11/04/2009 | 01:17 PM
While admitting that Malacañang is powerless to stop them, a Palace official on Wednesday sought to dissuade lawmakers from going to Las Vegas to watch boxing icon Manny Pacquiao mix it up with Puerto Rico’s Miguel Cotto.
Deputy presidential spokeswoman Lorelei Fajardo reminded lawmakers of their job to tackle pending bills when Congress resumes session on Nov. 9 – one week before Pacquiao’s anticipated fight against the reigning World Boxing Organization (WBO) welterweight champion on Nov. 14, Saturday (Nov. 15, Sunday Manila time).
“Kung tutuusin di tayo dapat makialam sa decision lalo kung personal na pera ang kanilang gagastusin at walang kinalaman sa pondo ng bayan (The Palace should not be interfering in the affairs of Congress, especially if the lawmakers will spend their own money)," Fajardo said in an interview on dzXL radio.
"Kaya lang may pending bills... Ang moral support maraming paraan di kailangan tayo mismo nandoon para panoorin ang laban niya (But there are pending bills...We can show Pacquiao our moral support even if we don’t go there personally)," she added.
Reminding that the country is still reeling from the effects of Tropical Storm Ondoy and Typhoon Pepeng, Fajardo said lawmakers’ presence at their respective districts will do wonders for their campaign if they are planning to seek reelection in May 2010.
“I think it will be pogi points for them kung mas makita sila sa distrito at mas maraming papadala sa kababayan, that would be more than enough for them to campaign instead of going to Las Vegas (I think being at their districts will earn them more brownie points if they plan to campaign next year, instead of going to Las Vegas)," she said.
Lawmakers had earlier been criticized for flying abroad in big numbers to watch Pacquiao's boxing matches, their absence sometimes causing problems in coming up with a quorum during session.
House Speaker Prospero Nograles, an avid Pacquiao supporter, said he is not aware how many congressmen will be flying to Las Vegas this time. But Nograles assured that the lawmakers will not be using taxpayers' money for their trips.
“They are on their own, spending personal money and using regular Philippine passports," he said in a text message to GMANews.TV.
The House leader said he himself will be going to the Pacquiao-Cotto fight. "Never missed his fight and am part of the team especially because he comes from Mindanao and has residence in my district in Davao," he said.
House committee on ethics chair and Romblon Rep. Eleandro Jesus Madrona said his committee cannot investigate those who go abroad without a fellow House member lodging a complaint against those who went to Las Vegas.
Complaints lodged by non-members of the House of Representatives will have to be “verified" before the ethics panel can act on them, he added.
“Di namin pwede gawin motu propio. Kung walang complaint di kami pwede mag-action. Kailangan ng complaint (We cannot act on our own. We need
a formal complaint to initiate an investigation)," he said in a separate interview on dzXL.
Minority solons voice suspicion
For his part, minority leader Rep. Ronaldo Zamora (San Juan City) said it was sad that many lawmakers insist on going to Las Vegas to watch Pacquiao’s bout.
“Nakakalungkot yan. Unang una, halal sila ng bayan para magtrabaho, di para manood ng boxing match sa Las Vegas pa... Araw-araw natin
dinadaanan ito paulit-ulit. Ilang laban na si Pacquiao (It is getting sad. They are elected to work on lawmaking, not to watch Pacquiao’s bouts, let alone the bouts in Las Vegas. And how many bouts has Pacquiao had abroad)?" Zamora said in another interview.
He also said the trip of administration solons – including House Speaker Prospero Nograles – fuels suspicions Malacañang wants the P1.414-trillion budget for 2009 reenacted.
This way, he said the entire budget can be treated as a giant pork barrel for Malacañang.
“Kami iniisip namin talagang plano nila huwag magkaroon ng reenacted budget, gusto nila lahat na poder mapunta sa presidente gusto nila reenacted budget, in effect transforming the budget into a pork barrel fund (We are prompted to think the administration wants the 2009 budget reenacted, so it will become a giant pork barrel fund for the administration)," he said.
Senate minority leader Aquilino Pimentel Jr. said he had received information that lawmakers going to watch Pacquiao's bout were a financial burden on the boxing champ.
"Pag may boxing si Pacquiao ginagastusan niya ang member ng Kongreso. Dapat ma-check ito (When Pacquiao has a bout abroad he shoulders part of the expenses of some lawmakers. This must be looked into)," Pimentel said in another interview on dzXL. – With a report from Jam Sisante, GMANews.TV
Deputy presidential spokeswoman Lorelei Fajardo reminded lawmakers of their job to tackle pending bills when Congress resumes session on Nov. 9 – one week before Pacquiao’s anticipated fight against the reigning World Boxing Organization (WBO) welterweight champion on Nov. 14, Saturday (Nov. 15, Sunday Manila time).
“Kung tutuusin di tayo dapat makialam sa decision lalo kung personal na pera ang kanilang gagastusin at walang kinalaman sa pondo ng bayan (The Palace should not be interfering in the affairs of Congress, especially if the lawmakers will spend their own money)," Fajardo said in an interview on dzXL radio.
