Transcript of Sen. Juan Miguel Zubiri's interview

On Supplemental Budget

May pinagusapan po kami kahapon kasama nina Sec. Andaya, Teodoro, house at senate panel headed by Senate President Enrile na magkakaroon po tayo ng P10 billion supplemental budget na hopefully ma-tackle at ma-approve po namin by Wednesday next week bago mag adjourn. Itong 10b supple budget ay popondohan po ng govt. funds at gagamitin po for typhoon Ondoy ang majority at ilalagay po siya sa calamity fund ng gobyerno para madali at NDCC through DSWD and other govt agencies na magsasagawa ng implementation ng pondong ito. It will give immediate relief. Immediate relief in terms of subsidies. Kasama din dito o 30 percent of which will go to the victims of last year's typhoon frank. Problema sa typhoon frank ang infrastructure. Wala pa silang mga tulay at water systems. Until now it's been over a year. A portion of that will go to typhoon Frank victims in Panay but about 70 percent ang pinagusapan namin is about P7 billion ay pupunta po sa victims ng typhoon Ondoy. At ito po ay gagamitin sa clean up operations, preventive - maglalagay po sila ng canals and dikes para hindi po maulit uli itong nangyari sa atin. Ang pinaka-importante nito ang immediate subsidies na ibibigay sa ating mga kababayan, kailangan na kailangan nila ito. Kaya kami sa kongreso gumalaw na kasi hindi po makagalaw ang executive kung walang supplemental budget, they can pakaunti-kaunti kukuha sila ng hundred million dito, two hundred million savings, and three hundred million ipasok doon pero hindi po siya sapat para mabigyan po natin ng tulong ang ating mga kababayan. So, gumalaw na po through the efforts of Sen. Angara and Senate President Enrile, together with Speaker Nograles gumalaw na po iyong House of Representatives, as well as the Senate to provide this relief to our people.

How soon would be the release?

If we pass the Supplemental Budget before the break which is October 14, it can be released within a span, if its sign by the president within that same month probably end of October mabibigyan na po natin ng lunas at malaking tulong itong ating mga kababayan.

Bakit hindi ba puwede?

Ngayon meron na sila. Actually ang suggestion ko po kay Sec. Andaya na kausapin po si presidente ngayon araw na ito na mag-release kaagad sa 150,000 families at least P1,000 subsidy fund para makabili man lang sila ng pagkain, damit, at gatas para sa mga babies nila na hanggang ngayon ang iba doon hindi pa nanakainon ng gatas dahil wala silang mabibilhan at wala po silang pondo. Ang suggestion po ni Sec. Andaya through our efforts, through our initiatives is to release a P150 million at one thousand each para mabigyan po ng subsidy kaagad itong ating mga kababayan. Ang estimated total affected families diyan ay about 250 to 300,000 families, but immediately we can help the poorest of the poor families which is about150,000. Iyan po iyong walang pera sa bangko, walang savings, walang mga trabaho ito po ay apektadong informal settlers at low income earners. Iyan ang pinakamaganda at pinakamabilis na impact. Ang sabi ko nga kay Sec. Andaya, if we can do it within the week dapat gawin iyan by Friday or the latest by Monday, DSWD ang mag-implement.

Ang ibibigay money ito hindi in kind?

Pera iyan, subsidy iyan ang suggestion ng Senate panel kay Sec. Andaya na gawin niya kaagad. At ang suggestion din namin kahapon ay mag-release na po hindi next week, hindi sa susunod na linggo dapat ma-release na po ngayon ang pondo pambili ng portalets dahil napaka-grabe na po ng dami na nangyayari dito sa resettlement areas at rescue centers dahil wala silang facilities to utilize ng ating mga kababayan kaya ang dumi-dumi ng lugar. This will post problems of cholera, disease and other types of diseases. Iyan ang immediate ang suggestion po namin sa kanila to immediately release funds to buy portalets and toilet units for our kababayans in these rescue centers; Pangalawa magpalabas na po within the weeks time pondo through subsidies of P1,000 per affected family para makabili na po sila ng pagkain, gatas, tubig at damit at malaking impact po ito sa ating mga kababayan. And on the long term we will approve a P10 billion fund. This is already agreed by both sides. We will approve a P10 billion fund for calamity, to augment the calamity fund.

