Roxas reiterates position on P200-M PDAF

Liberal President Senator Mar Roxas today formally reiterated his decision not to avail this year of his P200 million Philippine Development Assistance Fund (PDAF) annual allocation that, since late 2005, Malacanang has not released anyway.

In a letter to Sen. Edgardo Angara, chairman of the Senate finance committee, Roxas said he would not avail of his PDAF "in light of the need to allocate more resources for emergency programs to deal with the effects of the global financial crisis."

Roxas said he hopes his PDAF allocation would be used instead by the national government for programs that would help alleviate the living conditions of the poor and on enhancing education and healthcare services to the people.

"Certainly, we continue to hope and be vigilant that the public coffers be used solely for the welfare and benefit of our people, and not for partisan political activities," he added.

Roxas had earlier suggested to Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile that his PDAF share be allocated to the Department of Trade and Industry for small and micro-lending facilities to generate more small and medium businesses which will fuel the economy in the rural areas and generate more employment in this time of crisis.

He also suggested that additional funding be given to the Department of Agriculture’s rice and fertilizer programs to help farmers cope with inflation and to ensure food security.

Malacañang has not released the PDAF allocation for Roxas and other opposition senators and congressmen since 2005 when the "Hello Garci" controversy linking Mrs. Arroyo to cheating in the 2004 presidential elections erupted and the Liberal Party, which Roxas heads, withdrew its support for the President.

Friday, April 17, 2009 | posted in edgardo angara, hello garci, juan ponce enrile, mar roxas, pgma, philippines, pork barrel | 0 comments [ More ]

Roxas: Police mishandling Failon case

Liberal President Senator Mar Roxas today took the police to task for mishandling its investigation into the case of broadcaster Ted Failon, particularly in the manhandling of Failon’s sister-in-law and others police accused of obstruction of justice.

"Nakiki-simpatiya ako kay Ted Failon at sa kanyang mga kaanak na kinailangang dumaan sa psychological torture na ito habang nagluluksa sila sila sa pagkamatay ng kanyang asawang si Trina. Nakakahiya at nakakainis na ganito na ka-bastos ang mga pulis natin (I sympathize with Ted Failon and his family who have to go through this psychological torture in the midst of their grief for the death of his wife Trina. This is a shame and it is irritating to see how rude our police are)," Roxas said.

Roxas said the police violated the rights of Failon’s sister-in-law Pamela Arteche and house maids Wilfreda Bollicer and Carlota Morbos, driver Glen Pulan and houseboy Pacifico Apacible who were arrested yesterday allegedly for obstruction of justice.

"Kitang-kita ng publiko kung gaano kagaspang ang ugali ng mga pulis na umaresto sa kanila. Bastusan na ba talaga ang sistema natin ngayon? (The public saw how roughly our police handled Ted and the others accused by the police. Is the system really as bad as this?)" Roxas fumed.

He said that while it was imperative that the truth behind the tragic incident be found out at the soonest time, the maltreatment of Failon’s relatives casts doubts on the reliability of the police investigation into the case.

"Alam ng lahat kung gaano katindi bumanat si Ted sa mga nasa gobyerno, lalo na ang mga pulis na corrupt. Nagdududa na tuloy ang marami na tina-target si Ted ng mga awtoridad sa imbestigasyong ito (Everyone knows how Ted criticizes this government, how much he abhors corrupt police officers. So now people suspect authorities are just getting back at Ted, that would explain the rough treatments)," the Visayan senator said.

He said the police have to review its procedures and train its officers and men in the proper handling of suspects to ensure their rights are always protected.

"DILG Secretarty (Ronaldo) Puno, tell your men to shape up," Roxas said.

| posted in abs-cbn, carlota morbos, dilg, glen pulan, mar roxas, pacifico apacible, pamela arteche, philippines, pnp, ronaldo puno, ted failon, wilfreda bollicer | 2 comments [ More ]

Roxas joined nation in commemorating President Manuel Roxas' 61st death anniversary

The country observed last Wednesday the 61st death anniversary of the late President Manuel Roxas, the third and last president of the Commonwealth and the first of the Republic of the Philippines, and the grandfather of Senator Mar Roxas.

Memorial masses in memory of the late statesman were be held in selected churches all over the country while members of the Roxas clan separately lead wreath laying activities at his resting place at the North Cemetery in Manila, at Clark Air Base in Pampanga, where he died on April 15, 1948, and at Roxas City where he was born in 1892.

