GMA signs 16 new laws - while traveling abroad
MANILA, Philippines - President Arroyo signed 16 Congress-approved bills into law while in the air, literally, flying home from her latest visit to the United States early last month.
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The trouble with the laws she signed is that they do not affect large numbers of Filipinos. They are what congressmen call local bills. They actually serve the authors’ political purposes.
One of the 16 laws, Republic Act 9683 declares Sept. 18 of every year a special non-working holiday in the city of Bislig, Surigao del Sur.
Another, Republic Act 9684, renames the Tumana Bridge in Marikina City as Gil Fernando Bridge.
The third, Republic Act 9685, renames the New Washington Road in Aklan as Jaime Cardinal Sin Avenue.
The fourth names a portion of a road in Camarines Sur as Gov. Felix Alfelor Sr. National Highway.
Eleven of the laws seek to establish new or split existing engineering districts in Ifugao, Sorsogon, Cagayan de Oro City, Sultan Kudarat, Misamis Occidental, Albay, Cebu, Zamboanga Sibugay, Malabon and Navotas, Nueva Vizcaya, and Tarlac.
Funds are required for the establishment or splitting of these engineering districts. Thus, the titles of the laws include the phrase, “and appropriating funds therefore.”
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Interviewed by The STAR last Wednesday, Budget Secretary Rolando Andaya Jr. said there are no funds in the proposed P1.5-trillion 2010 budget for these laws.
“It is Congress that will appropriate the necessary funds. But if they provide funds, they have to take away money from agencies since they cannot increase the President’s budget proposal,” he said.
Most likely, Andaya said the new statutes requiring appropriations would be added to the innumerable list of “unfunded laws.”
“It will require hundreds of billions of pesos to fund these laws, which we cannot afford to do,” he added.
....
The trouble with the laws she signed is that they do not affect large numbers of Filipinos. They are what congressmen call local bills. They actually serve the authors’ political purposes.
One of the 16 laws, Republic Act 9683 declares Sept. 18 of every year a special non-working holiday in the city of Bislig, Surigao del Sur.
Another, Republic Act 9684, renames the Tumana Bridge in Marikina City as Gil Fernando Bridge.
The third, Republic Act 9685, renames the New Washington Road in Aklan as Jaime Cardinal Sin Avenue.
The fourth names a portion of a road in Camarines Sur as Gov. Felix Alfelor Sr. National Highway.
Eleven of the laws seek to establish new or split existing engineering districts in Ifugao, Sorsogon, Cagayan de Oro City, Sultan Kudarat, Misamis Occidental, Albay, Cebu, Zamboanga Sibugay, Malabon and Navotas, Nueva Vizcaya, and Tarlac.
Funds are required for the establishment or splitting of these engineering districts. Thus, the titles of the laws include the phrase, “and appropriating funds therefore.”
...
Interviewed by The STAR last Wednesday, Budget Secretary Rolando Andaya Jr. said there are no funds in the proposed P1.5-trillion 2010 budget for these laws.
“It is Congress that will appropriate the necessary funds. But if they provide funds, they have to take away money from agencies since they cannot increase the President’s budget proposal,” he said.
Most likely, Andaya said the new statutes requiring appropriations would be added to the innumerable list of “unfunded laws.”
“It will require hundreds of billions of pesos to fund these laws, which we cannot afford to do,” he added.
Let's see. Hours upon hours of legislative time and resources, millions upon millions of taxpayers money, deliberating, discussing, and enacting 16 inutile and worthless bills. No wonder the Philippines is in such a rut.
Tama na!!
Bangon NoyPi !!!
1 comment:
I hate reading this kind of news Willy J. It makes my blood boil.
Millions of pesos are spent in law making tapos ganito lang ang batas... naming a bridge, splitting provinces etc... walang batas na papasok ang pera sa bansa puro palabas.
splitting district is not income generating kasi this means kailanagan na naman ng bagong tongressman tsk tsk...
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