Pero for the subsidy fund kailangan ng approval pa ni GMA?

Yes kaya meron silang emergency meeting today para pagusapan itong planong P1,000 subsidy fund ilabas kaagad sa ating mga kababayan. Ang suggestion ko cash para sa ganoon makabili kaagad sila ng kagamitan.

Sir iyong P10 billion saan kukunin? Di ba may proposal si Sen. Miriam sa road user's tax?

No. The problem with that is we have to amend the Road User's Tax measure which could be complicated. Ang plano po ni, sabi po ni Sec. Teves at Sec. Andaya ay meron po silang matatanggap na pera galing po sa mga government bonds na ipo-float itong linggong ito para lamang sa problema nitong pagkaubos ng calamity fund. Wala na po tayong calamity fund, according to Sec. Teodoro P27 million na lang ang naiiwan sa ating P1 billion calamity fund for this year. So, kailangan ma-augment ito, so ang plano po namin legislation iyong P10 billion ipapasok iyan sa government's fund so it can be immediately implemented to the government agencies.

Iyong kanina kasi sabi mo 150,000 families when there are about 200 or 300,000 why not kasi kawawa naman ...

I think the DSWD, many of the other families are upper middle class, middle class families na meron naman silang kakayahan. Kung wala po tayong pondo ang uunahin natin iyong pinaka-mahirap talaga. Iyong wala ng bahay, ubos lahat sa kanilang mga tahanan - I think those are the initial 150,000 families that we can help at this point in time.

Sir supplemental iyong P10 billion?

Iyong supplementary budget iyon for P10 billion.

So wala ng effect doon kundi na mapasa iyong national budget?

Ah hindi kung hihintayin pa natin iyong national budget na maipasa maraming mamamatay na kababayan natin dahil sa gutom at sa sakit. So ito kailangan natin ilabas ito within a months time.

So, i-approve niya iyan by October?

Yes. Ang agreement of both sides is tapusin po namin at i-ratify po natin ito before the break next week.

Pero una muna sa House?

Yes kailangan hintayin muna namin galing sa House. If mai-file iyan ngayong araw na ito by Monday, the House will act upon it. They'll approve it by Monday, ipadala sa atin by Tuesday hearing kaagad ang Senate Finance chair, we approve it on Wednesday on second reading anyway puwede po natin ma-certify kay presidente ito at mailalabas po natin the same day third reading and ask the president to sign it.

Sir supplemental budget iyan for 2009?

2009, this is a supplemental budget for 2009 and usually under the Constitution, well there is a constitutional provision that it must be certified either there is an accompanying funding measure or certified by national treasury na may pondo. In this particular case pumapayag na po ang administration na magkaroon ng certification from the national treasury na may pondo na P10 billion na gagamitin para sa typhoon Ondoy victims.

Doon sa a-approve niyong supplemental budget doon na lang ica-clarify kung paano gagamitin?

Yes magkakaroon ng provisions doon kung paanong gagamitin ang pondo. Tinanong ko kahapon iyan na sana hindi po parang pork barrel ito. Ang sabi naman nila meron naman silang identified areas of fundings which is housing requirements of people who lost their houses completely, direct subsidies to families, so that they can buy clothes, food, and housing materials and as well as if I'm not mistaken preventive these are canals, dikes para hindi na mangyari itong muli.

Si Sec. Teodoro ang nag-suggest nitong P10 billion?

Hindi ang Senado ang nag-proposed.

Sino-sino kayo kahapon?

Senators Biazon, Angara, Sen. Loren Legarda and Sen. Enrile sa Sofitel kami. Iyong palace officials wala po si Teves but he called us up. It was Sec. Andaya, Sec. Ebdane and Sec. Teodoro. From the House it was Dep. Speaker Raul Delmar, Boyet Gonzalez, Cong. Bem Noel. I think as well as Junee Cua.

Magkakaroon ba iyan sir ng provision na pang-calamity lang iyan gagamitin kasi baka magamit sa ... ?

