JAN.

26, 2014

NR # 3358C

Belmonte highlights need to focus on vital legislation; dismisses new impeachment bids
This is a time where we must focus on the many concerns confronting our people. It is not a time for more impeachment bids that sacrifice vital legislation that need our urgent attention, Speaker Feliciano elmonte, !r. said this in answer to "ueries on current moves by certain legislators to unseat Supreme #ourt $ustices. %et us respect the Supreme #ourt as a co&e"ual branch of government and let them do their $obs as we must do ours, elmonte said, underscoring the need to work together on concrete tasks at hand which he outlined during his press conference held Thursday last week. elmonte's statement ended speculations on plans of certain lawmakers to unseat Supreme #ourt $ustices and put these on the back burner in favor of leading lawmakers to fully focus on and pursue the passage of important measures. (e have commitments to our people in various sectors which we must fulfill, elmonte reiterated. )part from measures that need to be passed there are other more vital issues that should be addressed like our rehabilitation efforts post *olanda, as well as peace, social services and other issues. I am sure our people see this as more urgent than gathering signatures for impeachment complaints and the time and e+pense this process involves. (hile the Speaker clarified he respects the strong views of other lawmakers on the matter, he said the greater interest of our people come first. ,y view is that it is a time for government to unify towards these goals that forward progress and development and set aside differences that hinder us from moving ahead. )mong the priority bills that #ongress would like to see enacted are the amendment to the charter of the angko Sentral ng -ilipinas, promotion of micro&enterprise development institutions, the implementation of national land use policy, changes to the Fisheries #ode by allowing the trade of artificially propagated marine species, and the delineation of forest boundaries. .e also spoke strongly in favour of amending the economic provisions of the constitution. In the education front, lawmakers are looking to pass proposals that will institutionali/e the laderi/ed education program, establish the open high school system for out of school youth and adults, implement the open learning through distance education in post&

secondary and tertiary levels, create a national student loan program, set up a special education center for each school division for kids with special needs, and promote positive discipline and non&violent discipline of children, as well as provide special protection to children in situations of armed conflict. elmonte said other key pieces of legislation in the priority basket of the .ouse are the amendment to the (itness -rotection, Security and enefits )ct, institutionali/ation of pre&hospital emergency medical care system, and direct assistance to local government units. 0ur people are impatient for results, elmonte stressed, *ou must remember that rehabilitation of *olanda and "uake devastated areas are not even fully underway and this amidst issues like that of ,eralco and the 1-I2) are simultaneously hoisted upon us, among others. (e must therefore unite our efforts in support of getting things done and ma+imi/ing our time and resources towards this end. 3456 mrs