MANILA — Filipinos would no longer need to seek employment abroad once the economy opens up, according to House Deputy Majority Leader Janette Garin.
The lady solon emphasized that broader opportunities within the country would emerge once the economic provisions of the 1987 Constitution are amended.
During the session on Resolution of Both Houses (RBH) No. 7 of the Committee of the Whole on Wednesday (28 Feb 2024), Garin queried one of the resource persons, CoRRECT Movement Principal Co-founder Orion Perez Dumdum, whether economic Charter Change would address the issue of limited opportunities for Filipinos domestically.
“Yes, your honor. This will be answered partially. As a first enabling step, this will be addressed by economic constitutional reform,” Dumdum stated, highlighting that many Filipinos with significant potential opt to work in Singapore, Europe, and America.
Garin also observed that some Filipinos were lured by overseas companies due to the lack of quality jobs in the country, despite being separated from their families.
“Masakit mang sabihin, napakaraming Pilipino ang nasa Vietnam na dati rati dito ay sila ay mga managers and some of them are even company owners pero hindi nila kaya ang malaking kapital, sila ay kinukuha at pina-pirate ng mga dahuyang kompanya at napipilitan silang umalis ng ating bansa para paglingkuran ang bansang hindi nila kinagisnan,” the lawmaker said.
“Ang pamilyang naiiwan nila rito ay napipilitang tiisin ang lungkot lalo na ang mga asawa’t anak dahil walang oportunidad sa Pilipinas,” she added.
According to the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA), an estimated 1.96 million Filipinos worked abroad from April to September 2022. This marked a 7.6 percent increase from the 1.83 million OFWs in the same period in 2021.
Garin, a doctor and former health secretary, has highlighted that many medical professionals choose to work outside the Philippines due to the lack of opportunities in the medical industry that are on par with those abroad.
“If we open up opportunities, even for research and other fields, wouldn’t our talented scientists, engineers, and professionals return to work in the Philippines?” the lady lawmaker questioned.
“Doesn’t RBH 7 imply that the Philippines will be opened up so that companies can afford higher salaries, leading to a better life for every Filipino family?” Garin concluded.
HOUSE Deputy Majority Leader Janette Garin pointed out that an increase of P350 on minimum wage would be needed for it to be enough to provide for the essential commodities of a worker, saying that opening the country for more investors would make such a wage hike possible.
“Ang tanong dun solusyon ba na magtaas lamang ng suweldo or ang solusyon ay gawing investor-friendly ang Pilipinas. Buksan natin ang ating bansa sa mga foreign investor [para maging posible ang pagtaas ng suweldo ng mga minimum wage earner],” Garin said on Monday.
The P100 daily wage hike legislated by the Senate would still be inadequate for a minimum wage earner and would also injure the business sector, mainly the micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs), citing that almost 95 to 98 percent of the business enterprises are small businesses, the lawmaker said.
However, Garin noted the need to balance both employers and employees as there would be a workforce reduction because companies could not maintain the salary increase costs for their employees.
“Gagawa ka ng magandang batas pero ang dagok naman nun — ilan naman ang mawawalan ng trabaho, ilan naman ang mga kompanyang magsasara [dahil hindi kakayanin ang pa-sweldo sa mga empleyado]… Karamihan kasi ng mga negosyante sa Pilipinas ay maliliit, iilan lang dyan ang nasa malalaking kompanya,” she said.
In 2023, the Philippine Statistics Authority said that 1,080,810 are business enterprises; of these, 99.58 percent are MSMEs. Also, MSMEs hold 63 percent of the labor force in the country.
Earlier, the Iloilo lawmaker stressed that the members of the House of Representatives have been studying the proposed legislation to ascertain if it would be doable.
“Kung pamumulitika lang ang iisipin ng Kongreso, dapat sana pinasa na kaagad ‘yan at sinabi, oh bahala na ang taumbayan. Pero hindi po ganoon ang Kongreso. Tinitingnan natin, doable ba ito o hindi ba doable,” Garin said.
