Press Release
December 13, 2012

Excerpts from Kapihan sa Senado with Sen. Ferdinand Marcos Jr.

ON RH BILL

Marcos: I think the status is, as of yesterday evening, last na 'yong akin naging individual amendments. I think Sen. Sotto is going to introduce more individual amendments on Monday but after that I think we will be getting to the vote on 2nd reading. Siguro hindi na namin iiwanan 'yang hangang mag 2nd reading na sa Monday, which means that we if want to bring it to 3rd reading ,we will have to have a special session on Thursday. Pero ang binabantayan ng Senado is what will happen in the House, kasi kung napag 2nd reading sila today, Wednesday naman sila magkipag 3rd reading so mukhang gumagalaw na, panalo na sa House on 2nd reading. Of course, 'yung 2nd reading is a very good indication of what will be the vote on 3rd reading. Kung magbabago man siguro, konti na lang.

We were watching it kaya siguro puyat tayong lahat. Iba doon sa House, and dami-dami nila, lahat naman sila nag-explain dahil sa nominal vote. So tumagal, I think just before 2 a.m. natapos.

Siguro ang masasabi ko, if the votes on the different amendments is anything to go by, parang matibay-tibay ang lagay ng RH bill dito sa Senado.

All my amendments, I have several actually, had to do with the LGUs dahil lagi kong inaalala ang LGUs, laging binibigyan ng bagong function, wala naman pondo. And, this is something that has been happening since the implementation of the Local Government Code. So, bawat makita ko na mayroon bagong function ang LGU, nilalagyan ko lang with funding from the national government. Parero 'yung thinking namin ni Sen. Ralph on the subject of local government so marami na roon natangal na niya or pinalitan na niya, pito 'yun eh. So, ang naiwan na lang para sa akin amendment was just a single one, which had to do with the emergency natal care. As far as I am concerned, I am satisfied because the local government, as I said, binibigyan bagong function tapos wala naman support sa national government, both in terms of funding and technical support. Pinagpaaralan pa naming baka meron pa, there might be one more, pero, at least in that regard, medyo na bantay natin, na hindi masyado mabigat na naman papapagawa natin sa local government, na hindi naman natutulungan.

On whether he is satisfied with present Senate version of RH bill

Marcos: Yes. I think na pagbigyan naman lahat ng ibang amendments that were proposed and I think Sen. Pia was very liberal in allowing all of the amendments, as many of the amendments she could. We had lunch yesterday and I said to her: to hasten the process, kung kaya mo tangapin, tangapin mo na para masabayan natin yan sa House. Pero mayroon talaga na hindi niya kayang tangapin, like the minors, because it's really important, for very, very good reasons. We are one of the few countries where the incidence of HIV/AIDS is actually on the increase and the highest incidence of HIV/AIDS is between the ages of 15-25, so the bulk of your target demographic would be removed from the advantages of the RH bill. I think in the interest of compromise and in the interest of trying to get this through, especially if the House is moving already, tinangap na lang niya as much as she could without undercutting the whole purpose of the RH bill.

On Holding a Special Session

Marcos: Expected na 'yun, pinaguusapan na. Pero babantay naming 'yung House. Kung mag 3rd reading ang House sa Wednesday, may special session ang Senate sa Thursday. Kung wala naman sa House, kahit mag 3rd reading dito, mapasa dito, wala rin mangyayari. The whole point is tapusin ng lahat bago mag break for christmas. We are still dependent on the House. Pero, sa takbo ng RH bill sa House, mukhang gagawin nila, kasi nga three days, sa Wednesday, so special session sa Thursday.

Hindi imposibleng mababaliktad pa yan dahil ganun lang kalapit, pitong votes lang, but I think despite everything else, despite all of the lobbying that went on, despite all the pressure that were put on the congressmen and the senators, talagang hati, it is a very close vote. To have it approved on 2nd reading sa pitong boto lang.

