Press Release
June 28, 2007

Pia rejects Tatad's call for her resignation:
"Thanks, but I still have lots of work in the Senate"

Senator Pia S. Cayetano today brushed aside the call of former senator Francisco Tatad for her to resign or go on permanent leave, saying she still has lots of work to finish in the 14th Congress, including vital bills on breastfeeding and lowering of drug prices.

"It's a pity that Mr. Tatad can only think of resuming his paid ad attacks on me after failing to derail my brother's senatorial bid in the last elections using the same tactic.

"I do not wish to speculate on what motivates him to cast negative things on people and spend a fortune to get major newspapers to publish it. Perhaps he simply has nothing else to do," said the lady senator, in reaction to Tatad's paid ad titled "Maguindanao, Trillanes and other Senate woes," which was printed in at least two national dailies today.

"I still have a lot of unfinished business in the 14th Congress, including the Breastfeeding Promotion Act and the Cheap Medicines Bill, which I co-sponsored with Senator Mar Roxas III. I am re-filing and will pursue these bills until these become law.

She noted that the two bills were approved in the Senate but were unfortunately stalled in the House of Representatives because of the quorum problem in the last three session days of the 13th Congress.

Cayetano will also push for the approval of several protected area bills, as well as the proposed Sustainable Forest Management Act and Land Administration Reform Act.

Rejecting Tatad's notion that people were unaware of her existence prior to her brother's election, she said media have reported that as chairperson of the health and environment committees, she was able to sponsor and help pass the following measures:

1. "Oil Pollution Liability Act of 2007" (RA 9483) - Institutes a mechanism for the prevention, abatement, mitigation and control of oil pollution within the country's territorial boundaries. This measure is the product of the series of on-site inquiries led by Cayetano's committee on two of the worst oil spill incidents that hit the country recently: Semirara Island in December 2005 and Guimaras Island in August 2006.

2. "Cebu Central Protected Landscape Act of 2007" (RA 9486) - Consolidates the management of Cebu province's five remaining forest areas and critical watersheds to be known as the Cebu Central Protected Landscape.

3. "Mimbilisan Protected Landscape Act of 2007" (set to be signed by Pres. Arroyo) - Creates a protected zone within the Mimbilisan Watershed in the province of Misamis Oriental to safeguard the area from deforestation, poaching and pollution.

4. "Biofuels Law of 2007" (Republic Act 9367) - Mandates the mixing of biodiesel on all diesel fuel being used and sold in the country.

5. "Hospital Detention Law" (RA 9439) - Prohibits any hospital or medical clinic to detain, directly or indirectly, charity patients who have fully or partially recovered, or who may have died, for reasons of nonpayment of their hospital bills or medical expenses.

6. "National Anti-Rabies Act" (RA 9482) - Mandates pet owners to have their dogs immunized against rabies and registered with their local government unit. It also pushes for the establishment of local dog pounds to house stray and unvaccinated dogs, launch an information and education campaign on rabies prevention and control, and encourage the practice of responsible dog ownership.

7. "Mandatory Hepatitis-B Immunization Act" (Approved by the Senate and House, to be submitted for signing by the President) - Expands the national immunization program by making basic immunization services against Hepatitis-B mandatory for infants within 24 hours from childbirth

8. Republic Act 9421 - Upgrades the Valenzuela General Hospital into a 200-bed capacity tertiary hospital to be known as the Valenzuela Medical Center;

9. Republic Act 9420 - Converts 200 beds of the 2,000-bed Dr. Jose N. Rodriguez Memorial Hospital and Sanitarium for tertiary general health care; and

10. Republic Act 9419 - Increases the bed capacity of the Amang Rodriguez Memorial Medical Center in Marikina from 150 to 300 beds.

Cayetano said she expects her output to increase in the 14th Congress.

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