Press Release
April 30, 2008

Transcript of interview with Sen. Alan Peter Cayetano

Q: Ano pong chances na makalusot yung mga amendments na gusto nila?

Sen.ASC: Well, dalawa ang tinitingnan natin - yung Magna Carta na, isipin niyo 1966 pa pero napakaraming provisions ang inaabuso or hindi binibigay sa kanila from the most simple for an amount of 100 million pesos ay mabibigyan sila ng medical check-up and 2003 ni-recommend na ito ng House of Representatives, until now hindi sinasama 'to sa budget, which is only 200 pesos per teacher para sa x-ray, urinalysis, etc. Maraming mga lugar, simpleng bagay lang katulad ng walang CR yung school nagkakaroon ng UTI yung mga teachers. So merong mga ilang provisions ng Magna Carta na hindi kailangang i-revise at kayang-kaya namang i-implement pero hindi nai-implement. So, we are holding this hearing para ma-bring to the attention ng DepEd 'to at ma-implement kaagad. Meron namang ilang bagay na it's more complicated, although essential din if we want to prevent a full-blown educational crisis or full-blown crisis in education. For example, yung cost of living na, or kung titingnan mo, just for the basic needs ng isang tao in Metro Manila today, it's about18, 000 pesos just to pay for food, for clothing, for medicine. Pero nakukuha ng teachers, 10,000 lang. Kaya lang, for every 1,000 peso increase in their salary, it constitutes 6 billion pesos. But teachers are also paying, let's say 1,000-2,000 in taxes. So, kung ibibigay ng pangulo sa May 1, sa ating mga manggagawa na minimum wage earners na 'wag na silang magbayad ng income tax, baka pwedeng isama yung mga teachers. So, although hindi ito automatic increase sa kanila, napakalaking bagay ng additional 1,000-2,000 pesos sa kanila. We are fast losing our teachers. Marami sa kanila nag-aabroad o umiiba ng trabaho. Grabe ang studies nila tapos magbo-board pa sila. Ang mga call centers halos doble ang sweldo sa ating mga teachers. So, it's a crisis talaga that is on-going and can be full-blown unless aasikasuhin kaagad. So we'll try to rush it and really include it in the bills that we want to pass right away para bago mag-SONA may response ang Malacañang whether or not they'll support this.

Q: Ano yung inclination niyo sir sa increase ng salaries ng mga teachers?

Sen.ASC: Well, it's really a balance. We want to give them as much as we can, but as I said, for every 1,000 pesos, 6 billion ang kailangan. Pero dun sa taxes, from one pocket to the other lang 'to. So kung ang mga ordinaryong manggagawa na may minimum wage earners, hindi na kukunan ng income tax, e ba't hindi rin gawin 'to sa teachers, halimbawa. So, automatically with no increase 'di ba, they'll have another 1,000 to 2,000 pesos. But kung susundin talaga natin ang nasa Magna Carta, minimum - teachers should be getting at least 18,000 pesos a month; but that translates to more than 40 billion pesos kaya napakahirap namang sabihin at ipangako na iyon ang ire-recommend natin. But siguro ang isang ire-recommend natin is that by phases mataas yung sweldo nila at i-peg sa inflation ang sweldo. Ang problema kasi yung angal tayo ng angal about the quality of education in our country pero hindi naman natin nilalagyan ng pera ang teachers, tapos ang tinuturuan ng isang teacher, sasabihin nila, is only 55 is to 1, pero ang 'di nila sinasabi, 2 o 3 shift iyan. So actually, ang hina-handle talaga ng isang teacher sa ating bansa, from 100 to 150 students, without the proper compensation. Umaangal din sila na kung ano yung nasa Magna Carta, iniiba minsan ng Civil Service, iniiba ng ibang local government units, so we're trying to strengthen the Magna Carta para hindi lang DepEd, kundi lahat ng ibang agencies susundin ito.

Q: So start niyo lang sir ay yung tax exemptions?