Meanwhile, the vice chairperson of the Committee on Appropriations said that Charter Change would be needed to boost the country’s economy and increase the salaries of the labor force.
“Bakit ayaw nating buksan ang ekonomiya ng Pilipinas at papasukin natin ang foreign investors… Papasok sila, papasok ang malalaking kumpanya, tataas ang sweldo [ng mga tao]. Iikot, gaganda, tataas and ekonomiya ng Pilipinas,” the lawmaker said.
House Deputy Majority Leader Janette Garin pointed out that services of Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth) should be outsourced to expedite the release of assistance to those members who were hospitalized.
“Mas mai-streamline ang admin cost, una ‘yan. Mas magiging mabilis ang serbisyo at malamang mababawasan ‘yung fraud,” Garin said on Friday.
“Alam naman natin na ang bagal ng proseso kasi nga masalimuot ang pinagdadaanan and then nagkakaroon nga ng konting mga inefficiency dahil nga ‘yung mga nangyari noong nakaraan,” the lawmaker added.
The former health secretary said that the PhilHealth insurance should be similar to private insurance or Health Maintenance Organizations (HMOs).
“Ang mangyayari niyan para kang HMO, kapareho ng ating mga private insurance, i-outsource ‘yan Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao through a government procurement process, kung sino ang manalo, siya ang magiging service provider, siya ang gagawa ng trabaho ng PhilHealth na makikipagugnayan dito sa ating mga ospital, healthcare providers and healthcare professionals,” she explained.
When asked if such move would make an increase in premium pay, Garin stressed that it would be similar but more efficient.
“Hindi magiging mura pero pareho lang [ang babayaran ng mga member]. Ang magiging difference doon ay iyong efficiency,” the Iloilo lawmaker said.
Earlier, Garin said that the increase of coverage of benefits for PhilHealth members is “doable.”
“Yes, it’s doable (ang pagbibigay ng additional benefits kahit hindi pa nagtataas ng premium pay ang PhilHealth),” she said.
“Ang PhilHealth ay isang insurance, it is a government insurance… Doable talaga at dapat taasan ‘yung coverage doon sa mga sakit na pwedeng magpahirap sayo.”
HOUSE Deputy Majority Leader and Iloilo 1st District Rep. Janette Garin on Thursday urged against maligning the Ayuda sa Kapos sa Kita Program (AKAP), describing it as a legitimate and noble initiative aimed at assisting poor workers cope with the effects of the pandemic.
In a press conference, Garin lamented that AKAP is becoming collateral damage in the ongoing tension between the Senate and the House of Representatives over constitutional economic amendments, with Sen. Imee Marcos insinuating that the program was being used to entice individuals to support the people’s initiative aimed at amending the 1987 Constitution.
“We respect the wisdom of the Senate, but we also have to stand up because we cannot continue maligning good projects,” Garin asserted.
Garin stressed that baseless accusations could tarnish the reputation of AKAP and lead to misunderstanding among the public.
She emphasized that AKAP is not merely a frivolous endeavor but a vital lifeline for individuals experiencing financial hardship, highlighting its role in assisting workers grappling with rising commodity prices and ensuring that the burden is not solely passed on to their employers.
“Ang pag-malign na ito ay posibleng magkaroon ng taint at magkaroon ng maling pag-intindi ‘yung ating mga kababayan. So, uulitin natin ‘yung AKAP ay hindi siya hao-siao. Ang AKAP ay tulong sa mga taong kinakapos ang kita. Ang AKAP ay tulong para ‘yung mga empleyadong nahihirapan sa pagtaas ng mga presyo ng mga bilihin ay hindi natin ipapasa lang ng buo ang burden sa kanilang mga employer,” Garin explained.
“In our country, we can survive if we help each other. The Philippines has one of the happiest people in the world, and let us make that happy feeling, the adrenaline, and the anchor to work together, help each other survive these trying times and prove to the world that we are a resilient country,” she pointed out.