On whether there is "man-to-man" lobbying in the Senate

Marcos: I don't think so, dahil siyempre mas mahirap i-control 'yong ganun marami. Karamihan sa amin medyo nagsabi na kung saan sila papanig. Man to man in the sense that in the House, mayroon whip. We don't have the actual title of whip but mayroon whip imiikot asigurado 'yan, sino sinasabi ..huwag kayo magpapalit or dito tayo, etc. Sa Senado hindi gaano, what we are beginning to feel, I don't know about the others pero ako, ang mga lobbying ay galing sa labas. In the last week, siguro mga pitong meetings ko, kung sino sino lumalapit on both sides, kasi malapit na tayo sa finish line, so the pressure is on.

On RH and election

Marcos: I am sure kung reelectionist ka, you will have to take it into consideration. Hindi mo naman puwede binabalewala 'yung influencia ng Simabahan kasi alam naman natin we are mostly catholic. Ako, I have signed as co-author in the last Congress, so I have been doing this for five years, we have been working on the RH. Hindi ko sasabihin na nakapagdecide na ng lahat but the lobbying at this point is taken with a grain of salt. Sa totoo lang, lahat naman mga argumento makabila na sabi na. Narinig na natin yan in the last Congress, pa ulit-ulit. So tancha ko, 90 percent of the senators alam na nila ano gagawin nila.

On Catholic Vote

Marcos: Historically, the way that the Filipino voters are divided, ganun din kung gaano kahati 'yong so-called Catholic vote. Iglesia talaga sabay-sabay bumobot or even the solid Norte, sabay sabay 'yan. You can call it the Ilokano vote or the Iglesia vote. The Catholic vote is less clear, kung ano talaga ang Catholic vote. The most similar situation that I know of is the situation of Johnny Flavier when he ran for senator. Pinaglaban niya din 'yong condom and the Catholic Church came on very strong against him but No. 1 siya sa election. It's not clear kung hati 'yung Catholic vote or sabay sabay sila. Kung maliwanag 'yan, alam na anong gagawin mga re-electionists . But I really believe in the end, although politics will play a part in it, it will be a conscience vote.

Ang position ko dito ay 'yong experience ko as governor. Talagang maliwanag na there is a need for this. Dahil ang daming kawawa mga bata, ang daming kawawa mga pamilya. They are ignorant, they have no access to any form of contraception and they do not even understand how reproduction works. Ito kailangan natin ayusin.

On the RH Bill

Marcos: What is proposed in the RH Bill is already being done. Namimigay na sila ng condom, gamot. They are already starting to educate so it is just institutionalizing what is already on the ground and to strengthen what they're trying to do. Para sa akin, maliit na hakbang na lang ito mula sa nangyayari ngayon kapag napasa ang RH Bill kung ano ang gagawin ng pamahalaan.

On the senators' vote on the RH Bill

Marcos: Ang definitive guide, so far, is 'yung botohan sa mga amendments. It's indicative. Hindi mo masasabi na kapag 'yung amendment pabor kay Senator Pia, ibig sabihin pasado na. It's not that clear. We try to make a headcount, it's not clear. I suppose 'yung iba nag-iisip pa kung ano ang kanilang gagawin. In the end, despite all of the pressures that are being put on the senators from both sides, I don't think anyone will cast their vote purely on political expediency. In really believe that everbody's conscience will be a part of it.

Siguro 'yung resulta sa House, magkakaroon din ng influence 'yan but again, it's hard to assess how much influence.

Sa NP walang party stand. Sa NP, sinasabi kung ano talaga ang paniniwala ninyo. Medyo hesitant ako to talk about the LP pero mukhang sa botohan 'yung LP supportive because alam naman natin na si Presidente is supportive of the RH Bill. The GP group is not supportive. The rest ang mahirap basahin.

On the rumors that a vote on the RH Bill equals pork barrel release

Marcos: Sa amin sa Senado, I can categorically say na walang ganoong pangyayari. Bawat isa, lalo na 'yung mga re-electionists, sila ang mag-aassess sa sitwasyon nila. Kung matibay-tibay sila, they can pretty much do whatever they want pero kung medyo insecure ang lagay nila, baka iba ang kanilang pag-iisip. I cannot tell you what they are thinking but if I am a candidate, if I were in their position, ganoon siguro ang mangyayari sa akin.

