Press Release
July 31, 2018

TRANSCRIPT OF SEN. GRACE POE'S OPENING STATEMENT
Public Services Committee Hearing
July 31, 2018

As the chairperson of the Senate committee on public services, I have been entrusted by the Senate the mandate and obligation to tackle issues regarding all matters affecting public services and utilities, communications, land, air, and water transportation and legislative franchises. Nasasaklaw po ng ating komite ang halos lahat ng kinukonsumo, ginagamit, sinasakyan, pinapanood at pinakikinggan ng bawat Pilipino. Marahil masasabing mahirap at malawak ang obligasyon ng ating komite ngunit nararapat na suklian natin ng tamang serbisyo.

The first agenda of our hearing today will focus on Senate Resolution Nos. 446, 436, 431 and 430 filed by Senators Pangilinan, Gatchalian, Villanueva and yours truly, respectively, regarding current issues surrounding the Transport Network Vehicle Services or TNVS. Ito po ang tungkol sa GRAB at iba pang app-based hailing services. Hihilingin natin ang kasagutan ng LTFRB para sa mga sumusunod na katanungan:

a. Nasaan na ang competitors ng GRAB?
b. Ano'ng nangyari sa incentives para sa GRAB drivers?
c. Kumusta ang mga polisiya ng LTFRB sa pagpapatigil ng pagpo-proseso ng applications ng mga TNVS?

Ang pangalawang agenda ng ating hearing ay ang Senate Resolution No. 736 which I have filed to inquire as to the status of gas, transportation, electricity, water and all public services nationwide in relation to the initial implementation of the TRAIN Law, lalung-lalo na ngayon ay iminumungkahi na ating ipasa ang TRAIN 2. It shall be our goal to look for, substantiate and implement remedial measures such as subsidies and financial assistance and social mitigating measures to help the affected Filipino families, especially the poorest 50 percent of the population. It has been the intention of your committee on public services to personally visit our countrymen nationwide to listen to our people and see first-hand the real effects on public services of the TRAIN law. Ayaw po natin ng sabi-sabi lang. Ang tinig mismo ng ating mga kababayan sa iba't ibang sulok ng bansa ang nagsisilbing radyo, telebisyon at diyaryo ko--ang tinig at hinaing nila ang tunay na balita na siyang dapat nating tugunan.

Last May, I went to Iloilo City to listen to the voice of Central and Western Visayas. Ayon sa grupong PISTON-Panay, 18 beses daw tumaas ang presyo ng langis sa kanila mula Enero hanggang Mayo ng taong ito. Ayon naman sa grupong BAYAN-Panay, mula Disyembre 2017 hanggang Mayo 2018 ay tumaas ang presyo ng bigas nang 14.29 percent, tumaas ang presyo ng karne nang 6.67 percent, tumaas ang presyo ng isda nang 14.2 percent, at 66 percent daw ang itinaas ng presyo ng gulay sa kanilang rehiyon.

Last June, I went to Legazpi City, Albay to listen to the voice of Bicol and adjacent regions. In said hearing, renowned economist and congressman Joey Salceda attended and explained the pros and cons of the TRAIN Law.

In the third week of this month of July, your committee conducted an 'exploratory meeting' in Cagayan de Oro City in lieu of the unfortunate inability of senators to fly to CDO and conduct a full-blown regular Senate committee hearing because of Typhoon Henry. The records of said 'exploratory meeting' shall form part of the proceedings of this committee and the committee shall adopt and ratify the same, especially the bills of our counterpart in the House and our Honorable Congressmen who are here today.

In the hearing in CDO, a student leader emphasized the rising prices of food, particularly rice, as well as the rents in boarding houses or dorms due to the likewise rising prices of water and electricity, and that attention should be closely given to the sectors in the society that have no regular income. Transport leaders from all over Mindanao had also aired their concern regarding the implementation of the TRAIN Law.

Ladies and gentlemen, the things we are hearing from the news that our countrymen are having a hard time because of the implementation of the TRAIN Law are true. Hindi po iyon gawa-gawa o tsismis lang. Personal ko pong narinig sa ating mga kababayan sa Luzon at Visayas at napakinggan din ng ating komite sa Mindanao. Pero hindi lamang TRAIN ang puwede nating pagbintangan dito, ang merkado rin sa buong mundo, partikular ang presyo ng krudo.

Marahil hindi alam ng karamihan ngunit mayroong nakalaan sa budget o pondo ng pamahalaan para sa conditional cash transfers, fuel vouchers para sa kuwalipikadong prangkisa ng mga jeepney, ayuda sa minimum wage earners, mga walang trabaho at ang mga pinakamahihirap na 50 porsiyento ng ating populasyon, discount sa pamasahe sa lahat ng pampublikong transportasyon at discounts sa pagbili ng NFA rice. Nasaan na ang mga ito? Natanggap na ba ng mga nakasaad na benepisyaryo ang mga ito?

The third agenda of our hearing today is to tackle three House Bills--House Bill Nos. 5992, 5627 and 4065, and Senate Bill No. 1581 for the creation of Land Transportation Office (LTO) District Office in Bayugan City in Agusan Del Sur, LTO District Office in Valencia City, Bukidnon and an LTO District Office in Panabo City, Davao Del Norte. For these three bills, the committee will adopt and ratify its findings during the 'exploratory meeting' in Cagayan De Oro and recommend the approval of said LTO bills. Makakatulong ito sa ating mga kababayan para hindi na lumuwas pa para lang sa mga LTO offices lalung-lalo na sa Bukidnon, ang hirap dahil 'di ba wala nga tayong airport, 'yun ang sinasabi ng ating mga kasama, dapat magka-airport na rin sa Bukidnon.

The fourth and last agenda of today's hearing delves into House Bill No. 5654 regarding the application of a new franchise for Cotabato Electric Cooperative, Inc. - PPALMA or the COTELCO-PPALMA in Cotabato; and House Bill No. 7386 in relation to the renewal of the legislative franchise granted to Andres Bonifacio College Broadcasting System, Inc. in Zamboanga Del Norte. For these two franchise bills, the committee will likewise adopt and ratify its findings during the 'exploratory meeting' in Cagayan De Oro and recommend the approval of said LTO bills.

Para sa broadcasting franchise tulad ng Andres Bonifacio College Broadcasting, isang halimbawa ng kanilang obligasyon at responsibilidad ang pagbibigay ng libreng 'public service time' upang makapag-anunsyo ang pamahalaan ng mga importanteng babala ukol sa mga kalamidad at sakuna. Kailangan din nilang labanan at puksain ang paglaganap ng fake news at iba't ibang uri ng disinformation.

We would like to inform the public that we added a provision into franchises which requires them to hire locals where their businesses are located. Nararapat lamang na ang publiko at ang mga negosyong ito ay parehong makinabang at nang magkaroon ng maraming trabaho para sa ating mga kababayan. Trabaho, maraming trabaho, dahil wala namang bayad ang franchise dito sa gobyerno, dapat lang magbigay sila ng trabaho para mabigyan ng benepisyo ang mga nakatira doon sa probinsya kung saan may prangkisa sila.

So with that, I hereby call this public hearing to order.

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