her daughter forcibly after failing to convince the young girl to drop the case.

Pastrana, the lawyers claimed, did not even attempt to control the situation.

They also said Pastrana changed the time of the July 28 hearing from 2 p.m. to 11 a.m., without informing the complainant and her lawyers.

Pastrana, they said, had their contact numbers and Arota was staying at the Department of Social Work and Development’s Pasig office in a building nearby.

During the hearing, the prosecutor received counter-affidavits of Revilla’s witnesses. Arota, her lawyers said, was deprived the right to confirm the identity of the witnesses.

“With due respect, what transpired in the preliminary investigation on July 28, 2008 created serious doubt in the mind of the complainant as to the impartiality of the Honorable Fiscal,” the lawyers said in their motion.

Arota filed the child abuse case against Revilla in June after allegedly escaping from her former employer’s Valle Verde residence on June 12. She told the police she had been beaten with a broomstick.

She also claimed she was maltreated a number of times and on March 28 and was illegally detained at her employer’s condominium on Roxas Boulevard after she was allegedly mauled.

Revilla denied Arota’s claims in earlier affidavits, adding that the housemaid ceased to be her employee at the end of March.