She also acknowledged the efforts of the House of Reresentatives’ contingent to the bicameral conference committee on the 2024 national budget for actively seeking avenues to establish programs aimed at providing temporary financial assistance or supplemental income for minimum wage earners.
“That is why the government and the House leadership ay talagang naghanap ng paraan para magkaroon ng programa ang gobyerno na magbibigay ng pansamantalang pantawid or dagdag sa kanilang kita kasi sila nga ay minimum wage earners habang naghihingalo tayo sa epekto ng pandemya,” Garin said.
The lawmaker also appealed for an end to the ongoing bickering between the Senate and the House, emphasizing that such conflicts not only waste taxpayers’ money but also set a negative example for the public.
She expressed her dismay over the unnecessary discord, highlighting the need for constructive dialogue to address pressing issues.
“Kaya dapat talagang ihinto ‘yung pag-aaway na ito kase it’s not only a waste of taxpayers’ money, it’s also a bad example that we are showing to our people,” Garin said.
At the same time, Garin denounced allegations suggesting the misuse of funds related to AKAP, asserting that such claims hold no basis and only serve to undermine the program’s credibility.
“So it’s talagang medyo… walang .0001% of probability ng truth,” Garin affirmed.
Garin further highlighted the challenges faced by the Filipino populace amidst the pandemic, emphasizing the need for comprehensive support measures.
She underscored the multifaceted impact of the health crisis, noting its adverse effects on both public health and the economy.
“We are not yet done with the effects of the pandemic. The initial effect of a pandemic will be health, immediate health problems. After that will be secondary health problems and economic challenges, ‘yan po talaga ang nangyayari,” Garin explained.
Drawing from her experience as a congresswoman, Garin echoed the sentiments expressed by ordinary Filipinos during the recent visits of President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. to various regions.
She emphasized the common concerns regarding rising prices of basic commodities and the strain on household budgets, stressing the urgency of government intervention.
Garin outlined the government’s role in alleviating the plight of both workers and small-scale entrepreneurs, advocating for measures to ease the burden of post-pandemic complications.
She emphasized the importance of cutting red tape and implementing programs to provide temporary relief to affected individuals and businesses.
“Dapat ang gobyerno ay sumaklolo sa ating taongbayan… Kailangan na nating tulungan ang mga negosyante by cutting red tape at ginagawa nga ‘yan,” Garin asserted.
HOUSE Deputy Majority Leader and Iloilo First District Rep. Janette Garin on Thursday said that the House of Representatives is eyeing a higher increase in the daily minimum wage from the P100 espoused by the Senate for workers in the private sector, but lawmakers seek to balance the interests between that of workers and small businesses.
Garin also said that the Ayuda para sa Kapos ang Kita Program (AKAP), which some senators are heavily criticizing, would also greatly help in augmenting the wages of Filipino workers while Congress deliberates on the legislated wage hike.
She congratulated the Senate for passing on second reading a measure that calls for a P100 increase in the daily minimum wage, but said the amount seems to fall short of the actual needs of Filipino workers.
“Naipasa nila ‘yung P100 wage hike. Iyan nga ay patuloy na dini-delibarate dito sa Kongreso kasi maganda ang intensyon. Pero parang mababa ‘yung P100. Kasi sa mahal ng mga bilihin ngayon, parang hindi siya sang-ayon sa pangangailangan ng taumbayan,” Garin said in a press conference in the House of Representatives.
She clarified that the House is not against any efforts to enact a legislated wage hike for minimum wage earners in the private sector. In fact, she said, they are currently deliberating many measures calling for such.
But Garin said lawmakers have to balance the interests of workers and private companies alike, especially those from micro, small and medium enterprises or MSMEs that comprise over 90% of all business in the country and employs millions of Filipinos.
