TRANSCRIPTION OF JUAN MIGUEL "MIGZ" F. ZUBIRI SENATE PRESIDENT PRESS CONFERENCE

SENATE PRESIDENT JUAN MIGUEL "MIGZ" F. ZUBIRI:

Q: (Unintelligible) about the charter change, how does the Senate react about the (unintelligible)?

SP ZUBIRI: Well, uhm, charter change was never really in our agenda. Wala naman sa agenda namin 'yong charter change. Ang nakikita niyo, it's about twenty legislative priorities na pinag-uusapan namin sa LEDAC. Wala po do'ng charter change. So, kung gusto pong pag-usapan ni Senator Robinhood Padilla itong, uh, issue on charter change sa committee niya, he has the mandate to do so. He can do so, but it's not a priority of our administration--particularly, uh, we would like to finish the twenty priority measures that are still pending with us. That's, uh, uh--of course ratification of RCEP--uh, we have, uh, the CDC bill, the Virology Institute, the Medical Corps, napakarami niyan. Uh, ROTC, nandiyan 'yong Maharlika. So, marami pa tayong kailangang pag-usapan. And, I welcome the statement of the President na hindi na priority ni presidente 'yan because at this point in time, ayaw po nating pasukan ng isang divisive issue--and I think this will be a very divisive issue, and I think, uh, what the country needs to do now is to focus post-pandemic recovery and reconstruction. Do'n muna tayo. Payamanin muna natin ang ating mga kababayan na nahihirapan sa kanilang, uh, sitwasyon sa buhay. So, 'yan ang ating priorities.

Q: So, sir, it will not be taken as a priority by the Senate also?

SP ZUBIRI: Uh, I think many of my colleagues have discussed this with (unintelligible) let's discuss--let's prioritize our pending, uh, legislative measures that have been prioritized in the LEDAC--

Q: Sir, can we say--

SP ZUBIRI: --And--and charter change is not one of them.

Q: Sir, it's not--can we say that it's already dead as far as the Senate is concerned?

SP ZUBIRI: Hindi naman. It's not naman. Uh, I'm not saying it's dead. Uh, Senator Robin Padilla can continue with his, uh--uh, discussions on charter change--pero hanggang committee report lang 'yon kasi kailangan niya pong maglabas ng committee report and we have to see if pipirmahan ba ng mga colleagues natin 'yong committee report kasi may kausap akong mga senador na hindi sila pabor na pag-usapan ang charter change. Uh, itong uh, mga panahon na ito, may focus muna sa post-pandemic rehabilitation reconstruction ng ating bansa. So, uh, pero to--he can do it on his own at the committee level. Walang problema 'yon. Hindi po natin siya sinasabihan na pigilan niya ang usapin na 'yan kasi trabaho niya 'yan bilang Chairman of the, uh, Constitutional Amendments--Committee on Constitutional Amendments. That's his job. His job is to look for ways and means to improve the constitution. So, uh, hayaan natin siya sa trabaho niya. Pero, pagdating sa plenaryo--pagdating ng rules sa committee, pagbibigyan po natin ng priorities ang nakabinbin pa na almost nineteen LEDAC priority measures ng ating bansa para (unintelligible) measures para makatulong sa reconstruction ng ating bayan.

Q: (Unintelligible) are you worried about tensions in West Philippine Sea of (unintelligible)?

SP ZUBIRI: Again, oh, we must protest vigorously sa nangyari doon sa West Philippine Sea kung saan ay ginamitan po tayo ng laser weapon. Hindi po handled 'yan eh kasi malakas siya eh. Malayo 'yong--'yong ship na 'yan, so it's a bigger--I'm sure some sort of laser weapon to blind the, uh, other, uh, uh--ships on sea. Uh, we denounce this. Uh, we feel that we should, uh, file, um, uh--very strong diplomatic protest to the Embassy of China and to the Chinese foreign ministry. Uh, we will not tolerate this--and, uh, I hope, uh, and pray, uh--they don't do this again next time. We urge the Chinese military and coast guard to refrain from doing these provocative measures. Uhm, and we--we continue to support our troops, we continue to support the Philippine Navy and Coast Guard, and we thank them for their service of protecting the West Philippine Sea.

Q: (Unintelligible) Marcos administration to work on the bill--

SP ZUBIRI: Three o'clock na! (Laughs)

Q: Sir, (unintelligible) Marcos administration to (unintelligible)?

SP ZUBIRI: Yes. Matagal ko nang pangarap 'yon.

Q: (Unintelligible) talking with the U.S. and everything, don't you think the extensions mean some things (unintelligible)?

SP ZUBIRI: Hindi naman siguro. Uh, first of all, ako'y pabor na pabor na magkaroon po tayo ng visiting forces agreement with Japan. Bakit? Unang-una, isa po sila sa mga pinakamalaking tulong na binibigay sa ating bansa pagdating sa mga pinsala, kalamidad. Uh, they give a lot of donations and funds, but they can also bring now their troops (unintelligible). They can now bring troops to the Philippines para, uh, makatulong sa relief and, uh, rescue efforts katulad ng ginagawa ng Estados Unidos dito sa ating bansa. Uh, pangalawa, pagdating ng Balikatan ng joint exercises of the U.S., puwede na rin po silang sumama at sumali dito sa mga Balikatan exercises with the VFA in place. Our troops, also, can train in Japan, puwede rin pumunta diyan ang mga sundalo para makagamit ng, uh, napakamodern equipment. Remember that our Coast Guard, uh, boats--eleven Coast Guard boats are coming from Japan. Galing sa Japan 'yon. And they're building two more, uh (unintelligible). Galing rin 'yon Japan. So, magandang may Visiting Forces Agreement tayo sa kanila. Whether it unders China, I do not know. You might have to answer--the one to answer that is the one sitting in their Chinese Embassy.

Q: (Unintelligible) ginawa ng Chinese (unintelligible) coast guard?

SP ZUBIRI: It's pure harassment. I will not say--ah, I will not elevate it to an act of hostility, but it's pure harassment, uh, done by bullies in the West Philippine Sea. Thank you.

Q: (Unintelligible) resolution from the (unintelligible)?

SP ZUBIRI: Uh, you know, I have a feeling that there would be more to come, so we will probably just collate it all and come up with another resolution for immediate action. It's becoming to be a weekly event. Okay, thank you!