TUCP files bill giving benefits to street vendors, drivers, tailors, others

A new bill seeks to protect and give benefits to street vendors and workers who are part of the informal economy. INQUIRER FILE PHOTO

MANILA, Philippines—A worker’s party-list group has filed a bill before the House of Representatives that aims to protect and give benefits to street vendors and workers who are part of the informal economy.

The Trade Union Congress Party (TUCP) said in a statement released Monday that it has filed House Bill No. 6182 proposing a “Magna Carta for Workers in the Informal Economy” that aims to help “street vendors, tricycle and jeepney drivers, garment tailors and sewers, pastry-makers, jewelry, handicrafts and ready-to-wear direct selling.”

“Informal economy workers can be found in every sector of our economy, either in production, commerce, agriculture, trade and services,” TUCP said.

The TUCP, citing data from the National Statistics Office, said that as of 2005 the informal economy “accounted for one-third of the country’s non-agricultural Gross Domestic Product and their share of employment was estimated at 17 million.”

TUCP Representative Raymond Mendoza, who is the main author of the bill, said that “these informal workers’ are the most vulnerable to exploitation and subject to poor working conditions specifically safe and healthy standards.”

Mendoza said that informal workers are “victimized by kotong [and] abuses” and they do not have social protection. “They also lack access to needed capital and technology,” he added.

“The situation of the informal sector workers’ can be remedied if only they will be included in the protective scope of the laws and subsequent regulations,” Mendoza said.

TUCP said that the bill aims to “establish an institutional mechanism at the national and local level” to improve “efforts in sustaining the growth and viability of the informal sector.”

It added that the bill will uplift the workers and their interests by allowing the appropriate government agencies to respond to their needs and allocate resources for them.

“It is about time that our workers in the informal economy be given due recognition and afforded full protection by the state considering their significant contribution in our national economy,” Mendoza said.

“We need to make sure that workers in the informal economy are workers and should be afforded with equal rights and recognition by law. It is imperative that appropriate programs and services be extended to them,” he said. - Matikas Santos @MSantosINQ INQUIRER.net

House approves creation of Philippine Trade Representative Office

The House of Representatives has approved on third and final reading a bill creating the Philippine Trade Representative Office which is principally responsible for monitoring and maintaining a cohesive and coherent trade policy vis-a -vis the country's national interest.

House Bill 5977, authored by Reps. Lorenzo Tañada III (4th District, Quezon), Henry Pryde Teves (3rd District, Negros Oriental) and Karlo Alexei Nograles (1st District, Davao City), aims to ensure greater accountability of trade negotiators with regard to trade and investment agreements.

Tañada said the Trade Office shall lead, direct, formulate and coordinate government agencies towards formulating coherent and cohesive policies, positions and measures and conduct regular stakeholders' consultations with respect to international trade and investment relations and negotiations.

"The creation of the Trade Office will beef up the country's negotiating capacity by building up databases, trade intelligence work, having solid research analysts and a legal team," Tañada said.

Teves said the Trade Office will put in place mandatory consultative mechanisms for greater participation of the private sector as well as civil society organizations in trade negotiations.

"Over the years, the Philippines has entered into 37 Bilateral Investment Promotion and Protection Agreements, 38 Bilateral Agreements and other multilateral and regional trade agreements while other agreements are still in the process of negotiations. With the potential increase in the number of trade negotiations, it is imperative that the Philippines is equipped with the necessary resources and capability to engage in all trade discussions," Teves said.

Nograles said the Trade Office will provide closer coordination between the Philippine Trade Representative, the various departments involved and Congress.

"Congress will be involved in formulating a negotiating mandate before any negotiations take place," Nograles said.

Under the measure to be known as the "Charter of the Philippine Trade Representative Office," the Trade Office shall be headed by the Philippine Trade Representative who shall be appointed by the President and confirmed by the Commission on Appointments.

The bill provides that the Trade Office shall negotiate trade and investment agreements on the basis of the Philippine Constitution and other laws, and will represents the country in all international trade negotiations.

Under the bill, the Tariff and Related Matters Committee (TRMC) together with the Technical Committee on World Trade Organization (WTO) Matters shall continue to function for six months until the Office of the Philippine Trade Representative is set up whichever comes earlier, after which they shall cease to function.

