Roxas to GMA: Resist Barack Obama pressure on cheap meds

Liberal President Senator Mar Roxas today asked President Arroyo to resist pressure when he meets with US President Barack Obama who will surely defend the US pharmaceutical companies’ opposition to the immediate implementation of the Cheaper Medicines law.

"Pangulong Arroyo, okay lang na makipagpulong ka kay President Obama pero huwag kang magpapa-braso na hindi natin pabababain ang presyo ng gamot dito sa ating bansa (It’s okay if you meet with President Obama but don’t be influenced into not bringing down the prices of medicines in our country)," he said.

"Matagal ng naghihintay ang ating mga kababayan na tuparin mo ang iyong pangako. Ipatupad mo na ang batas para sa murang gamot. Ang daming oras na ang nasasayang (Our people have long been waiting for you to make true your promise. Implement the law on cheaper medicines. We are wasting a lot of time with your administration’s dilly-dallying)," he added.

The Visayan senator noted pharmaceutical lobbying in the United States is one of the strongest and most influential in the world.

"Ang mga pharmaceutical companies, malaking industriya iyan sa Amerika. Yung pharmaceutical lobby isa sa pinakamalaki, pinaka-malakas, pinakamatindi…’yung healthcare reborn, isa sa pinakamalaking isyu sa Amerika. Kasi napakatindi ng lobby ng pharmaceutical industry (The pharmaceutical industry in America is big. The pharmaceutical lobby there is very strong. The healthcare reborn is a big issue because of the lobbying of the pharmaceutical industry)," he said.

Roxas reiterated his call for President Arroyo to sign the month-old draft executive order imposing the Maximum Retail Price (MRP) on 22 most essential medicines for Filipinos.

He said even the World Health Organization (WHO) noted that 122 governments all over the world impose price regulations on medicines sold in their respective countries.

"Bakit kailangang dito sa atin ay pahirapan ang pagpapatupad nitong MRP? Ginang Arroyo, isipin mo naman ang kapakanan ng ating mga kababayan (Why are we having a difficult time with the implementation of this MRP? Mrs. President, be more considerate of your people)," he also said.

Wednesday, July 15, 2009 | posted in barack obama, cheaper medicines bill, mar roxas, pgma, philippines, president, usa, world health organization | 0 comments [ More ]

Senator Roxas to provide legal support to pre-need planholders

Liberal President Senator Mar Roxas today announced that he will give legal support to plan holders who are desperately running after their hard-earned savings that were squandered by certain pre-need companies.

He said pre-need plan holders who have pending claims or cases against pre-need companies could contact his hotline at 0919-MAROXAS (6276927), and he would be providing lawyers to attend to their legal needs.

"Mahalaga ang perang pinaghirapan ninyo para iimpok ninyo sa mga pre-need plan. Nakataya rito ang kinabukasan ng inyong mga anak. Handa akong bigyan kayo ng abugadong magtatanggol sa inyo (The hard-earned money you invested in pre-need plans is important. Your childrens' future is at stake here. I will provide you with lawyers who will protect you)," he said.

"Magbabayad ang dapat magbayad. Mananagot ang dapat managot. (Those who have pending promises to you should pay up. Those who squandered your hard-earned money should answer to you)," he stressed.

Roxas lamented the snail-paced action of the government in running after obviously syndicated operations to "steal away the future of plan holders' children."

"They are guilty of deliberate negligence."

"Marami ang natatakot sa kalagayan ng mga pre-need plans ngayon, pero hindi man lang kumikilos ang gobyerno para ayusin ang problema (Many are anxious about the present state of pre-need plans, but the government is not acting in a timely manner to fix the problem)," the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Trade and Commerce said.

"Mahalaga ang kinabukasang ng inyong mga anak. Pero hindi yata ito mahalaga sa Administrasyong Arroyo, na abala sa paghahabol kay Obama at sa mga prinsipe sa Saudi Arabia (You are important. Your children's future is important. But it seems this is not important to the Arroyo Administration, who finds it more worthwhile to chase Obama and Saudi Arabian princes)," the Ilonggo Senator stressed.

