Ambush Interview during the DOF's Repeal Day

Q: Are you thinking of refiling for the next Congress?

Sen. Bam: Actually we're preparing 100 bills to re-file or file on July 1.

We've been busy trying to put up together ang mahahalagang batas na legislative agenda natin.

We weren't able to finish the Consumer Act, the Corporation Code, marami pa. Even though we did accomplished a lot in the 16th congress, we feel that there's still a long way to go.

Halo halo na, may trade, may education, may tax, marami din on different fields as well.

Q: Sa Consumer Act matagal na pinu-push ni Usec. Dimagiba, pag ni re-file iyon, I assume it will be under your committee, ano po ang gusto ninyo...

Sen. Bam: Assuming I still get the Committee on Trade, whether I get it or not, we will be refiling the Consumer Act.

Maraming kailangang itaas na penalties doon, mas strikto na pag-aalaga sa ating mga consumers.

As all of you know we've been doing a lot of checks sa ating mga tindahan, pagdating sa safety, sa presyo and a stronger Consumer Act will be good to all Filipino Consumers.

Kailangan alam ng mga consumers natin na ang gobyerno nariyan para sa kanila. Hopefully, the changes in the Consumer Act can really push that para ang mga consumers natin alam nila na at the end of the day kapag mayroon silang nabili na hindi maganda, mali o defective, nariyan ang batas para tumulong sa kanila.

Q: May criminal liability ba tayo na idadagdag?

Sen. Bam: I think there are some na may criminal liability, but to be frank pinag-uusapan pa ang Consumer Act.

Again that's just one of the many different things that we'll be refiling on July 1.

Q: [inaudible]

Sen. Bam: Marami kasi. Alam mo these days, everything is now interrelated. For example, I think last year, may mga regulations na lumabas in some chemicals which basically affected the PNP.

So ang PNP, I guess and kanilang intention kailangan mapangalagaan ang mga dangerous chemicals but that affected the paint industry.

It affected the chemical industry so nagka-slow down ang mga industries na iyon because of the regulation na hindi naman naisip na makaka-apekto sa kanila.

Having that wider perspective on regulation, on department orders, on efficiency ay malaking bagay.

There was a time na noong nilabas ang regulations na iyon ay talagang nag-react ang ibang industries kasi ang kanilang cost of doing business tumaas, but at the same time hindi naman talaga sila ang tinutukoy ng regulation na iyon.

Dahil medyo malawak ang regulation na iyon, naapektuhan sila.

In the future, we should have a parang referee. That hopefully is the Philippine Efficiency Office. Sasabihin niya, "Ang regulasyon ninyo maganda sa sektor na tinutukoy ninyo pero may negative effect sa ibang industries".

So hopefully that can really make a more efficient system for our businesses para walang slow down sa ating ekonomiya.

At this point na gumaganda an gating ekonomiya we cannot afford to slow down, kailangan tuluy tuloy for the next 6-10 years.

Q: Ang automation, Sir, would it require a bill?

Sen. Bam: Actually mayroon na tayong mga batas regarding automation. Kailangan lang siguro ng full implementation nito and we can have that as oversight function ng Senado.

Tingnan natin kung nasaan na ang pag-automate ng mga bagay bagay.

Q: Ano po ang mga laws na sinasabi ninyo?

Sen. Bam: There are laws but I can't just state it right now, but I'm sure you can do your research. There are laws already mandating the automation of agencies.

I don't think we need a new law to do that, I think may mga batas na tayo tungkol dito hindi lang fully implemented. We need to look at the implementations of these laws.

Q: In other countries, to improve coordination they even consolidate and tie departments, is that something you think is possible here?

Sen. Bam: It's something that I actually wanted to do but depende sa executive ito. In other countries, ang employment and education magkasama.

In other countries, ang environment and department of energy magkasama rin. I've been studying that for some time but of course that depends on the executive side, not the legislative side.

Q: Is that something only the executive can do and hindi siya pwede by law?

Sen. Bam: Pwede by law but it should start with the executive because sila ang magpapatakbo niyan.

In this administration, they tried to do that coordination through clusters, so may clustering approach sila.

But other countries have actually taken it a step further, for example foreign affairs and trade magkadikit na.

So that's something I think the executive could look at.