Co-authors of the measure are Reps. Cesar Jalosjos (3rd District, Zamboanga del Norte), Albert Raymond Garcia (2nd District, Bataan), Joseph Emilio Abaya (1st District, Cavite), Arthur Defensor, Jr. (3rd District, Iloilo), Jorge Almonte (1st District, Misamis Occidental), Ma. Amelita Calimbas-Villarosa (Lone District, Occidental Mindoro), Mary Mitzi Cajayon (2nd District, Caloocan City), Salvador Escudero III (1st District, Sorsogon), Aurelio Gonzales, Jr. (3rd District, Pampanga), Emil Ong (2nd District, Northern Samar), Erico Aumentado (2nd District, Bohol), Florencio Flores, Jr. (2nd District, Bukidnon), Emerenciana de Jesus (Party-list, Gabriela), Jesus Sacdalan (1st District, North Cotabato), Teddy Casiño (Party-list, Bayan Muna), Pedro Pancho (2nd District, Bulacan), Deogracias Ramos, Jr. (2nd District, Sorsogon), Agapito Guanlao (Party-list, Butil), Guillermo Romarate, Jr. (2nd District, Surigao del Norte), Maria Evita Arago (3rd District, Laguna), Arnel Ty (Paty-list, LPGMA), Rufus Rodriguez (2nd District, Cagayan de Oro City), Scott Davies Lanete, M.D. (3rd District, Masbate), Romeo Jalosjos, Jr. (2nd District, Zamboanga Sibugay), Pastor Alcover, Jr. (Party-list, ANAD), Rodolfo Antonino (4th District, Nueva Ecija), Rodel Batocabe (Party-list, Ako Bicol), Alfredo Garbin, Jr. (Party-list, Ako Bicol), Danilo Ramon Fernandez (1st District, Laguna), Rodolfo Valencia (1st District, Oriental Mindoro), Ma. Theresa Bonoan-David (4th District, Manila), Anthony Rolando Golez (Lone District, Bacolod City), Cesar Sarmiento (Lone District, Catanduanes), Jocelyn Limkaichong (1st District, Negros Oriental), Fernando Gonzalez (3rd District, Albay), Henedina Abad (Lone District, Batanes), Cresente Paez (Party-list, COOP-NATCCO), Joel Roy Duavit (1st District, Rizal), Jerry Treñas (Lone District, Iloilo City), Pedro Acharon, Jr. (1st District, South Cotabato and General Santos City), Irvin Alcala (2nd Dsitrict, Quezon), Teoderico Haresco, Jr. (Party-list, Ang Kasangga), Elmer Panotes (2nd District, Camarines Norte), Angelo Palmones (Party-list, AGHAM), Nur-Ana Sahidulla (2nd District, Sulu), Ben Evardone (Lone District, Eastern Samar), Victor Yu (1st District, Zamboanga del Sur), Paolo Javier (Lone District, Antique), Raymond Democrito Mendoza (Party-list, TUCP), Rommel Amatong (2nd District, Compostela Valley), Jim Hataman-Salliman (Lone District, Basilan), Jonathan Cabilao-Yambao (1st District, Zamboanga Sibugay), Vincent Crisologo (1st District, Quezon City), Rolando Andaya, Jr. (1st District, Camarines Sur), Ma. Angelica Amante-Matba (2nd District, Agusan del Norte), Antonio Alvarez (1st District, Palawan), Florencio Garay (2nd District, Surigao del Sur), David Kho (Party-list, Senior Citizens), Josefina Joson (1st District, Nueva Ecija), Wilfrido Mark Enverga (1st District, Quezon), Nicanor Briones (Party-list, Agap), Peter “Sr. Pedro” Unabia (1st District, Misamis Oriental), Czarina Umali (3rd District, Nueva Ecija), Randolph Ting (3rd District, Cagayan), Imelda Quibranza-Dimaporo (1st District, Lanao del Norte), Tomas Osmeña (2nd District, Cebu City), Evelyn Mellana (2nd District, Agusan del Sur), Joseph Victor Ejercito (Lone District, San Juan City), Jeffrey Ferrer (4th District, Negros Occidental), Rene Relampagos (1st District, Bohol), Teddy Baguilat, Jr. (Lone District, Ifugao), Franklin Bautista (2nd District, Davao del Sur), Kimi Cojuangco (5th District, Pangasinan), Ronald Cosalan (Lone District, Benguet), Joaquin Carlos Rahman Nava (Lone District, Guimaras), Gabriel Luis Quisumbing (6th District, Cebu), Herminia Roman (1st District, Bataan), Victor Ortega (1st District, La Union), Juan Ponce-Enrile, Jr. (1st District, Cagayan), Augusto Boboy Syjuco (2nd District, Iloilo) and Pedro Romualdo (Lone District, Camigun). - Lorelei V. Castillo, MRS-PRIB

Committee on Ways and Means approves tax provision of Student Loan Program bill

The House Committee on Ways and Means has approved a tax provision of the proposed Student Loan Program Act that aims to help poor but deserving students finish their college and post-graduate degrees through the availment of loans.

Rep. Isidro Ungab (3rd District, Davao City), committee chairman, said the panel's support for the measure is a big victory for students who want to avail of loan programs to complete their college education or degrees.

This shall also ensure that education is made accessible to all according to Ungab.