On the RH Bill reaching the bicam conference

Marcos: Lahat pwedeng mabalik sa bicam as we have experienced in the sin tax. Maayos na 'yung sa Senate version pero sa bicam, wala. Sinagasaan lang kami so we adopted generally the House proposal. Again, those proposals can come from either House. It's actually the third House of legislature because kung ano man ang naging Senate version o House version, maaaring paglabas sa bicam ay ibang-iba sa House o Senate version. Nagbago ng husto. That's just the way it works. That's our system so that can happen.

On the parental consent for minors

Marcos: Dahil nga isa tayo sa, I think, siyam na bansa na dumadami ang nagkakaroon ng HIV/AIDS. The highest number of HIV/AIDS in the Philippines is on the demographic between 15-25 years old. Sabihin natin na kailangan ng parental consent, number one, alam naman natin na hindi kukuha ng parental consent. It's just unrealistic. To deny the people who are vulnerable, deny those children who are exposed to this particular disease, parang counter-productive 'yon. We look at the empirical data and see what is really going on in the ground.

On the sin tax bill

Marcos: Disappointed ako kasi sa aking pananaw, makakasira itong sin tax bill. Sa aking paniniwala, hindi mababawas ang paninigarilyo, pag-inom. Hindi makokolekta ang incremental tax revenue na kanilang sinasabi. Magkakaroon pa ng smuggling. Ang mangyayari lamang ay wawasakin ang local. Tinataasan natin ng husto ang buwis sa sigarilyo at alcohol, especially 'yung distilled, para kumita nga pero ang imported walang binabayad na tax. Binabayaran lang nila customs duties. So, very preferential ito sa mga imports. Nagtataka naman ako bakit natin ginagawa 'yon. Bakit natin pinapayaman 'yung taga-labas on the backs and on the sacrifices of our local manufacturers. I really hope that I'm wrong. I really hope that this is one of the instances na maling-mali ako para hindi naman matamaan 'yung mga farmers, producers, manufacturers pati 'yung mga retailers.

On the possibility of failure for the sin tax bill

Marcos: We are gonna be watching this from the beginning of the implementation. We will track it. May oversight naman. Ano pang magagawa natin, an act of Congress can only be amended by another act of Congress. That's all we would be able to do.

On the distribution of the tax burden on sin taxes per year

In the first year. Tingnan ninyo, it is back-loaded. Even in the unitary, 2017, ang unitary was 26 dito sa House version. Sa final version 30. Ginawa lang nila yun para pagandahin yung numero pero ang totoo, over a period of five years, they expect yung kanilang projection is makaka-kulekta sila in five years ng half a trillion. Look at the size of the industry, paano ka magko-collect ng half a trillion? Hindi realistic yung kanilang mga assumptions.

On the earmarking

Tinanggal lahat ang earmarking kasi sinabi ng House sa Bicam, that is an appropriation. If this is a revenue measure, it cannot be an appropriation bill. That appropriation should just come. Ang ina-alala nga namin is that kung sinasabi ninyo health measure ito, eh di talagang ilagay natin ang health measure. Ano ang nangyari sa Bicam? Kinu-kwestiyon nga na may ganitong halaga na ilalagay sa healthcare itong halaga, sinasabi nila na hindi maaari yan, dahil that is appropriating already, which is a function of the House. Nagtanong ako, nandoon si Secretary Ona, kung magkaroon nga tayo ng collection na ganito, papaano ninyo gagamitin? Paano ninyo i-aases? Hindi siya pinasagot, sinabi wag, i-adopt na lang natin, saka na lang natin pakinggan si Sec. Ona. Kung na-adopt na natin, bakit pa natin pakikinggan si Sec. Ona? Ganun ang nangyari, ganun ang naging sistema ng Bicam. Let's adopt it first then we will discuss it. Bakit pa tayo magdi-discuss, tapos na ang usapan?

