Press Release
April 12, 2016

Transcript of interview with Sen. Cynthia Villar
(hearing on PRA reclamation projects)

Q: Satisfied po ba kayo sa paliwanag ng Philippine Reclamation Authority at may nabuo na bang resolution?

Villar: At least nasabihan sila ng mga senador na illegal iyon; that we should follow the National Solid Waste Management law and the mandamus on Manila Bay issued by the Supreme Court. Hindi nila nare-realize that is a law and what they are doing is illegal. Gusto yata magdemandahan pa doon. Kaliit-liit na bagay at gusto lang naming maglinis ng Manila Bay at Las Pinas-Paranaque Critical Habitat and Eco-Tourism Area. It's just a simple composting facility. We have a budget to develop LPPCHEA coming from DENR and DOT. If we cannot build a simple composting facility, how can we build iyong aming wetland museum, office of DENR, our training center, mga improvement sa LPPCHEA? I'm just so surprised that they don't want us to touch it so that we can use it pending ang mga cases doon and all that. There's nothing wrong with improving LPPCHEA because young people can enjoy it. And if ever they have to get it, kunin nilang lahat. Wala namang umaagaw sa kanila ng LPPCHEA. But in the meantime, I want the people to enjoy it because it's a very beautiful place.

Q: Gaano kaimportante na mai-set up ang composting facility doon sa LPPCHEA?

Villar: Under the Solid Waste Management law, we have to do recycling at source. So what better way than put that composting facility there so that all the garden waste of LPPCHEA can be recycled, make it into organic fertlizer. I cannot find any reason why they don't want that.

Q: Meron bang gagastusin ang PRA dito?

Villar: Wala. Iyong composting facility, ako nag-donate nun. Wala namang gagastusin ang PRA sa improvement on LPPCHEA. The budget came from TIEZA and DENR. Wala siyang gagastusin. If ever sa kanya iyon, eh di kanya iyon. Wala namang umaagaw sa kanya. They are so protective. I don't know why they don't want people to enjoy it. If it's the government's property, then it's the people's property. Bakit ipinagdadamot nila sa mga tao, atin iyon. If it's owned by the government, it's owned by us.

Q: Seryoso po kayo na maghahain kayo ng kaso vs PRA?

Villar: Kapag hindi sila nag-cooperate I will file a case.

Q: Ipapa-abolish nyo na po ang PRA?

Villar: Pwede rin. Kami po ni Senator Legarda nag-usap, gusto niyang i-reexamine iyong charter ng PRA. It should not be for reclamation, it should be for development but not for reclamation. Bakit kailangang reclamation lahat? If reclamation is not good for the country, then don't do reclamation. Kasi kapag nilagay mo na reclamation authority parang ang gagawin nya lang reclamation. Maybe we should change the name so that hindi puro reclamation ang gagawin nila.

Q: Dapat po bang sumunod doon ang ibang agency or GOCC na sundin ang environmental laws? Villar: I think Sen. Legarda, she wants to see to it na lahat ng GOCC are following the National Solid Waste Management Act.

Q: May hakbang ba kayong gagawin para sa pag-amyenda ng charter ng PRA?

Villar: We have to file a bill on that. We have to study. Dati naman Public Estate Authority sila. They are supposed to manage the land of the government. Pinalitan ng Philippine Reclamation Authority. Kapag pinalitan mo ng ganoon, parang ang gagawin na lang nila puro reclamation. Better pa iyong PEA, they are just managing the land. But when you put Philippine Reclamation Authority, lahat ng gagawin nila reclamation, iyon na lang ang nasa mind nila, which is not good because not all reclamations are good.

Q: Nangangamba sila sa issue ng PEA-Amari...

Villar: Tapos na ang PEA-Amari, declared unconstitutional. Ang pinag-uusapan na lang sa kasong iyon ire-reimburse nila ang PEA-Amari for what they have spent. But that was declared unconstitutional already.

Q: Pinatawag nyo po ang hearing para makausap sila, hindi sila nakikipag-coordinate...

Villar: It's always the problem with them. That's always the complaint of everybody, na mahirap silang makausap.

Q: Nakuha ba natin ang guarantee na maiseset-up na ang composting facility sa LPPCHEA?

Villar: Syempre pinangako nila but being able to do it is another story. I hope na hindi na kami mag-aaway tungkol doon kasi obvious naman na walang problema iyon. It's a simple project. And it's a project that is temporary. If they don't want us there, we can go in one hour. It's so simple, walang problema iyon. Kaya ako nagtataka why ayaw nila.

Q: Sa nakalipas na VP debate, parang nag-away po ang tatlong NP senators...

Villar: Syempre nalulungkot tayo kasi we thought we will go through election and afterwards everything will be all right again. Medyo nalulungkot pero what can we do? Sila iyon. Hindi naman namin sila pwedeng kontrolin. Hopefully sana maging maayos na ang kampanyang ito, huwag nang magkaganoon in the future. Syempre hindi naman namin gustong mangyari iyon but it's beyond our control.

Q: Sa leadership side po ng NP, tinawagan ba iyong tatlo o nag-usap na ba...

Villar: Matagal na silang nag-uusap, akala naman namin na maayos na.

Q: Iyong latest survey ng ABSCBN at Pulse Asia nagpapakita na Number 1 si Bong Bong at malayo ang agwat sa pangalawa...

Villar: Natutuwa rin kami na nanggagaling sa partido namin iyong nanguguna. I just want not to comment anymore. Huwag na nating palalain pa iyong mga problema. Tayo naman ay nanonood lang at we wish them all well sa kanilang mga kampanya. Tutal 27 days to go pa.

Q: May sinusuportahan na ba ang NP?

Villar: Free zone kami. Pinapabayaan na namin ang aming mga miyembro to choose among them. Tatlo lang naman sila, so kung sino ang gusto nila doon hinahayaan na namin. Hindi na kami nakikialam kasi lalong gugulo kapag nakialam pa kami.

Q: Sa higher post po?

Villar: Iyong 3 naming presidente iba-iba ang presidente. So tahimik na lang tayo, baka sabihin kumakampi pa tayo. Makita lang kami na merong kinausap, malaking usap na so huwag na lang tayong kikibo. Sana matapos na ang eleksyong ito at manalo na kung sino ang dapat manalo at marami tayong problema.

Q: Pero kahit nagdebate sila, lumitaw ba nang maayos ang plataporma?

Villar: Okay naman. Alam mo minsan, itong eleksyon sa Pilipinas nagkakahalo na ang platform at personality. Minsan hindi na ma-separate ang platform sa personality, nagiging personal. Hopefully it will be better next time.

Q: Sa tingin ninyo sino ang mas umangat?

Villar: Tanungin nyo na lang yung mga nag-survey. Ano ba ang result ng survey?

News Latest News Feed