Sen. ASC: No, that's the most immediate, but the present can do with the BIR even without increasing their pay. But definitely, we will recommend na increase ito. Marami kami nakita na presidential pork dito sa 2008 budget katulad ng 30 billion na lump sum na pamimigay lang sa ibang mga special projects. So katulad nun, kung tataasan mo ng 2,000 pesos ang teachers, 12 billion lang 'to. You have 30 billion naman doon sa isang pondo na pamimigay lang niya sa political allies. So we know that there is money and we know that the teachers need it. So, it's really time that politicians put their money where there mouth is. Wala namang nagsasabing anti-education sila. Wala namang nagsasabing hindi sila payag itaas yung sweldo ng teachers, pero actually, naiiwanan. Kung titingnan mo yung mga sundalo, nabayaran na ang kanilang retirement at tinataas din ang kanilang benefit, pero ang teachers naiiwanan.

Q: Bago SONA mag-i-increase na yung salary?

Sen. ASC: We want to pass it up our level, so that the burden will be on Malacañang and on the House to do their part, kasi mahabang proseso ito. Sinasabi lang namin 'pagka umabot na naman ng pasukan na walang aksyon dito sa pay nila, nada-divert din yung attention or nakakalimutan din yung teachers natin.

Q: So magco-committee report na kayo sir, no more hearings?

Sen.ASC: We'll have one more hearing because we need the other data, but we're rushing it so that we want to discuss it sa Floor before mag-break ang Congress.

Q: Sir, may counterpart din po ba iyan sa House?

Sen. ASC: Lahat naman iyan meron e, kasi every year naman talaga may proposal na increase. Pero siguro ngayon, with what's happening sa prices ng food and sa prices ng oil 'di ba, lahat tayo mauunawaan kung gusto ng teacher na medyo tumaas ang kanyang sweldo.

Q: Sir, clarify ko lang po, yung income tax break po, bill po iyon?

Sen. ASC: No. Ang bills ngayon all have to do with the Magna Carta and with the salary increases. Pero nung lumabas sa hearing kanina, na for every 1,000 na idadagdag, almost 6 billion. So, isang very practical na pwedeng gawin, katulad ng announcement niya sa Labor Day, sinasabi ng Pangulo na nira-rush niya yung Congress, ba't hindi niya rin sabihin na priority din niya, tanggalin na lang yung income tax o kaya bawasan, ng mga public school teachers, kasi, from one pocket to other naman ito. Kung i-increase-an natin sila ng isang libo pero ang tax nila ay ganoon din, walang kaibahan yun sa bawasan mo muna ng tax kasi immediate yun. So, kahit hinihintay yung Lower House at ang Pangulo, magagawa na ito kaagad administratively ng pangulo, then of course ira-rush namin ang bill. Alam niyo naman pagka si-nertify niya as urgent. So, I'm just throwing that idea towards Malacañang because hindi lang naman laborers ang dapat mag-celebrate ng Labor Day, pati ating public school teachers.

Q: Hindi ba unfair iyon sa ibang government employees?

Sen.ASC: Well, pinag-aaralan natin sector per sector 'yan e. Pero katulad halimbawa kasi ng health workers natin, kung titingnan mo, ang kanilang Magna Carta kasi naipasa 'to after the salary standardization. Kaya napasok na nila ang benefits para sa kanila. Pero pagdating halimbawa nitong public school teachers 1966 kasi yung kanilang Magna Carta , naiwan sila. So katulad ng COLA nila, sinabi kasama na 'to sa pera, so makikita mo, naiwan talaga. Ang katumbas ng isang teacher yung 2nd lieutenant sa militar na halos doble ang sweldo nila, so makikita mo, naiwan talaga sila.

