MANILA, Philippines - Davao del Norte Rep. Pantaleon Alvarez outlined his legislative agenda yesterday immediately after an overwhelming majority of his colleagues elected him Speaker of the House of Representatives.
He succeeded Quezon City Rep. Feliciano Belmonte Jr., one of four House members who nominated him to head their chamber in the 17th Congress.
Alvarez of the pro-administration PDP-Laban party received 251 votes against eight votes for Ifugao Rep. Teodoro Baguilat Jr. (Liberal Party) and seven for Quezon Rep. Danilo Suarez (United Nationalist Alliance). Twenty-one members abstained.
Addressing his colleagues, Alvarez echoed the message of change of the Duterte administration.
“True and genuine change can only come if we, as a people and as a nation, join hands with President Duterte in achieving it,” he said.
“We have to give him the necessary legislation to effect genuine and meaningful change. That means that we, too, must be an instrument of change.”
He then proceeded to enumerate the measures that he wants enacted, the newest of which is empowering Congress to give legislative franchises to mining companies. Under present rules, they do not have to go to the legislature to obtain licenses and permits to operate.
“We would like to see mining companies securing a legislative franchise before they are allowed to operate,” he said.
“That way, their activities would be subject to legislative oversight and their franchises can be revoked by the oversight body instead of a probably bribable bureaucrat in an obscure DENR (Department of Environment and Natural Resources) office if they violate the terms and conditions thereof.
“Also, we would like to ensure that these companies do not export the ores they mine. Processing or semi-processing of these ores should be done within the Philippines. This is one way to give jobs to our people, instead of enriching only the stockholders of mining companies.”
His proposal would lump mining firms with telecommunications companies and public utilities, which have to be franchised by Congress.
Invoking the “universal law on karma,” Alvarez said the legislature should re-impose the death penalty and reduce the age of criminal responsibility from 15 years to nine years.
“If you take a person’s life, if you are a drug lord who destroys people’s lives, you have to pay for it,” he said.
As for lowering the age of criminal responsibility, he said, “We must teach the young that there are consequences for everything we do.”
He reiterated the need to give Duterte emergency powers to untangle traffic congestion in Metro Manila and other urban areas.
He said the President “has started the ball rolling on greater transparency in government by signing an executive order on freedom of information.”
“We should do our part and enact a meaningful Freedom of Information bill,” he said.
“The greatest crimes are committed in dark secrecy.”
Alvarez said the House would also simplify taxation and increase retirees’ pension.
“And, of course, the most holy grail of all: the revision of the 1987 Constitution and the transformation of our system of government from a unitary presidential form to a federal parliamentary one,” he said.
“The power of imperial Manila over the rest of our nation has to end. Our local governments need to be allowed to stand on their own feet and to develop and grow as they see fit, subject only to standards that the national government may set.
“Let us not fear change. The only thing we should fear is the fear of change itself. Instead, let us embrace change… Starting today, then, let us roll up our sleeves and get to work.”
In nominating Alvarez for Speaker, Belmonte described him as a “friend and colleague,” since they were both members of the 11th and now the 17th Congress.
He assured him that the LP bloc in the House, which he heads, “will be a partner for change” of Alvarez’s super majority.
The House later passed resolutions commending Belmonte, former majority leader Neptali Gonzales ll and former minority leader Ronaldo Zamora for their “sterling performance and stewardship” of the House in the 16th Congress.
Aside from Alvarez, the House elected Ilocos Norte Rep. Rodolfo Fariñas as majority leader and Romero Quimbo of Marikina (LP), Eric Singson of Ilocos Sur (PDP-Laban), Mercedes Alvarez of Negros Occidental (Nationalist People’s Coalition), Fredenil Castro of Capiz (National Unity Party) and Raneo Abu of Batangas (Nacionalista Party) as deputy speakers.
Most LP colleagues of Belmonte voted for Alvarez, including Henedina Abad of Batanes, wife of former budget secretary Florencio Abad.
However, at least three LP members voted for their partymate Baguilat: Edgar Erice of Caloocan City, Edcel Lagman of Albay and Raul Daza of Northern Samar.
Navotas Rep. Tobias Tiangco, erstwhile UNA president, did not support Suarez. He said he was casting “a distinct vote of none of the above.” – With Delon Porcalla, Artemio Dumlao