“We are with him in his victories. It’s but proper that we should be with him in his defeat. You have been a hero to us. We are still proud of you. We love you Manny Pacquiao.”

This post by my daughter Irene in her Facebook account probably reflects what most of us feel about the defeat of Manny Pacquiao. She said that Pacquiao is one reason why the Philippines is better known in the whole world and this is enough reason why we should continue to support him. Irene’s post reminds us that Pacquiao always fights for the Filipino people and the Philippine flag. This, we should never forget.

Power of the purse
Both the House and the Senate have been scrambling in the last two weeks and for good reason. This is now the virtual “last two minutes” of the 15th Congress, now on its third—and last—regular session. There are only four session days left before Congress adjourns for the Yuletide season. Session will resume on January 21, 2013 and then adjourn on February 6 for the start of the campaign period.

Among the more significant measures passed by the 15th Congress are the 2013 national budget and the Sin Tax. The national budget passed by Congress, as pointed out by Sen. Joker Arroyo, is a carbon copy of the national expenditure program proposed by Malacañang.

Perhaps legislators were just being realistic in approving the President’s budget “as is, where is.” After all, they have already yielded their constitutionally mandated “Power of the Purse” to Malacañang. They know that even if they realign some budget items, Malacañang considers these as mere “congressional insertions” and it’s up to the Executive whether to release funds for those purposes or not.

Sure, many senators had previously railed against Malacañang’s withholding of funds appropriated by Congress. Among those who had supported the inclusion of an “anti-impoundment” special provision in the budget were Senators Ping Lacson, Jinggoy Estrada, Edgardo J. Angara, Joker Arroyo, Loren Legarda and former Senators Mar Roxas and Benigno Aquino 3rd.

Now that Aquino is the president and Roxas is a Cabinet member, they no longer see anything wrong in impounding funds appropriated by Congress. The senators and some congressmen may consider any impounding by Malacañang as a drawback to their Power of the Purse as it renders all their budget deliberations useless but what the heck. It’s Malacañang that releases the funds and it will do so according to its own priorities, not those of lawmakers. Who’s president anyway?

As I write this column, the President is about to sign the enrolled copy of the amended Sin Tax Law. Once implemented, the government will derive an incremental increase in the excise tax on cigarettes in the amount of P23.4 billion, and on alcohol, P10.56. That’s on the first year alone.

Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile had introduced an amendment to the Senate version of the bill requiring tobacco manufacturers to source locally 15 percent of its tobacco raw leaf material. Senators Miriam Defensor-Santiago and TG Guingona warned that the Philippines would run afoul of the World Trade Organization because of this amendment. The bicam, however, provided that this quantitative provision is “subject to adjustments based on international treaty commitments.”

“With the phrase ‘subject to international treaty commitments,’ it will stand scrutiny,” Drilon said.

New PTV4 charter
The Senate last Monday passed on third and final reading the proposed “Act Revitalizing the People’s Television Network, Incorporated” which will amend the People’s Television (PTV) Charter.

Sponsored by Sen. Gringo Honasan, chair of the Committee on Public Information and Mass Media, and co-sponsored by Sen. Loren Legarda, the bill calls for the infusion of P5 billion into PTV 4’s capital, for a total capital stock of P6 billion, and will also allow it to run on its own power by generating funds from commercial advertisements and airtime sales.

A provision of the measure exempts persons with exceptional talent from coverage of the Salary Standardization Law. In his interpellation of Gringo, Sen. Ralph Recto asked if they would both qualify for exemption under this provision.

“Maybe Your Honor qualifies but not this representation,” Gringo said.

“I think Your Honor would qualify. After all, Your Honor had been able to evade arrest for several years,” quipped Ralph, referring to the years when the former coup leader was on the lam.

Noted: Sen. Miriam Defensor Santiago faced Sen. Chiz Escudero and had her back on the presiding officer the whole time that she was interpellating him. This is a no-no. Senate Majority Leader Tito Sotto corrected things silently after Senator Miriam was thru by turning around the dais she had used so he would be facing the presiding officer.

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