"Kaya lang may pending bills... Ang moral support maraming paraan di kailangan tayo mismo nandoon para panoorin ang laban niya (But there are pending bills...We can show Pacquiao our moral support even if we don’t go there personally)," she added.
Reminding that the country is still reeling from the effects of Tropical Storm Ondoy and Typhoon Pepeng, Fajardo said lawmakers’ presence at their respective districts will do wonders for their campaign if they are planning to seek reelection in May 2010.
“I think it will be pogi points for them kung mas makita sila sa distrito at mas maraming papadala sa kababayan, that would be more than enough for them to campaign instead of going to Las Vegas (I think being at their districts will earn them more brownie points if they plan to campaign next year, instead of going to Las Vegas)," she said.
Lawmakers had earlier been criticized for flying abroad in big numbers to watch Pacquiao's boxing matches, their absence sometimes causing problems in coming up with a quorum during session.
House Speaker Prospero Nograles, an avid Pacquiao supporter, said he is not aware how many congressmen will be flying to Las Vegas this time. But Nograles assured that the lawmakers will not be using taxpayers' money for their trips.
“They are on their own, spending personal money and using regular Philippine passports," he said in a text message to GMANews.TV.
The House leader said he himself will be going to the Pacquiao-Cotto fight. "Never missed his fight and am part of the team especially because he comes from Mindanao and has residence in my district in Davao," he said.
House committee on ethics chair and Romblon Rep. Eleandro Jesus Madrona said his committee cannot investigate those who go abroad without a fellow House member lodging a complaint against those who went to Las Vegas.
Complaints lodged by non-members of the House of Representatives will have to be “verified" before the ethics panel can act on them, he added.
“Di namin pwede gawin motu propio. Kung walang complaint di kami pwede mag-action. Kailangan ng complaint (We cannot act on our own. We need
a formal complaint to initiate an investigation)," he said in a separate interview on dzXL.
Minority solons voice suspicion
For his part, minority leader Rep. Ronaldo Zamora (San Juan City) said it was sad that many lawmakers insist on going to Las Vegas to watch Pacquiao’s bout.
“Nakakalungkot yan. Unang una, halal sila ng bayan para magtrabaho, di para manood ng boxing match sa Las Vegas pa... Araw-araw natin
dinadaanan ito paulit-ulit. Ilang laban na si Pacquiao (It is getting sad. They are elected to work on lawmaking, not to watch Pacquiao’s bouts, let alone the bouts in Las Vegas. And how many bouts has Pacquiao had abroad)?" Zamora said in another interview.
He also said the trip of administration solons – including House Speaker Prospero Nograles – fuels suspicions Malacañang wants the P1.414-trillion budget for 2009 reenacted.
This way, he said the entire budget can be treated as a giant pork barrel for Malacañang.
“Kami iniisip namin talagang plano nila huwag magkaroon ng reenacted budget, gusto nila lahat na poder mapunta sa presidente gusto nila reenacted budget, in effect transforming the budget into a pork barrel fund (We are prompted to think the administration wants the 2009 budget reenacted, so it will become a giant pork barrel fund for the administration)," he said.
Senate minority leader Aquilino Pimentel Jr. said he had received information that lawmakers going to watch Pacquiao's bout were a financial burden on the boxing champ.
"Pag may boxing si Pacquiao ginagastusan niya ang member ng Kongreso. Dapat ma-check ito (When Pacquiao has a bout abroad he shoulders part of the expenses of some lawmakers. This must be looked into)," Pimentel said in another interview on dzXL. – With a report from Jam Sisante, GMANews.TV
-----------
Who will keep these government officials from watching Manny Pacquiao vs Miguel Cotto bout? It will take tremendous political will to be able to stop these elected/appointed officials from going. That is one virtue sorely lacking in the Philippine government and not only in the highest positions but also to the lowliest position as well.
If they (government officials) are going to use their personal money in watching the Philippine boxing idol live, I don't see a problem in that. But, if they knowingly take even a centavo from the people's money to be entertained by the best pound for pound fighter, it's another story.
Another concern is that, they are trying to ride on Pacquiao's popularity to bolster their chances in the coming elections. Do these guys know Philippine's other boxing champs or the most promising fighters worthy of a championship bout. I guess they never even watched even on TV or youtube the likes of Donnie Nietes, Marvin Sonsona, Z Gorres, or Boom Boom Bautista. I just hope those officials who are diehard fan of Pacquiao would do something to improve the welfare of professional boxers and help them achieve what Manny Pacquiao has achieved. How much do Philippine professional boxers receive in every skull bashing bout?
Does anybody know whether Luisito Espinosa ever received the amount of $130,349 which should be his purse in his featherweight title defense against Carlos Rios?
With regards to bills that need to be passed, my position is that Manny Pacquiao fights an average of twice a year and if it includes the government officials R&R, that would total to about 10 days and we have more than 300 days to do that. So what are these people doing during those days? If they are really keen on passing these bills to a law, every working day with or without Pacquiao fight is the best day to do it. I see some hint of grandstanding in rebuking these officials watching the bout.
Raul B. Romilla
No comments:
Post a Comment