Transcript of interview with Sen. Pia S. Cayetano

Q: May mga ilang nagki-criticize sa mga senador na lumalabas sa mga commercial ads, kayo po ang chairman ng Committee on Ethics, tama po ba ito o mali?

SPSC: There's nothing wrong if you ask me about any person coming out in public for various causes. I personally lent my name to a good cause, which is saving the water and so unless there is a specific allegation as to why there would be a specific concern, say conflict of interest, that can be dealt with on a case to case basis. Obviously there could be situations where a public official could not and should not be involved in a particular program or project, but I think that should dealt with on a case to case basis and not generalized. I could only speak for myself right now but there's definitely a lot of causes that I would be more than happy to be affiliated with because of the ability, of me being what I stand for, the ability for me to push these programs further.

Q: Ano po ang pananagutan ng isang nag-eendorso kung may pruweba na ang produktong kanyang inendorso ay [hindi epektibo]?

SPSC: Malaking bagay iyon, that's why I said it's on a case to case basis. Let me give you an example, nung bago pa ako naging senador, kakamatay lang ng ama ko, at may mga produkto na homeopathic, pampalakas ng liver. And I saw a TV plug na naglagay sila ng isang tao at sinasabi na tinigil na niya lahat ng gamot niya at yun na lang ang iniinom nya, yung homeopathic medication. So sobrang mali naman ang impormasyon na yon. So if there was a public official, even a doctor who would endorse that, that to me, is very irresponsible. It depends kung ano yung objective at ano yung produkto. I would be very wary of medical products endorsements, kasi kung hindi ko alam yung epekto ng mga gamot na yon, mag-iingat ako kung ano yung ineendorso ko. Importanteng tingnan iyan, if it's a cause, I don't think there's any reason for any responsible public official not to endorse a good cause, for the same reason na, for example, nandyan ang Greenpeace sa hearing ko ngayon. Inimbita nila ako sa boat nila, because they are against the use of coal. I would support that cause, kasi gusto ko rin maging malinis ang hangin natin.

Q: Ano po yung pananagutan ng isang senador o kahit na sinong public official na magendorse ng isang depektibong produkto?

SPSC: We'll have to see, kung irresponsible yung claims niya. You ask me now as a lawyer, and as a lawyer, maraming pananagutan. There are laws, like general laws in the civil code, but I can't give a specific answer until I know the specific case. Even a lawyer should study it to give a responsible reply.

Q: Sa patakaran po ng ethics committee, meron po bang nilalabag ang mga...

SPSC: I am not aware that there is any thing per se that disallows a public official from supporting a cause.

Q: Pero kung kumita ang product, credit doon sa endorser. Pag pumalpak ang product, meron ding...

SPSC: Siguro look-out na yon ng marketing people, hindi na ng endorser. Again, I can only speak for myself. In the case of any cause that I would support, kung dumami ang tumatakbo sa bansang ito, kung dumami ang mga nangangalaga ng kanilang kalusugan, I would be very happy for that. If you're talking of a specific product, again, it depends what the product is. Personally, hindi ko kayang mag-endorse ng hindi nakakabuti sa katawan. Hindi mo makikitang mag-eendorso ako ng sigarilyo o ng alcoholic beverage. Dahil I feel na as a role model for the youth, at kababaihan, hindi ko kayang gawin yon. If there's a law that prevents anyone from dong that, I'm not sure. I cannot answer that right now.

Q: Hindi ho ba parang inii-skirt po nila yung rule ng pangangampanya ng mga senador? Pangangampanyan ng public officials?

SPSC: It depends. Again, I can only speak for myself. So ako, wala akong ibang objective [in endorsing a product]. I know na magiging isyu yon para sa mga presidentiables, so pwede natin sigurong tignan iyon separately. But if it's for a good cause, you know this country is lacking in good role models, this country needs people who take up good causes. If I would see public officials taking up these good causes even if it's by way of linking up with private corporations, I think it's better than public officials hiding behind the cloak of government and hiding from their responsibilities.

Q: Ang ineendorse na po ninyo ay Downy, tumaas daw po ba ang sales?