"Mahalaga kayo. Kasangga ninyo ako (You are important, I am with you)," he said.

Tuesday, February 10, 2009 | posted in barack obama, mar roxas, pgma, philippines, pre-need code of 2008, president | 0 comments [ More ]

Senator Roxas to PGMA: Order probe of FG Mike

Liberal President Senator Mar Roxas today stressed President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo should now act to save the country's "corrupt" image in the international political arena, and she can begin by ordering an independent investigation into the numerous anomalies involving her husband, First Gentleman Mike Arroyo.

"Mahalagang linisin natin ang imahe ng ating bayan. Nakakahiya na tayo sa buong mundo. Ang tingin nila ay puro korap ang mga opisyal natin. Kailan pa ba kikilos si GMA? (It is important to clean our country's image. We are really in a very embarrassing situation now. The world thinks all Philippine government officials are corrupt. When will GMA act to stop this?)" he asked.

He said the president can prove her sincerity in removing corruption by subjecting her husband to an independent investigation and by allowing the long arms of the law to be served on him, when he is found guilty of pocketing millions of pesos in bribe monies and for masterminding multi-million peso fund diversion scams.

He also said President Arroyo should not ignore testimonies given to World Bank investigators that her husband and an unnamed former senator received millions of pesos in bribe monies in exchange for favorable endorsements to local and foreign contractors for them to be able to bag infrastructure contracts with the government, particularly the Department of Public Works and Highways.

The WB had conducted an investigation into irregularities that tainted projects that it financed in the country. As a result of the probe, seven firms - three from the Philippines and four from China - were banned from participating in any WB-funded projects here after they were found to have engaged in "collusive practices" in the bidding of a road project.

"Hindi pa ba sapat na ang WB na mismo ang nakakuha ng testimonya na milyong-milyong piso ang ibinayad ng mga kontratista kay Mike Arroyo para lamang manalo sa bidding ng mga projects sa DPWH? Kailangang kumilos na si GMA ngayon na (Isn't it enough that no less than the WB has been given testimonies that contractors had to pay millions of pesos to Mike Arroyo to get government contracts? She should act now)," he stressed.

"Gloria should make a clear statement that her husband is not beyond the law. She should not use her position to influence the findings of any investigating body. And if her husband is found guilty of any of the allegations against him, then she should not think twice about him going behind bars for his corrupt acts" he added.

Roxas warned the WB findings could affect relations between the Philippines and the United States, especially following the anti-corruption pledge that new US President Barack Obama made during his inauguration last month.

Also, the Ilonggo senator said it was not a surprise that the Philippines has been lumped with Nigeria, Pakistan and Bangladesh as among the nations with failing democracies due to rampant corruption in government.

He said controversies like the NBN-ZTE bribery, the P728 million fertilizer fund diversion, the "Euro Generals" money laundering and the most recent, the collusion between the owner of the Legacy Group of Companies and the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) to rip off hundreds of pre-need plan holders and bank depositors of their hard-earned savings have left an impression of widespread corruption in the nation.

"She should act to clean up the graft gangs in her government. She must spearhead this war against corruption by starting in her own backyard. Only then can she prove her sincerity," he said.

Thursday, February 5, 2009 | posted in barack obama, china, dpwh, euro generals controversy, fertilizer fund scam, legacy group of companies, mar roxas, mike arroyo, pgma, sec, world bank, zte deal | 0 comments [ More ]

Mar Roxas 2010 Blogger attends US Election Watch 2008 in Cebu City

The Cebu Bloggers Society (CBS), which I co-founded, joined the US Election Watch 2008, organized by the US Embassy in the Philippines, in SM City Cebu's Northwing yesterday. Before I went to the event venue, I was already monitoring the US election results on CNN as early as 7AM and by past 8AM, CNN already projected that Kentucky went to (John) McCain's column while Vermont was for (Barack) Obama's.