Q: ...yung natalo ng 2007...yung sa revamp po

Sen ASC: well unang-una ung kailangang irevamp eh ang pangulo mismo hindi naman ang gabinete kaya ang tingin namin we will just go from crisis to crisis because yung confidence in the president's handling financial matters in handling government projects loans ay parating kwestyonable yung attitude nya na ayaw nyang maging open sa investigation ay also very suspect so ang simpleng-simpleng request ni sen. Escudero yung list ng beneficiaries sa swine scam irelease ayaw nila irelease so no amount of revamp can help the president regain people's trust its really about to revamp ang pangulo herself or may reform na tangible so etong revamp na up coming I think is more really of a political payback dun sa mga tumulong sa kanya nung 2007 election and also may bali-balita kami that they're preparing for a chacha again ang balita namin malampasan lang nila ang food crisis iaatempt paring baguhin ang constitution at hindi magkakaroon ng 2010 election so I hope that's not true but kami sa opposition will be vigilant about that.

Q: how can you revamp the president...

Sen ASC: well if I can answer that we will have a new president already. I'm just saying that no amount of revamp can get the people back in her projects it's really a massive reform o kaya siya mismo resignation is a form of revamp.

Q: so sir kung political payback yung basis ng cabinet revamp so for worse...

Sen ASC: I'm hoping that those who are doing well in the cabinet will not suffer just because they don't have political backing or for whatever reason talaga namang merong dapat na ma-upgrade o may iba sa gabinete who are not doing a superb job and karapatan ng presidente palitan yun but the rumos flying about sino yung papalitan hindi ko ininame muna in this point in time may mga name na in there capacity in there individual capacity they are doing a good job eh bakit naman narurumor na palitan so hihintayin ko naman kung sino talaga pero wala namang question na political to kasi yung timing eh sakto one year after the election unless wala siyang ilalagay dun sa mga natalo but nagtataka naman ako eh ba't yung mga natalo sa senado ilalagay sa gabinete yung mga nasa gabinete ay gusto naman gustong tumakbong senador.

Q: sir according to sen. Panfilo Lacson hindi siya favor na magpalabas kayo ng official committee report...

Sen ASC: patawarin nyo na lang si sen. Lacson kasi hindi niya naintindihan yung sinabi ko.

Q: sabi nya will you be a little bit aggressive naman 'wag na daw kayong maghintay na may humarap na witness kayo naman ung magpursue...

Sen ASC: unless minomonitor niya kung ano ang ginagawa ko kaya alam niyang hindi ako aggressive I'm being aggressive siguro hindi niya nabasa yung transcript nung interview nyo yesterday 'di ba ang sinabi ko anytime na may witness or may event for example yung supreme court decision sinasabi niya nga kanina sa interview nya kay mr. failon na bakit hindi hintayin yung supreme court eh pan'no kung abutin ng 2 taon ung supreme court wala kaming rekomendasyon uulitin lang ng uulitin yung ginagawa niya ngayon. Ngayon kung halimbawa maglabas kami ng report in 2 weeks pagkatapos biglang magdesisyon ung supreme court e di natural bubuksan ko agad ung hearing it's our experience here in the senate and even in the house that none of this is ever final that's why I did not use the word final pero ang reklamo ng marami nating mga kababayan walang nangyayari sa hearing meaning walang nagiging resulta walang report that's why I admire very much na yung pagdating dito sa fertilizer scam nagkaroon ng conclusion at nagkaroon ng report pero pwede buksan 'yan kasi kita mo yung fertilizer scam may kamag-anak o may kambal yung swine scam so all I'm saying naman is that I'm reading the interim report I;m open to anything that they said and let me just clarify that there is no direct testimony leading to the president but there is evidence na ang sinasabi ko mas maganda para sa ating lahat na nadun yung witness mismo at sinasabi niya yung involvement nung pangulo kung meron man and we're waiting for that witness bu t we can't wait forever but I never said that there's no evidence leading to that kasi meron but there's two kinds of evidence eh you have to make a conclusion out of all the evidence at ung isa direkta so I'm just stating a fact so nung tinanong sis en. Lacson kanina totoo ba ung sinabi ni sen. Cayetano na walang nagbigay ng testimony na ang pangulo herself ay involved I stand by my statement because when you look at all the records wala pa namang umupo dyan at sumumpa at nagsabing diretsuhan na ang presidente ito ung ginawa pero merong ibang ebidensya na makakadeduct tayo na involved ang pangulo dito at ung binanggit ko kahapon ay ung kay sec. Neri sinabi na ni sec. Neri na may 200 million sya dun pinatuloy pa rin ng presidente so all I'm saying is that direct is always better than indirect so we're waiting for that but definitely any new evidence that will help us make better recommendation welcome and we may hold another hearing but is it is as it is right now panay isubpoena 'to isubpoena yan na hindi naman natin masasabi na substantial ang sinasabi or iniexpect mo lang na mananakit lang I wont' hold a hearing just for the sake of holding a hearing I will hold a hearing kung matitingana nating may substantial tayong matututunan sa hearing na 'yon.