Manuel Roxas - a patriot, statesman, parliamentarian, orator and the first President of the Philippine Republic - was born in Capiz, Capiz (now Roxas City) on January 1, 1892 to Gerardo Roxas Sr. and Rosario Acuña. His father died from bullet wounds from Spanish Guardia Sibils seven months before he was born.

Roxas received his basic education in public schools in Capiz and Manila, graduating in 1909 with highest honors at the Manila High School (now Araullo High School). In 1913, he graduated as class valedictorian from the University of the Philippines Law School, where he was also elected president of his class and the University Student Council. That same year, he topped the first ever Philippine Bar examinations in the country with a high grade of 92 per cent.

Roxas' brilliant career in public service began in 1917 when he was appointed as member of the municipal council of Capiz. In 1919, he was elected Provincial Governor, the country's youngest governor then at the age of 27. In 1922, he was elected as Congressman representing the first district of Capiz. He was Speaker of the House for 12 consecutive years.

Recognized as "the Master Strategist" in the movement designed to bring complete independence to the Philippines, one of Roxas' greatest achievements was the enactment of the Hare-Hawes-Cutting Law in 1932. This paved the way for the enactment of the Tydings McDuffie Act, otherwise known as the Philippine Independence Act of 1934, which led to the granting of Philippine Independence on July 4, 1946 after a transition period of ten years. He was a member of the Constitutional Convention from 1934 to 1935, and was one of the "Seven Wise Men" who drafted the Philippine Constitution.

When World War II broke out, Roxas enlisted in the military service and held the rank of Lieutenant Colonel in the USAFFE and served aide to General Douglas MacArthur. He was later promoted to Brigadier General. He was responsible for bringing food from his native province of Capiz to feed over 20,000 soldiers and civilians in Corregidor Island.

After the war, Roxas ran for President against incumbent Sergio Osmeña. He won the election and inherited a nation that was in ruins following the Second World War. President Roxas, also known as the "Nation Builder", was the brains behind the first Philippine Master Economic Plan, the first of its kind in developing Asia, which spurred the country's return to normalcy and growth.

To date, President Roxas holds the distinction of being the only Filipino leader who has ever served and exercised authority in the capacity of House Speaker, Senate President, and President of the Republic.

In his memory, works are under way for the construction of the President Manuel Roxas Memorial Center, a historical and educational institution designed to commemorate the critical evolution of Philippine democracy and the country's reconstruction from the ruins of World War II. The edifice would rise along the historic Roxas Boulevard and would be jointly pursued by the President Manuel A. Roxas Foundation (PMARF), the National Historical Institute (NHI) and the City Government of Manila.

Thursday, April 16, 2009 | posted in manuel roxas, mar roxas, philippines, president, usa | 0 comments [ More ]

Roxas bats for universal health coverage for all Filipinos

Liberal President Senator Mar Roxas yesterday proposed the coverage of all Filipinos under the National Health Insurance Program.

"Mahalaga ang kalusugan ng mamamayan. Dapat hindi lang ‘voluntary’ sa mga kayang nagbabayad ng premium ang coverage ng PhilHealth kundi sakop ang lahat (Our people’s health is important. PhilHealth coverage should not only be 'voluntary' on those who are paying premiums but to all Filipinos)," he said.

"Ngayon, nagkakaroon lang ng PhilHealth coverage ang mga indigent kapag kasama sila sa mga pinili ng mayor nila. Pero wala dapat pulitika pagdating sa kalusugan ng mamamayan (Now, indigents are covered by PhilHealth only when the mayors decide to include them in their lists. But politics should not be a consideration when it comes to our people’s health)," he stressed.

Roxas is proposing that all Filipinos should have a basic level of health care benefits to be provided by the Philippine Health Insurance Corp. or PhilHealth. Such universal coverage will be funded by the National Budget through premium payments to PhilHealth.

"Dapat hindi pabayaan ng gobyerno ang kalusugan ng mamamayan. Ipaglalaban natin ito (The government should not neglect the health of all Filipinos. We will fight for this right)," he stressed.

Tuesday, April 14, 2009 | posted in health, mar roxas, philhealth, philippines | 0 comments [ More ]

Roxas lauds cancellation of anomalous P1.4B heavy equipment procurement project

The National Irrigation Administration (NIA) should open a new public bidding for its P1.4-billion rehabilitation project and pursue the undertaking despite setbacks caused by the original anomalous bidding, Liberal President Senator Mar Roxas said today.

