Press Release
October 30, 2008

'Text-for-Change' bill gains support among local officials

Independent Senator Richard J. Gordon's 'text-for-change' bill has continued to heap support, the most recent of which came from the local officials of Norzagaray, Bulacan who unanimously urged the Senate to pass the measure aimed at improving the country's educational and health care systems.

Gordon thanked the members of the Sangguniang Bayan of Norzagaray, Bulacan for unanimously passing and approving Resolution 2008-09-113 last Sept. 30 during their regular session presided over by Vice Mayor Rogelio Santos, Jr.

"I am heartened that the local officials of Norzagaray are one with us in our dream of sending our children to better schools with adequate classrooms, textbooks, seats, teachers, principals and health personnel," he said.

"I'm sure their support will go a long way in changing the educational and health care systems in our public schools, and will resonate in the air-conditioned offices and high-rise buildings of the telecommunication giants," he added.

The town's officials passed the resolution on the premise that the State shall protect the citizens' right to quality and accessible education and promote the modernization, acceleration and efficient delivery of basic education, while ensuring teachers' right to professional advancement and adequate remuneration for their talents.

"The State shall encourage the participation of the private sector and the whole citizenry in the pursuit of a comprehensive and long-term rehabilitation and modernization program in the education sector," the resolution read.

Gordon said the State's responsibility to its citizens can be satisfactorily accomplished through his 'text-for-change' proposal, which seeks to augment government resources to fill the gap in the country's health and education requirements by requiring telecommunications companies to remit part of their net income from local text messaging.

The Senator added that the immediate passage of the bill is possible through the support of different sectors of society, including the local government units.

"I urge my fellow public servants, both in the national government and in the local government units, to support the HEAP bill. If we all work together, we can accomplish many great things. Let us start by improving the country's educational system," he said.

"Education is the backbone of our country. If our citizens are well-educated they will have better jobs and we will have more professionals. We can compete well in the global market and be at par with other nations," he added.

Support to Senate Bill 2402, the Health and Education Acceleration Program (HEAP), has continued to gain support among local officials, leaders of associations of parents and teachers.

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