SPSC: Hindi ko sinusundan yan. More importantly, I'm extremely happy that the commercial itself came at a time na kailangan talagang maging aware ang mga kababayan natin sa pag-conserve ng ating water resources. In fact, as I'm with you right now, ongoing ang hearing namin on the status of implementation of the Clean Water Act. Like I said, I never hesitate and I'm more than happy to link up with private companies that will promote that. If you see the way how the commercial was handled, ang role ko dun was to really promote the sustainability of our water and the need to conserve it.

Q: Ma'am yung mga produktong pampaputi ba, nakakatulong sa mga tao yung pageendorso?

SPSC: Ako personally yun ang mga produktong hindi ko ie-endorse. Pero baka sabihing bias ako. Dahil by nature ay maputi ako. [laughs] Baka sabihin wala akong karapatang magsalita dahil hindi ko pangangailangan yun. Ngayon, kung ang paguusapan natin paged-derecho ng buhok, papayag ako dun

Q: Kunyari po yung Downy, hindi talaga nakakapagsoften ng fabric...

SPSC: Ang dini-deliver kasi ng product na yon is the fact na "isang banlaw na lang" And that one I have seen for myself and I'm truly a believer.

Q: Kung hindi po nag-deliver, ano pong gagawin ninyo?

SPSC: Di hindi ko rin kayang gawin yon [endorsement]. Like I said, for the same reason na hindi ko pwedeng sabihin sa isang commercial na magiging masaya ang buhay sa paninigarilyo, dahil hindi ko ginagawa yon. At hindi ako naniniwalang magiging masaya o magiging cool ang isang tao kapag siya ay nanigarilyo at uminom. Same logic.

Q: Would you ask the withdrawal of the ad?

SPSC: Ako personally I think especially if you are in public office, you should be very careful of the product you endorse because ang tao maniniwala sa iyo. And for that matter, kahit hindi ka public official, I'd like to think na yung ating mga celebrity nag-iingat din. Ang laki ng burden na paniniwalaan ka ng tao. It's a privilege for us in public office and people in the limelight.

Q: What would you do if the product you are endorsing ends up to be defective?

SPSC: I would make a statement if there is something that needs to be clarified. Like I said, it's always on a case to case basis. As a person, it's important to me that if I'm affiliated with a group at medyo naiiba na yung paniniwala ko sa kanila, I would make a statement clarifying that.

Q: Dun po sa Meralco. May stockholders meeting ngayon...

SPSC: I am not privy to the information, I just heard the info na may cease and desist order issued by the Securities and Exchange Commission. I also need to wait and see the effect of this. But what's more important for me is that no matter what the issues are ay dapat ma-resolve ito nang maayos. Hindi ako natutuwa that it appears there's a sense of ganging up on Meralco. I do agree that there are substantial issues that must be resolved, within management, and specifically about the cost of electricity. Pero the government should be careful kung sino talaga ang dapat makialam nito. First and foremost, andyan ang ERC. Secondly, by way of its stockholders board membership, there's GSIS. But beyond that, hindi na dapat makialam ang government dahil we all have our different roles to play.

Q: So you don't want the government to dip its hand on Meralco?

SPSC: I'm saying that government should be very specific kung ano dapat ang role niya in relation to Meralco. Nandyan ang ERC, ang mga stockholders ng Meralco. The GSIS and other agencies representing the interest of government have the full right to get involved in the stockholders meeting. But beyond that, kapag nakakarinig tayo na yung iba pa sa gobyerno ay nakikialam, parang hindi na maganda dahil defined po dapat ang role ng bawat sangay ng gobyerno.

Q: Pero you are not in favor of government taking over Meralco?

SPSC: In almost all, if not all, jurisdictions in different countries, pina-privatize talaga ang mga ganitong klase ng industriya. So I would be very wary na biglang gusto ng gobyerno na makialam dyan. Precisely that was NPC's problem way back. And up to now, hindi pa nga fully ma-privatize. Nandyan pa rin ang NPC. This is a sector better left to the private sector and ERC should have a stronger role in regulating this industry. Yun dapat ang makita natin. Hindi yung kabaligtaran na binabalik ng gobyerno ang kanyang role doon. And I certainly hope that there are no private entities involved in government who are just trying to smother up the situation for their personal gain. Huwag naman sanang ganon.