On the Drilon formula

Walang natira sa Senate version. Yung unitary rate, pati yung revenue, yung burden sharing, lahat ng pinag-usapan namin dito sa Senado, nawala. Ang naging template was the House version. Sinasabi nga nila dito it was 35.9 billion ang total, sinabi namin bawasan kasi 31.3 billion sa House, split the difference. Ano ang nangyari sa 5 billion? Nilagay lahat sa tobacco, hindi lahat sa alcohol. Hindi ko alam kung bakit.

On Marcos and JPE's amendments

Ang nangyari lang, yung sistema. Yung stamps, yung markings, etcetera para maliwanag kung ito ay imported o ito ay locally made. In fact, narinig ko sa isang tobacco manufacturer, sabi niya isasara na lang namin yung planta namin dito, bubuksan namin sa labas. Bibili kami ng tobacco sa Pilipinas, gagawin naming sigarilyo, tapos ibebenta namin as imported cigarette. Hindi smuggling. Legal yun, because hindi sila magbabayad nung ganoong klaseng tax because for distilled spirits and tobacco, all imported goods are not taxed. All the specific taxes, all the ad valorem taxes we apply to distilled spirits and tobacco do not apply to imported products. Ang binabayad lang nila customs duties. Yung ang one of their options. Kung titingnan ninyo ang numero, it actually makes sense na ilabas na lang natin ang production.

On whether the tax will meet the revenue?

Yun na nga, half a trillion. Para sa kanila, basta itaas nila ang sin tax, tataas yung revenue. Hindi nila iniisip na may merkado yan. After a certain level sasabihin ng tao, hindi na namin bibilhin yan. Kaso may smuggling. Sa debate dito, sabi hindi, kailangan may organization na sindikato, mag-organize sila. Meron na. Nagpabili lag ako ng smuggled cigarettes, dalawampu kaagad na iba't-ibang klaseng sigarilyo dito sa Maynila ang nabili. Sa Mindanao, mas marami pa. Yung formula nila was always the higher you make taxes, the more we will collect. Hindi ganoon kasimple ang usapan nito. It's a market, hindi linear sa point na talagang sasabihin ng consumer, ayaw ko na, maghahanap na lang ako ng iba, and ang magiging option doon is smuggled cigarettes.

On whether he was bullied out of his amendments

Hindi naman nila kami pwedeng i-bully but the discussion was abbreviated in the Bicam. Humihingi kami, mag-agree tayo P35 billion. House and Senate, nag-agree. P35 billion ang projected revenues. Tanggap na namin yung P35 billion. Ang House proposal, ganito nga ang lumabas ngayon, five yeards unitary hanggang 30, etcetera. Yung working group, sabi namin ipakita nila yung projection, Hinihingan namin, sabi ko kung ganyan, ano pa ba yung ibang option na kikitain ng gobyerno? Take it or leave it na nga ang naging situwasyon.

On why the house proposed a higher burden share for tobacco while maintaining that of alcohol

Ang reasoning nila, irrelevant na yun dahil in the first year, ang pino-propose ng Senate version, mas malaki ang magiging buwis kesa sa pino-propose nila. Sanay naman ako sa numero, kung binwasan nila sa first year, kinarga nila sa following years. Mas malaki pa rin over-all and their estimate again, P500 billion is their expected revenue over the next five years. How can an industry the size of the tobacco industry and the size of the distilled alcohol industry and the beer, saan mo kukunin yung P500 billion? Hindi ganoon kalaki ang industriyang yan. Ang kanilang assumption, basta itaas ang buwis, mas malaki ang kikitain. Pinag-uusapan, 60-40, naging 70-30, etc. Bakit nagbago? Sinasabi, di na bale, huwag ninyong inaalala yun dahil mas maliit naman.

On whether the liquor industry lobbies harder

Hindi ko alam, basta aping-api ang tobacco. If you wanted to destroy an industry, you could not do a better job than what they did for the tobacco in the sin tax bill.