After that projection, I hurriedly went out of the house and rode a jeepney to the event venue. When I arrived 30 minutes later, I registered (as group of the media) and got supporter pins with some election materials. I asked some people in the venue if any state was already called for any of the candidate after the Kentucky and Vermont in case I missed it, and luckily, none yet. I was glued to the large TV projector of CNN and I watched as the results came in. Then, I also accomodated my colleagues in the CBS.

The CBS members who were there included yours truly, Aldwin, AJ, X, Empress, Athan, Jerry, Clarence, Sinjin, Ethelbert, Zigfred, and Iggy (who didn't bother to enter the venue after the event was done). I never expected how curious and how politically-involved these bloggers are despite there different niches. Only of few of us dare to discuss topics like politics and elections but their participation was worthy of emulation.

Food was overflowing, information was all around and VIPs were in every corner. Finally I met GMA Cebu's Bobby Nalzaro, Mandaue Mayor Jonas Cortes, Cebu City North District Rep. Raul del Mar, Cebu City Councilor Jack Jakosalem and lot more!

When CBS members try calling me the "Mar Roxas 2010 blogger" while I was speaking with Mandaue Mayor Jonas Cortes, he asked me if it was for real. I told him "Yes Mayor." He then told me that he also supports Mar Roxas for President in 2010, which made me happy, and cited his ability to serve the country and the people. He told me that he would back Senator Mar Roxas if ever he runs for President and hope he does.

During the event, I won a gift pack for the raffle and an imported brand of coffee for the trivia. The trivia was quite simple: "Who was the first female Vice-President nominee...?" I forgot the entire text of the question but I was sure of my answer. It was Geraldine Ferraro, who was the running-mate of Democratic Presidential candidate Walter Mondale in 1984.

On the other hand, CBS members also participated in the mock polls conducted during the event using any of the 3 electronic election devices. I was envied by how fast the election results came in. The two election devices were mostly like our "lotto" system wherein you shade a circle or complete an arrow to vote for a candidate. After that, you slide it on a machine and tadaa! You're done voting! As easy as that with no dirty ink on your finger. I used the touch-screen device which was more efficient I think. With just pressing on the small circles on that candidate of your choice, you can vote in less than 1 minute! I'm looking forward that these machines would be used also in the upcoming 2010 elections here in the Philippines.

At around 12 Noon, all of us broke into excitement as CNN declares that Senator Barack Obama won the US Presidency. All of us applaused the historic moment and couldn't help having some goosebumps as America bestows its support to the first African-American leader of the world's "still" superpower. A few minutes later, Senator John McCain conceded to President-elect Obama and offered his cooperation. This is what I admire in US politics, that when someone clearly loses, he doesn't demand for a recount. He instead demands for cooperation with the winning candidate. Although their passions have separated, they're one as Americans. Let's hope that Filipino politicians would also embrace that idea.

Let's hope that Senator Roxas, if ever he decides to run for President, would learn the lessons on how Obama ran his campaign which was the best political organization in the entire US history. And also to COMELEC, let's automate the 2010 elections and hope that they can realize how disappointed our people with the electoral process.

Congratulations to US President-elect Barack Obama and his wife Michelle and kids Malia and Sasha!

Photos courtesy of Clarence.

Thursday, November 6, 2008 | posted in barack obama, blog, cebu bloggers' society, comelec, john mccain, mar roxas, philippines, usa | 0 comments [ More ]

What to do with Lito Atienza's "unification" call

I am calling the attention of Senator Mar Roxas on what he should do with Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) Secretary Lito Atienza's call for "unification".

It's a compelling truth that Senator Roxas should address if ever he runs for President in 2010. The Liberal Party would never have a good showing in 2010 if it can't even win its enraged stalwarts. Party unity is needed in achieving victory. Just like what we are witnessing in the US Democratic Party with Senators Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama doing a lot of effort in uniting their deeply-wounded party.

I also hope that Sec. Atienza's intent in uniting the Liberal Party is sincere and not just for political showing. And also, to Manila Mayor Fred Lim, you're always welcome in LP.

Wednesday, August 27, 2008 | posted in barack obama, fred lim, hillary clinton, lito atienza, mar roxas, philippines, president | 0 comments [ More ]