Roxas made the statement as he insisted that the bidding and awards committee that awarded the original bidding results for the heavy machineries procurement project, should be revamped, and the members of the original committee prosecuted for violating bidding laws.

"Mahalagang ibalik ang tiwala ng publiko sa ating pamahalaan (It is important to restore public trust in our government)," he said.

The senator insisted documentary evidence would prove NIA favored the two companies despite their inability to meet a key bidding requirement that its Bids and Awards Committee itself imposed.

The Visayan senator said it is still not too late for NIA to hold a new round of public bidding and fast-track the process to allow the delivery of the needed heavy equipment machineries within the dry season.

"Makakahabol pa rin naman kung magkakaroon ng bagong bidding ngayon. Siguraduhin lang nilang transparent ang lahat at walang anomalya, wala naman ng magiging delays sa project na ito (It is not too late for a new bidding. NIA just have to make sure that everything is transparent and above-board and this project could proceed without delays)," he said.

Salazar had announced the cancellation of the auction for heavy irrigation equipment worth about P1.4 billion after a disqualified bidder filed a case in court questioning the bidding held for the undertaking. He had said the delays in the project had made uncertain the procuring of the equipment in time for the restoration of irrigation facilities during the dry season.

Roxas had earlier sought an inquiry by the Senate blue ribbon committee into the anomalous bidding for NIA's planned purchase of P1.4 billion worth of heavy equipment, exposing at the same time the undue favor given by the agency to two disqualified contractors and the disqualification from the bidding of the industry's top heavy equipment suppliers.

Monday, April 13, 2009 | posted in anti-graft and corrupt practices act, da, mar roxas, nia, philippines | 0 comments [ More ]

Riding a pedicab with Mar Roxas as the driver

The pedicab (also called as padyak or trisikad here in Cebu) is a symbol of the common TAO's mode of transportation. When you're going in a place that's not really accessible to jeepneys, we ride the pedicab.

When we ride a pedicab, we tend to choose the pedicab driver whom we trust, or we fondly call him our "suki". We don't risk our lives to someone whom we don't trust, someone who doesn't know where the roads lead us, someone who is not capable of steering the wheel to the right direction. This is what embodied Mar Roxas' latest TVC called "Padyakitos with Mar Roxas".

As what fellow blogger Zyon Jerekiel said in his blog post Nakasakay ka na ba ng Pedicab?:

Para maiba naman, ito ang isang panibagong simbolo ng ating gobyerno: Isang pedicab. Mabagal ang takbo, daanan patungo sa kailangang puntahan ay lubak lubak. Kelangan natin ng driver na MARunong. (To be different, this (pedicab) is the new symbol of our government: A pedicab. Its pace is slow, the road to our destination is not good. We need a driver who is sMARrt.)

Indeed! We need a new pedicab driver for our nation and we believe that it is Mar Roxas who can steer this nation back to where it was: prosperity, peace and progress.

On the other hand, blogger Neil shared his thoughts on Mar Roxas' new TV Ad in his blog post 2010 Election: Padyak MAR, Padyak!:

The ad though, is not as simple as it appears. The padyak/sikad is an analogy for the Philippines where, according to the boy: "Kanya-kanyang kayod po dito. Walang maayos na trabaho, walang pambili ng gamot." (Translation: Everyone here has to strive for himself. There are no decent jobs, nothing to buy medicines.) The little girl and the boy represent the Filipinos, who still hope for a brighter future – "Seaman, sana. Ako po, artista." (Translation: Seaman, I hope. Me, a moviestar.)

And Roxas wants us to know that he represents the future leadership of this country, by driving the padyak/sikad himself – "Ako na. Sama-sama tayo. Hindi ko kayo pababayaan. Lalaban tayo!" (Translation: Let me do it. We’re all in this together. I will not abandon you. We will fight!)

Another good point raised by Neil. Filipinos are hoping for a good future, but it would always remain a hope if we don't act, if no one leads us. Just like this: if we keep hoping that the "pedicab" would lead us to our destination without a driver operating it would be useless.

Do you want a "pedicab driver" who has a bad reputation? How about a "pedicab driver" who always changes course to exploit his passengers? Or a "pedicab driver" who claims to be an expert but it isn't? We don't ant someone like this right?