On whether the tobacco farmers can let legislators know their disappointment

May election. Alam nilang lahat kung sino ang bumoto saan. Maliwanag na maliwanag sa kanila, pinag-mamasdan nila, binabantayan nila. Darating ang campaign period, iikot kami, at magtatanong sila, sino ba ang dapat tulungan? Kahit sabihin ko na tulungan namin sila, bakit ko tutulungan yan, bumoto yan kontra sa amin? Hindi mo maikakampanya yun, kahit sino ka.

On whether there is a solid vote

Hindi pa ako bumabalik sa amin mula nung naipasa yung sin tax. Ngayong Christmas, aakyat ako ng Ilocos, I am sure tatawag ng meeting yung mga yun at gustong pag-usapan yung magiging epekto sa kanila.

On the effect of the Sin tax bill to Ilocano votes

Marcos: Ngayon lang talaga natin mattesting kasi the previous elections ang Ilocano vote ay nanggagaling sa Norte. Pero sa palagay ko, magpaparamdam ang mga Ilocano na hindi sa norte dahil sa Sin tax bill. Kahit papano kamag anak at kaibigan pa din nila yun. Alam niyo naman pagdating sa senador, ang local tumatawid ng party line yan. Usually, ang governor, magbibigay ng sample ballot yan, hindi puno sa senador. At the most anim or pito. Para yung botante may option siya kung sino ang gusto niya. Para dun sa pagpili ng anim o pito, simple lang naman ang tanong kung sino ang nakatulong sa atin. Ang local tumatanaw lang yan ng utang na loob. Hindi sa partido yan.

On the members of the bicam on sin tax bill

Marcos: Well, ako tapos sa Congress si Congressman Singson. Yung ibang mga Congressmant tumulong sumubok like Congressman Danny Suarez who has been very supportive. Even Congressman Villafuerte and Fuentebella were trying but in the end, wala rin.

Q: When will the sin tax bill be transmitted to the Palace?

Marcos: Third reading was Tuesday. So 15 days tapos dadalhin na sa palasyo.

Effectivity of the sin tax bill

Marcos: Effectivity will be upon signing. That will probably be before the end of the year.

On the 2013 elections

Q: Will you campaign for certain candidates?

Marcos: Oo naman. Lagi ko ngang sinasabi in the last 20 plus years na ito lang ang eleksyon na hindi ako kandidato. Siguro kung yng mga kasama natin sa partido ay nangangailangan ng tulong, tutulungan natin.Kung sa local, tingin nila makakatulong ako, e di tutulong ako at ikakampanya sila. My mother and my sister are running. Si Imee is unopposed. Yung mother ko may pumila pa kontra sa kanya pero hindi naman siguro masyadong malakas. Si Imee and Si Congressman Farinas ay walang kalaban.

On Senator Trillanes

Marcos: Yes, I will campaign for him. Nagusap na kami dyan. Alam kong tatamaan ako dyan sa norte.

On Senator Alan Cayetano

Marcos: Oo ba, I will campaign for him. Kagaya ng sabi ko pagka ikampanya mo kahit na sabihin na mahal ka ng tao, tatanong nila bakit kami boboto dyan e hindi tumulong yan. Alam niyo ang mga botante sa Pilipinas, when you get down lalo na pag di presidente, simple lang ang tanong dyan eh, what have you done for me lately. Alam mo natural yan. Di lang sa Pilipinas yan.

On the Nueva Camarines bill

Marcos: Alam naman natin lahat na ang plano talaga ng mga proponent dun sa Camsur ay tumakbo sa bagong probinsya. Hindi na sila makakatakbo in the next election dahil hindi sila makapagfile. Kahit sila, alam nang pupuntahan yung bill although patuloy pa rin sa plebisito. Even that as a practical matter, hindi na kaya gawin ng COMELEC kasi sinabi na ng COMELEC dahil sinabi na nila na masyado na silang madaming ginagawa in fact behind schedule sila sa kontrata nila, walang special elections ang mga plebisito until after the May elections. After the May elections, whatever the result may be tapos nay un, pag hindi napasa magsisimula ulit. Baka there's an element of face saving na rin sa kanila.

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