Gordon's HEAP bill heaping up more support from LGUs

Independent Senator Richard J. Gordon's Health and Education Acceleration Program (HEAP) bill continues to heap up support from different sectors of society, this time from several local government units (LGUs).

Gordon expressed greater optimism that the HEAP bill, or the "text-for-change'" measure, will be immediately enacted into law as it continuously gains support from officials of LGUs.

"I am happy that my fellow public servants are seeing the importance of this measure and the urgency of having it enacted into law. After all, the HEAP bill would rehabilitate the whole public school system, benefiting all public school students, teachers, principals, health workers and the country as a whole," he said.

The LGUs of Albay; Norzagaray, Bulacan; and Buenavista, Bohol, all passed and unanimously approved their respective resolutions expressing strong support for the passage of Senate Bill 2402, which seeks to create the HEAP Corporation that would spearhead the rehabilitation of the country's educational and health infrastructures.

Local officials of Albay passed Resolution 2008-68, stating their support for the immediate passage of the HEAP bill to address the pressing problems plaguing the country's educational system.

Norzagaray, Bulacan officials unanimously approved Resolution 2008-09-133 with the contention that the State should protect the citizens' right to quality and accessible education and promote the modernization, acceleration and efficient delivery of basic education, while ensuring teachers' right to professional advancement and adequate remuneration for their talents.

Meanwhile, members of the Sangguniang Bayan of Buenavista, Bohol passed Resolution 92, which states not only their endorsement of the HEAP bill, but also their call for the telecommunications companies' (telcos) support to the measure.

"We continuously gain support from the LGUs because we all have a common goal, which is to provide quality education to our children. We expect an outpouring of support," Gordon said.

"Through the HEAP bill, we would be able to fund education and health care requirements of our public school students, providing them with better schools complete with modern instructional facilities, fully-equipped school clinics, competent teachers, and well-trained medical and health personnel," he added.

Under the "text-for-change" bill, a HEAP Corporation will be established to generate funds by requiring telcos to remit a portion of their net revenues arising from local text messages. The fund would be used to fill the gap in the country's health care and educational requirements.