Press Release
October 6, 2010

Transcript of interview of Senate President Enrile

On cutting the DOH Budget

SP I don't want any argument against us that we have already accepted. I might have to cut that. I-cut ko 'yung family planning, which is P388-million. P8-million 'yung condom. 'Yung pills, P280-million. P100-million 'yung injectible material. Lahat 'yun, tatanggalin namin because it might imply that the Senate has already accepted the policy. That is now the center of debate, and the RH Bill carries that.

They can restore the family planning measure if they want, in some other ways, but we will not include it in the budget. We can use the P400-million in some other things. For hospitalization. Augmentation of the needs of some hospitals. Pati 'yung amount for malaria, 'yung schizo___, at saka 'yung filariasis at 'yung leprosy. They have P580-million, but for dengue, they have only a little over P200-million. I was asking them, why? There were more people that suffered dengue in one year than the others that were mentioned, the four diseases that were mentioned in that item.

Q Per removing the entire fund, sir, does that not make us think that you are totally rejecting the bill before it is even debated on?

SP Not necessarily. We just don't want the implication that we have already accepted that policy here since this is going to be debated. It is coming to us as a major issue.

On the K+12 plan of DepEd

SP We need it for our competitiveness. We are underrated by other countries, our educational system. It is painful for others, but for the country, we have to do it. For education, we will have to find funding. It is the future of the country, the symbol. We have to find the money.

Q Kasi po sa parents, sanay na sila sa six years?

SP 'Yun nga ang problema. We do not want to change course when it is unnecessary. At least, you asked me for my position and that is my position.

On jueteng

SP Hindi mo mapipigil 'yan, kung ganun lang, lifestyle. You cannot go on checking the lifestyle of people. You have to establish a stable, permanent and efficient policy. You have to use every measure necessary to stop jueteng, short of being arbitrary and unlawful.

Q How extreme could that be, sir?

SP Well, as I said, everything that is legally possible. As I said earlier, you cannot stop jueteng. We can craft a law based on the testimonies of the resource people that may minimize, reduce to a very large extent, the existence of illegal numbers in the country.

Q You mentioned that as long as there are millions of Filipinos betting on jueteng, jueteng cannot be eradicated?

SP Correct. Why not just legalize it? When I say legalize, I do not say "o, now it is legal, go ahead." You have to craft a law to kill any illegal gambling operation. Kung ako, the national government cannot handle it. It has to be done by the local government, the Pontius Pilate solution na sinabi ni TG.

On family planning

SP I have not made up my mind on what position I will take. I don't want to create the implication. Personal ito sa akin. I do not know about the other members of the Senate. I do not want to create the impression that we have already accepted a policy of population control or population reduction policy.

Q Continuing naman po 'yung programang ito?

SP Correct, but ngayon lang namin napansin. They can accuse me of error in judgment but the fact is it's only now that it dawned upon me that meron palang ganyan. Hindi ko tinututukan 'yung budget ng Health noon. It's not the amount, that's why I said I prefaced my statement. I will deal with policy issue.

Q Open po ba si Drilon as Finance Committee chairman na i-slash 'yung budget?

SP Ewan ko. Hindi ko pa tinatanong.

Q Ilan po kayong mga senador na pabor i-slash 'yung budget?

SP Ewan ko, as far as I know, I am all alone. I do not know whether there are others.

News Latest News Feed