BASAHIN: Cong. Kit Belmonte’s Explanation of NO vote to RESOLUTION OF BOTH HOUSES NO. 2 PROPOSING AMENDMENTS TO CERTAIN ECONOMIC PROVISIONS OF THE 1987 CONSTITUTION OF THE REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES PARTICULARLY ON ARTICLES II, XIV & XVI
01 June 2021

It is with much regret that I vote NO to RBH 2.

Almost all our economic and business experts, including people I hold in high respect agree that we have to open up our economy in order to get over this unprecede-nted crisis and enable our country to compete in this interlinked, fast-growing world. The time for protectionism, they say, is over.

However, going as far back as the encomienda system and the Galleon Trade, and the last time we successfully tinkered with our Constitution with the Parity Rights Amendment in 1947, our own history tells us that every time we open up or are made to open up our nation, our people and our resources to foreign participation, we inevitably get the short end of the stick. In short, to put it mildly, nagugulangan tayo!

Our own strategic and geopolitical location and vast natural resources make it almost impossible for the world powers to refrain from interfering with and attempting to control, not just our economy, but also our politics and direction as a nation. We have gone through this before with Spain, England, Japan, and the United States. And kahit nagbubulag-bulagan tayo, Mister Speaker, we are going through this now with China.

Si John Adams ng America ang nagsabi na, “There are two ways to conquer and enslave a nation: one is by arms, the other is by debt.” Hindi man “investments” ang tawag nun, pero ngayon yan din yun; buhusan mo ng pera at sa inyo na sila.

Dahil magiging self-executing by law ang pagkalikot sa ekonomiya at dahil ang so-called safeguards at guiding principles sa Constitution ay nasa mga section na pwedeng basahin at nabasa na na non-self-executory, naghain ako ng mga amendment sa RBH 2—mga risonableng safeguard na nasa batayang batas din ng mga katabi nating mga bansa.

Sa paglalagay ng “subject to reciprocity, national interest, and national security,” after every phrase na may “UNLESS OTHERWISE PROVIDED BY LAW” sinisigurado natin na kahit ano pang Kongreso ang dumaan, may safeguards at guidelines na susundin sa anumang batas na kakalikot man sa mga probisyon na ito.

Let me be clear, Mr. Speaker. I am not opposed to the liberalization of our economy. But we have to be wise; we have to learn from the mistakes of the past, and be astute enough to foresee the risks in our present and our future. We need reasonable safeguards in these amendments. Sadly, hindi sila nasama. That is why I vote NO to RBH No. 2.

Panoorin ang explanation of No Vote dito.

Basahin ang proposed amendments dito:

Pasado na sa 2nd Reading ang House Bill 8242. Layunin ng Right to Adequate Food Act na magkaroon ng sapat na pagkain para sa lahat. Hinahangad nating mawala ang hunger incidence sa bansa.

#AlagangBelmonte #RTAF #HB8242 #ZeroHunger

Basahin ang batas dito:

Following the unilateral abrogation of the University of the Philippines-Department of National Defense (UP-DND) Accord, Quezon City 6th District Representative Jose Christopher Y. Belmonte filed House Bill No. 8443 or the Academic Freedom Act of 2021 on Thursday, institutionalizing state universities and colleges as freedom spaces.

The bill aims to declare schools and state universities and colleges (SUCs) as freedom spaces where academic freedom is guaranteed. It also recognizes that SUCs shall exercise full acts of ownership over their properties, which would require coordination with and authorization from school administrations for the state to conduct security operations within the school premises.

HB 8443 maintains that state forces can enter school premises in specific situations such as in hot pursuit, or emergency situations, provided that they coordinate with the school administration. It also makes way for the creation of a joint congressional oversight committee to ensure proper implementation.

The bill is similar to the UP-DND Accord, but will now have the force of law once passed, covering all state universities and colleges in the country.

“Bakit natin ili-limit sa UP? This freedom, the right to protect our freedom of speech, our academic freedom – dapat available po sa lahat itong mga prinsipyo na ito. Dapat isama na ito sa mga mandate ng state universities,” Belmonte said.

The UP-DND Accord was signed on June 1989. It outlines the operations of the police and the armed forces in state universities and colleges. This includes prohibition of entry unless coordinated with school officials, non-intervention in public demonstrations and protests, and notifying schools when students are arrested.

“History tells us, repression breeds resistance. With the unilateral termination, lalo lang nila papalakihin ang problema instead of solving it,” the deputy minority leader emphasized.

Belmonte also encouraged Members of Congress to support the bill and protect the freedoms and rights that are flourishing in universities. At the present, there are at least 60 Members of the House of Representatives who are graduates of the University of the Philippines.

Read the bill:

Mahalaga sa bawat programang pabahay ang pagsiguro na hindi mauudlot ang kabuhayan, edukasyon, at iba pang serbisyong panlipunan para sa mamamayan. Kaya naman nilalayon ng panukalang ito ang paggarantiya ng ligtas at malapit na pabahay para sa informal settler families ng mga lungsod, lalo sa mga nakatira sa mga mapanganib na lugar.

Maraming salamat sa lahat ng mga kasama nating mambabatas na patuloy na nakikiisa sa pagsulong ng panukalang ito!

#AlagangBelmonte #SulongSais

Kapag naging ganap itong batas, papalawigin nito ang kakayanan ng pamahalaan na maglaan ng lupa para sa mga proyektong pabahay. Ibig sabihin, mas maraming mamamayan ang mabibigyan ng pabahay lalo na sa mga urban at urbanizable lands.

Basahin ang full text ng batas dito.

#SulongSaPabahay #AlagangBelmonte