We welcome the statement of President Benigno Aquino III to back reforms on excise taxes on sin products, including tobacco and cigarettes. In his statement, President Aquino said that, "From asocietal concern, I say yes to the idea of an increase in sin taxes.There are trade-offs. As you know, these sin products have a health burden on the people, and this health burden has a peso value."

Year after year, tobacco-related diseases claim the lives of millions. Inthe Philippines alone, approximately 90,000 die every year or about 10 Filipinos every hour die from smoking-related diseases. [1] We believe that increased excise taxes, particularly on tobacco products, will not only address the economic costs by curbing tobacco usage, but also increase revenues for the government.

Strengthen Institutions, Empower the People!
Pass the Bicam Version of the FOI Bill Without Delay

   It was the best of times, it was the worst of times,
   it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness,
   it was the epoch of belief, it was the epoch of incredulity,
   it was the season of Light, it was the season of Darkness,
   it was the spring of hope, it was the winter of despair…”
 

This brilliant prose of Charles Dickens, in the beginning of his epic A Tale of Two Cities, could have been written also about the recent death, nay murder, of the proposed Freedom of Information Act in the 14th Congress. What could have been a legislation of wisdom, light and hope for good governance and people empowerment was overcome by the foolishness, dark motives and desperate designs of those who seek to thwart good governance and to keep people at the margins of power.

Indeed, the Freedom of Information Bill was nearly almost enacted, after over 14 years of unflinching advocacy work by all social sectors for its passage. The bill failed to advance significantly in the 11th, 12th and 13th Congress but finally moved in the 14th. The penultimate step, before transmission to the President for signing, would have been the ratification by the House of Representatives and by the Senate of the bicameral conference committee report.

20 May 2010

The Senate and the House of Representatives have agreed to advance the resumption of its session to 24 May 2010, Monday, instead of its original schedule of 31 May.

When the House of Representatives convenes on this day, we, representatives of over 100 organizations and coalitions comprising public-interest groups, environmental protection advocates, independent media groups, print and broadcast journalists, farmers organizations and support groups, women’s organizations, private and public sector labor unions, migrant workers, businessmen, academic institutions, and student and youth organizations, call on Speaker Prospero Nograles and all members of the House of Representatives to perform two historically significant acts in the country’s public life. First, ratify the bicameral conference committee report on the Freedom of Information Act, and second, proceed to adopt the resolution to hold a joint session for the presidential and vice presidential canvass of votes.

The first act will fulfill the long overdue constitutional duty of Congress to provide the law that will secure for the nation the full functioning of our constitutional right to information, and the duty of the state to implement a policy of full public disclosure of all its transactions involving public interest.

Naniniwala kami na kabiguan sa pamamahala ang pangunahing hadlang sa tuloy-tuloy na paglago ng ekonomiya ng bansa at sa kakayahan nitong matugunan ang mga pinakamahigpit na pangangailangan ng ating mga kababayan.

Ang kabiguan sa pamamahala – ang kawalan ng abilidad na ipatupad ang pagsunod sa mga inuutos ng batas at ang kakulangan ng tatag ng loob na itaguyod ang mga legal na kahilingan ng mga mamamayan – ay mapapansin sa lahat ng dako at antas ng pamumuhay.  Nakikita ito, maliban pa sa maraming iba, sa di-mapigilan at malalaking gawaing tiwali, ang mapangutya at mapansariling pagtatalaga sa mga upisinang pampubliko, ang pagbabale-wala sa titik at diwa ng pamamahalang sumasailalim sa saligang batas, ang kabiguang masupil ang krimen at karahasan ng mga pribadong armadong grupo, at ang bumabalot na kulturang mapagmataas at ng kawalang-pakundangan sa anumang kaparusahan na ipinamamalas ng maraming nasa gubyerno.

We believe the failure of governance is the main obstacle to the country’s long-run economic growth and ability to respond to the people’s most urgent needs.