Section 10 of the unnumbered substitute bill to House Bill 1876 provides that "For any loan procured under the Student Loan Program Act, lenders shall charge an interest based on the prevailing 91-day Treasury Bill rate at the time of release of the loan to be paid by the student borrower." It also provides that such loans shall be exempted from payment of documentary tax.

Prior to its referral to the Committee on Ways and Means, the bill was approved by the Committee on Higher and Technical Education chaired by Rep. Juan Edgardo Angara (Lone District, Aurora).

Rep. Rufus Rodriguez (2nd District, Cagayan de Oro City) assuaged the fear of finance officials that the loan program could saddle many students with loans to pay after graduation just like their counterparts in the United States.

Based on his experience when he took up his master's degree at the Columbia Law School in the US, Rodriguez said many of his classmates were scholars and grantees of federal loans.

"The repayment scheme is good. In fact, the program has been going on for the past 30 years. The proposed student loan program has to be implemented otherwise many of our deserving students won't be able to finish college simply because they don't have the money while scholarship fund from the government is miniscule. The CHED is only giving P5,000 per year or P2,500 per semester. How can our poor students finish college?," said Rodriguez.

The proposed Student Loan Program Act aims to assist eligible students to obtain post-secondary technical or vocational certificates or diplomas in tech/voc institutes and colleges, and post-graduate degrees in higher education institutions by encouraging banks and government financial institutions to lend money to eligible students to be repaid in installments, at least 24 months after the student graduates or leaves the educational institution.

The loan shall cover the cost of the entire program offered by the higher educational institution (HEI) or tech-voc institute, including, but not limited to, tuition and miscellaneous fees. Provided that adjustments shall be made in case of increase in tuition and miscellaneous fees. It shall likewise include an amount for cost of attendance covering necessary expenses of the student for books, food, transportation, board and lodging, and a reasonable allowance for projects and other school requirements.

The substitute bill is authored by Reps. Roman Romulo (Lone District, Pasig City), Angara, Emil Ong (2nd District, Northern Samar), Mariano Piamonte, Jr. (Party-list, A Teacher), Eulogio “Amang” Magsaysay (Party-list, AVE), Pedro Romualdo (Lone District, Camiguin), Eduardo Gullas (1st District, Cebu), Cesar Sarmiento (Lone District, Catanduanes), Florencio Flores, Jr. (2nd District, Bukidnon), Raymond Democrito Mendoza (Party-list, TUCP), Sigfrido Tinga (2nd District, Taguig City) and Pryde Henry Teves (3rd District, Negros Oriental), and co-authored by members of the Committee on Ways and Means. - Rowena B. Bundang, MRS-PRIB

House to pass a bill allowing non-governmental groups to participate in public hearings

The House of Representatives is set to approve on second reading a bill assuring the participation of civil society or private groups in congressional public hearings and local government units' (LGUs) budget deliberations upon resumption of sessions in January 2012.

House Bill 3773 shall be known as "An Act institutionalizing the participation of Bona Fide People's Organizations (CSOs) in budget hearings and deliberations in Congress, in National Government Agencies (NGAs), and Local Government Units (LGUs)."

Deputy Speaker Lorenzo Tañada III, principal author of the bill, said the proposed law would allow the exercise of the people's right to participate in public decision-making and in the process, enhance accountability on the use of taxpayers' money.

"This will institutionalize people's participation in budget deliberation in national and local levels of government," Tañada said.

Key provisions of the bill mandate that the application for accreditation shall be filed at the Office of the Secretary of the Senate or the Secretary General of the House of Representatives or the Local Sanggunian of Local Government Units.

It authorizes the Secretaries of both chambers of Congress and the respective local sanggunians to cancel the certificate of accreditation of any people's organization (PO) and non-government organization (NGO) which have been found guilty of having procured their certificates by fraud or deceit or through error.

Among the privileges granted to PO and NGO are the right to receive notices of hearings and consultations and/or call for written submissions; participate through duly authorized representatives in regular and consultative meetings or hearings concerning annual budget deliberations; submit its own alternative or position paper and alternative sources of financing on the projects, programs and activities; and present position papers or written proposals.

Likewise, they will be given access to copies of bills or budget proposals from the Senate, the House of Representatives, and the local Sanggunian.

Furthermore, the measure directs Congress and LGUs to post on the World Wide Web and on their local bulletin boards pertinent documents of the proposed budget, as enumerated in the measure.

The bill imposes a jail term of three months and a fine of not more than P50,000 to violators.

The co-authors of the bill are Reps. Cresente Paez (Partylist, COOP NATCCO) Benjamin Asilo (1st District, Manila), Cinchona Gonzales (Partylist, CIBAC), Raymond Democrito Mendoza (Partylist, TUCP), Edwin Olivares (1st District, Parañaque), Christopher Co (Partylist, AKO BICOL), Mark Aeron Sambar (Partylist, PBA) and Arnel Ty (Partylist, LPGMA). - Dionisio P. Tubianosa, MRS-PRIB