ROXAS SPONSORS CRUCIAL ECONOMIC BILLS

Liberal President Senator Mar Roxas sponsored last night three economic bills that aim to beef up the country's capability to stay afloat the current economic situation and protect the interests of Filipino households.

Roxas, chairman of the Senate Trade and Commerce Committee, sponsored the proposed LPG Industry Regulation and Sponsorship Act, the Accountability in International Trade Negotiations Law of the Philippines and Philippine Technology Transfer Act.

"Ang mga batas na ito, patungkol sa kung paano natin higit na mapoprotektahan ang interes ng ordinaryong Pilipino sa kabila ng kasalukuyang krisis (These measures are all about how we can protect the interests of ordinary Filipinos with the current crisis)," he stressed.

The LPG Act seeks to strengthen the regulation of the LPG industry so that unscrupulous businessmen are prevented from selling substandard LPG tanks and from victimizing especially the poor.

Of the total 288 LPG-related incidents recorded by government agencies from 2007 to June 2009, gas leak accounted for 160 while defective hose pipe, regulator gasket and shut off valve accounted for 88.

Industry records show that of the 12 million cylinders circulating the local market, 3 million are already considered scrap metals while another 3 million are due for requalification. Many of these defective tanks, the Visayan senator noted, have been the cause of LPG-related fires in the country.

"Ang puno't dulo nito: hindi tayo papayag na malagay sa peligro ang buhay ng mga Pilipino at maging abo na lang ang mga pangarap nila (The bottom line here is that lives are in danger and that dreams have turned into ash)," Roxas said.

Roxas sought the creation of a Philippine Trade Representative Office (PTRO), a single agency that will be responsible for the government's international trade policy formulation and negotiations.

The proposed Accountability in International Trade Negotiations Law of the Philippines stresses the need for central government agency to handle international trade and investment negotiations and to ensure that the country's best interest is always the primary consideration in any and all international trade agreements.

"Sa international trade, dapat mayroon tayong isang malakas na tagapagtanggol ng interes ng ating bansa. Itong PTRO ang sisiguro na anumang kasunduan ang pasukan natin ay para sa kapakanan ng mga ordinaryong Pilipino (We need a strong vanguard who will protect the national interest when we engage in international trade. PTRO will ensure that any international trade agreement we enter into are beneficial to ordinary Filipinos)," he stressed.

The Philippine Technology Transfer Act of 2009, on the other hand, ensures that government investments in scientific and technological innovations are used for national development.

"Sa panahon ngayon, susi ang teknolohiya pagdating sa pagpapasigla ng ekonomiya at paglikha ng kabuhayan. Ang anumang imbensyon--lalo na kung pinondohan ng gobyerno--ay hindi na puwedeng nakaimbak na lang at inaagiw (In this day and age, technology is key to strengthening the economy and creating livelihoods. Inventions--especially if funded by government--should not just be kept somewhere and gathering dust)," he said.

The bill, the senator stressed, will promote and facilitate the transfer, dissemination and effective use, management and commercialization of intellectual property, technology and knowledge as a result of research and development funded by the government for the benefit of national economy and taxpayers.

Government is enjoined to pursue the commercialization of R&D innovations to generate additional funding for more R&D works. All revenues from such commercialization shall accrue to the RDI that performed the research.

"At this very moment, our economy needs to be afloat and the only way to do this is to ensure that the environment for investors is healthy and competitive. And these measures are all in the aid of this goal," Roxas said.