Then, let's also remember that our "pedicab" is not only of 2 persons, but of almost 91 million Filipinos. We can't afford we watch the lone "pedicab driver" to padyak all of us. We also need to do our part. If we want genuine reforms on how things are done, then this is our moment. Our moment to choose a "pedicab driver" whom we believe in. It's in our own hands.

Sama-sama tayo! Lalaban tayo!

Sunday, April 5, 2009 | posted in campaign, financial crisis, mar roxas, philippines, poverty, president | 3 comments [ More ]

Senator Roxas: Education for all is government's responsibility

Liberal President Senator Mar Roxas has filed a resolution seeking an inquiry by the Senate into the success and impact of the Department of Education’s Alternative Learning System (ALS) programs intended to address the special learning needs of marginalized learners.

Roxas, who filed Senate Resolution no. 967, stressed there is a need to determine the efficiency and effectiveness of the ALS programs parallel to its objective of making quality education available for out-of-school youth and adult learners.

"Mahalaga ang edukasyon. Kung may mga tao mang hindi makapasok sa formal education system dahil sa kahirapan, tungkulin ng pamahalaan na maglaan ng alternatibong paraan para makapag-aral sila (Education is important. It is the government’s duty to put in place alternative means for the education of those who are not able to enter the formal education system because of poverty)," he said.

The Chairman of the Senate Committee on Education added: "Sinusuportahan natin ang programa ng Alternative Learning System, kaya nais nating alamin kung naipatutupad ba ito nang tama. (We support the Alternative Learning System, that is why we want to know if this is being implemented properly)."

He said senators should look into how government has carried out its constitutional mandate to "protect and promote the rights of all citizens to quality education at all levels" and to "take appropriate steps to make such education accessible to all."

The ALS system was among the workable methods in the Governance of Basic Education Act of 2001 (Republic Act 9155) which government could tap to address the special learning needs of out-of-school youths and undereducated adults.

ALS is an independent complete learning system crafted to address the various learning styles and needs of learners. Learners are given full discretion of the kind and method of learning they wish to have, including the use of information technology.

The Visayan senator said aside from assessing the program’s efficacy, the Senate committee should also check the budgetary support given by the government to the Bureau of Alternative Learning System, which has been tasked to oversee the implementation of the ALS programs.

He noted reports that the BALS gets less than one percent of the annual budget allocation given to the Department of Education.

| posted in alternative learning system, deped, education, mar roxas, philippines | 0 comments [ More ]

Padyakitos with Mar Roxas

As what I have told you yesterday, Senator Mar Roxas has just released a new TV Ad called "Padkyakitos with Mar Roxas" that talks about the harsh reality in our slum areas reinforcing his battle cry "Mahalaga ang Tao".

Here's the exclusive and complete Padyakitos with Mar Roxas TV Ad:

Friday, April 3, 2009 | posted in financial crisis, mar roxas, philippines, poverty, president | 0 comments [ More ]

Mar Roxas is also Mr. Padyak!

Senator Mar Roxas has just finished shooting another TV Ad this week that would be released soon. Still retaining his Mr. Palengke image, in this TV Ad, the people would be calling him Mr. Padyak.

The TV Ad's plot goes like this: there's a little girl and she steps inside a pedicab wherein Roxas is also inside. Then Roxas and the little girl would be talking about the hardships of a person living in poverty. After that, Roxas takes the place of the pedicab driver and parades through a cheering crowd.

More about this in days to come!

Wednesday, April 1, 2009 | posted in campaign, mar roxas, philippines, president | 1 comments [ More ]

Senator Roxas surges in new SWS survey

Senator Mar Roxas is surging in the latest Social Weather Stations survey for the potential candidates of President in 2010.

But despite this "still distant" rank in the survey, his party mates in the Liberal Party are not backing down their support and so do I.

Let's remember this: surveys are not what the entire people say. It's only the opinion of a few. We must not be disheartened by its results if we are lagging behind nor we should be overconfident when we are leading.

But surveys do matter also because after all because they condition the minds of the people. What should we do? For me, it's good if we start gathering warm bodies and tell them about who Mar Roxas is and why he deserves to be our next President. Know more about Mar Roxas and his position on different issues.

In that way, we can be able to continue the surge of our candidate, Mar Roxas!

Tuesday, March 31, 2009 | posted in chiz escudero, dick gordon, erap, loren legarda, manny villar, mar roxas, noli de castro, pgma, philippines, ping lacson, president, sws survey | 6 comments [ More ]