Kaya diretso sa Calamity Fund siya. Calamity Fund napaka-higpit ng paggamit ng calamity fund kasi merong menu na magagamit lang iyan. It's really for calamity striken areas and the implementor of that is usually DSWD.

So parang augmentation for Calamity Fund?

Yes, it's an augmentation because according to Sec. Teodoro we only have P27 million left. Kasi according to Sec. Teodoro marami pang pending sa calamity fund may utang pa siyang P1billion di ba may tumama na bagyo doon sa Pangasinan nalipad lahat ng mga bubong ng mga eskuwelahan. And typhoon Frank also needs a alittle augmentation and now Ondoy. So the P10 billion fund will address the calamities of 2008 and 2009 but the agreement will go to typhoon Ondoy victims.

Sir on going pa rin ang inyong Mobile Soup Kitchen?

Yes. Saan ba tayo ngayon? I think we're in San Mateo today.

Sir saan napagusapan na lilipat ang Senate?

Meron planong ilipat .... plano niyo nalaman iyon? Meron pong plano ang, alam mo may planong magtayo ng building ang Senado sana pero dahil nga sa nangyaring typhoon at meron po tayong kaunting problema sa budget, magkakaroon po ng budget deficit ang suggestion po ng Senate leadership na ilipat na lang po ang Senado sa Film Center. Katabi po natin siya nandiyan na ang building. Ako po hindi naniniwala na may multo doon ipa-blessing na lang natin ng limang beses at magkaroon na lang tayo ng resident priest na pari na nakatira doon. Actually napakaganda po ng idea na ito dahil unang-una we will save at least P500 to P1 billion on building a permanent house for the Senate of the Republic of the Philippines.

Sir magkano ang ... ?

Hindi rerentahan lang po natin at a lot lower cost with what we are paying now sa GSIS. Kasi dito po we are paying if I'm not mistaken we are paying over a hundred million pesos a year rental dito sa GSIS.

Temporary iyong paglipat doon?

Hindi permanent na iyon. Ang gusto po ni Sen. Angara magkaroon ng structural inspection and then iyong pondo na ginagamit natin for rent dito next year gagamitin natin iyan for renovation. Pero napaka-gandan noon dahil iyong theatre mismo, iyong main theatre ay puwede nating gawing plenary session hall. At now hindi na po tayo masyadong masikip, medyo malaki-laki na at siyempre pagdating ng alas sais, alas siyete ng gabi exciting na may kakalabit na sa iyo di ba?

Kailan ang balak?

We are planning for the 15th Congress which is next year. Ire-reneovate pa siya kasi ginagamit, alam mo nangyari ngayon baka mawala iyong media natin na mga kaibigan baka hindi na kayo magko-cover doon. Alam mo kasi mas maganda doon, mas malaki, mas malawak. Alam mo ang kagandahan po ng Film Center, ang problema, nanghihinayan lang ako dahil nakaikot tayo sa ibat-ibang senado sa buong mundo ang ganda-ganda po ng kanilang permanent buildings, saa atin medyo nakakahiya at palaging nababaha pa at nababasa tayo kung umuulan at ang sikip-sikip ng ating session hall. So ang proposal ni Sen. Angara at Sen. Enrile lipat na lang tayo sa Film Center dahil at least iyong Film Center napakaganda ng building. It is really nice edifice hindi na tayo mapapahiya kung may dignataries na pupunta doon.

Ilang senators ang, who are backing this ano?

Actually most senators that we have spoken to are agreeable because number one we will save on rent. We will save a lot of money of government. We will save a hundred plus million on rent.

Sinabi mo lang P500 million to P1 billion savings a year iyan?

Hindi P500 million to P1 billion was a budget to build a new Senate. Ilagay mo na we will save one billion pesos to build a new Senate Complex and we will save also almost a P120 million yearly payment of rent to GSIS by just merely occupying the Film Center.

Magkano ang rent sa government?

Mura lang. Meron yatang nagre-rent ngayon na Korean. Hindi ba may show sila doon? Magkano lang naman binabayaran nila doon buwan-buwan. We can always take over that building and save a lot of money. Malaki ang savings natin. We are dealing with CCP and CCP has agreed na.

Iyong mga multo doon?