Q: sir since ung ibang senator po may iniendorse na product...wala po bang lumalapit sa inyo?

Sen. ASC: wala pa naman. But to be fair to all the senators especially sen. Lacson bibigyan ko sila ng kopya ng lahat nung list of evidence at saka ung cd na nandun lahat ng transcript and I won't make the report final, hindi ko isasubmit yun sa secretariat na hindi nila nilalagay yung mga inputs nila I won't be making the report by myself so I think in the end magkakaroon din kami ng consensus hindi lang siguro nakuha ung point ng statement ko yesterday.

Q: sir...saying na wala pa po kayong malinaw na...na pwedeng mag come out...an

Sen. ASC: right now merong mga may potential pero considering ung mga nangyari on the past paghindi naman nagbigay ng affidavit sa akin ng advance ayokong asahan pero I'm hoping na lalabas sila kasi alam ko na meron na at least two senators that are working at two different witnesses na alam kong may hawak ng iba pang ebidensya.

Q: sir itong mga witnesses na ito pwedeng manindigan kagaya ni Lozada?

Sen ASC: well kung sure na silang manindigan I would announce it already and ask them for an affidavit but since na parating may sinasabing nag-iisip of whatever, mahirap na...

Q: sir when will this report available?

Sen. ASC: we're working on it na definitely we're working overtime on it, mga ten, fifteen days. Mamaya nga pala may lawyer's meeting kami kasi may deadline kami ng ano so I'll give you an update tomorrow.

Q: sir sa cha-cha

Sen ASC: ang info namin sa chacha is that malipasan lang nila itong...ang kritikal kasi dito sa nangyayari dito sa prices ng food, oil, etc. really is hindi lang yung tag-ani dito sa pilipinas or ung lalo sa Vietnam sa Thailand sa ibang bansa and kung mageexport ba sila dito sa atin so right now the hands of the administration is full just making sure that prices don't sky rocket and that people don't go hungry but ang balita namin after that after the SONA kapag tumahimik yung political atmosphere ipapasok ulit nila ung pag-abolish sa senate and then kapag meron nang 1 house lang kaya na nilang ipasok ung amendments nila.

Q: pano po nila...

Sen ASC: ang balita namin is through people's initiative just on one issue just abolishing the senate na magkaroon ng one house lang so I don't hear categorical that she will step down at 2010 that there will be elections in 2010 hindi ako confident in fact napakasarap pakinggan ung sinabi niya nung 2003 na "I am not running" but then history will tell us na hindi ganon ang nangyari but right now wala ka pang matingkad na I am not running na naririnig...

Q: sir ung info galling mismo sa...

Sen. ASC: no it's been going around it's been talked about by political circles including some admin it's always naman there kasi ung mga third term gustong baguhin 'to some naman maganda naman ang intensyon tulad na lang ng mga gusto talaga ng political reform ang problema ay ung timing�yun namang may masamang balak parati namang sumasakay yan sa magandang intensyon di ba wala namang aamin na para hindi ako maalis sa gobyerno eh and ung sasakyan nila ung mga tunay na reforms but then iiinsert nila ung mapatagal sila sa pwesto

Q: pero kung mag-aattend ba sila masasucceed na sila...

Sen ASC: I hope na because wala na ngang accountability right now na meron pang term limit eh imaginin mo kung walang term, kung walang limit. Imaginin mo kung magparliamentary pres. Arroyo can be president for life.

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