Alam mo iyong mga multo doon matatakot sa mga senador. Basta okay lang na may multo doon wala lang ghost employees iyan ang napaka-importante. According to the engineers it is structurally sound pero kailangan lang natin i-renovate iyong electrical pipings, iyong water system at hindi masusunog iyon dahil concrete iyon.

?????

We are in the process already of negotiating with CCP. We are looking at closing the negotiation before Christmas and hopefully if they agree to a long term contract with us we can already start the renovation by next year. So wala talagang gastos ang taong bayan, walang additional expense ang taong bayan.

Parking hindi magiging problema?

Alam mo iyong nasa gitna ng Film Center at Sofitel parking area ng Film Center iyon. We're looking for a long term contract. We are looking for a 25-year contract but definitely its lower and we're dealing with the government agency the CCP.

Kailan kayo nagumpisa magusap?

Kahapon. Initially kasi nun hearing pumayag na sila tapos nag-second meeting kami kahapon. Pero good as done na iyan kasi gusto ni Senate President na mangyari. Sabi ni Senate President this is the sovereignty of the Filipino people. It will house the sovereign will of the Filipino people which is elected members of the Senate. So, I think its better than giving it to Shoe Mart kasi they are in the process of bidding it out to Shoe Mart and Filinvest bakit naman SM and Filinvest di let's give it na lang to the Senate of the Republic of the Philippines.

Matatapos na ba iyong contract niyo dito sa GSIS?

Hindi naman. Hindi naman kami pinapaalis pero I think the Senate of the Philippines deserves a much better home.

Maluwag ba iyong Film Center sir?

Malaki iyon mga four floors din iyon. May area doon sa likod later on we can build another structure to house the secretariat and for the meantime we can all fit. But we are actually occupying one third of the building.

Comelec ruling sir na ni-recognized ang Lakas-KAMPI?

Unang-una ako ay natutuwa na pumayag na po ang Comelec dito sa Lakas-KAMPI merger dahil natatakot ako na ma-orphan pa ako at wala pa akong partido. Malapit na po akong maulila kaya natutuwa ako sa desisyon ng Comelec na i-accredit itong Lakas-KAMPI. It will further strengthen the party and it will stop all talks of division amongst its members. Kasi nun nagkaroon ng haka-haka na baka mawala iyong Lakas-KAMPI na i-adopt na lang kami ng KAMPI siyempre umalma iyong aming mga Lakas members. And because of the this merger the accepted accredited merger there's no problem anymore. We don't have to discuss being adopted by KAMPI and KAMPI does not have to discuss being adopted by Lakas. We are now brothers and sisters in one party.

What will happen to FVR and JDV and the rest?

My last conversation with FVR hindi naman siya tumututol sa merger ang sabi lang niya sana nagkaroon ng mas malawak na pagkonsulta sa mga miyembro. I think we can get the president back to the fold and win him back as our chairman emeritus of the party.

What about iyong other members na hindi tinatanggap iyong merger wala silang partido ngayon?

Well almost 98 percent of the elected members and members of the party have remained with the party. There's a two percent that obviously we cannot please pero ganoon talaga ang buhay. But it is up to them and that decision is theirs to make. Lalong-lalo na nagdesisyon na ang Comelec they have to either join our party, resign or leave the party altogether. It is already an accredited party by the Comelec.

Tuloy na tuloy na talaga si Gibo?

Yeah wala ng atrasan but at this point in time ayaw din niya mapagusapan ang kanyang bid dahil ang focus niya ay kay Ondoy.

May mga defectionist ba? Marami ng umalis like kahapon?

That's alright it's a democracy. Wala naman tayong magagawa kung umalis iyong aking kaibigan na si Gov. Ace Barbers at sumumpa doon sa ibang partido ganun talaga ang buhay. Pero in effect meron din kaming natanggap at nakukuha na defections towards our side so that's politics. Until we can amend or we can pass a law that does not allow charge for political parties which i'm a co-author of six months before and six months after the elections wala po tayong magagawa.

Sigurado kayo na lahat ng members ngayon ng Lakas-KAMPI is for Gibo?

Again I'd say 98 percent supportive.

Marami pa daw to follow na aalis?

You got to see it to believe it.