“Mas mabuti sana kung dapat mas mataas ‘yun kagaya nga ng masinsinang inaaral ng Kongreso. Subalit andun din kase yung balance. Kaya nga Congress was actually looking into the possibility of a P350 wage hike. At matagal na po yan nakabinbin at sa katotohanan lang e talagang ‘yung liderato ng Kongreso ay medyo pinu-push sana ito,” she said.
“Pero andun kase ‘yung balance. Magandang gumawa ng batas pero mahirap magpaasa kung walang pag-asa. Kasi pag tinaas natin ‘yung sweldo, dapat ‘yung kaya ng ating mga negosyante, e sa Pilipinas, 98 to 99 percent of the business sector are MSMEs,” she added.
Important questions should be asked, said the Iloilo lawmaker, to find out if there will be serious repercussions on passing a legislated wage hike.
“Hindi ba ito magiging cause ng pagsara ng negosyo ng karamihan? Marami ang hindi nagsasabi nito pero ano ba ‘yung katotohanan post-pandemic? Globally, sa buong mundo, hindi lamang po yan sa Pilipinas, 30 to 40 percent ng income, gross income ng bawat negosyante ay nabawasan. Bakit?” She asked.
“Maganda ang intensiyon nito pero yung implementation is one big question. Ang takot natin, baka yung sampung empleyado ay maging pito na lang. ‘Yun yong medyo dapat nating ibalanse,” she added.
HOUSE Deputy Majority Leader Janette Garin urges the Department of Tourism (DOT) and other related agencies to implement initiatives that will boost the tourism industry.
Garin’s call was made after Thailand, Singapore and Malaysia had mutual agreement with People’s Republic of China, waiving visa requirement to visit their country and vice versa.
“Kailangan mas paigtingin pa ng DOT at iba pang ahensya ang ating turismo lalo na’t marami sa kalapit nating bansa ay nag-alis na ng visa requirement para sa mga Chinese national,” the lawmaker said.
“While we have a lot of tourist spots and our hospitality is one of a kind, it should be coupled with less bureaucracy and better facilitation,” Garin added, emphasizing that the country has collateral services such as food, resort and souvenirs.
Garin furthered that it would be crucial for the DOT and other agencies to invest in readiness, ensuring that their strategies align with evolving traveler preferences.
She emphasized that a thriving travel and tourism sector will not just contribute to the prosperity of our national economy but also cultivate inclusive growth.
“Kapag lumago ang ekonomiya, tataas ang employment rate, tataas din ang antas ng pamumuhay ng mga Pilipino,” she said.
HOUSE Deputy Majority Leader Janette Garin said that application of membership on Philippine Health Insurance Corp. should be made individually, stressing that even the new born should immediately be members of the national insurance.
“We should have individual membership, hindi siya per family… ‘Yung isang bata kunyari anak ko by virtue of being dependent pagdating niya ng 18 years old hindi na siya miyembro. ‘Pag nagkaanak ‘yan at nanganak siya, hindi siya miyembro ng PhilHealth, at ‘yung anak naman niya, hindi rin ma-cocover kapag nagkasakit,” the former Department of Health secretary explained on Thursday.
“Dapat ‘yan talaga individual membership, pagkapanganak miyembro, kapag namatay tanggal sa lista,” Garin added.
Garin made her statement after the five percent premium increase in PhilHealth contribution.
Republic Act No. 11223, or the Universal Health Care Act, provides that an increase of 0.5 percent every year in membership premiums is implemented, starting year 2021 and until it reaches the 5-percent limit in year 2025.
The House committee on appropriations vice chairperson also noted that PhilHealth should give adequate programs and services for its members.
“Paano mo naman iincrease kung ‘yung serbisyo ng PhilHealth ay hindi akma doon sa minimum expectation ng ating mga kababayan,” Garin pointed out.
According to Malacañang, President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. has been studying theappeal of Health Secretary Ted Herbosa to suspend the implementation of premium rate increase this year.
“Lahat ng ginagawa natin sa pang araw-araw, edukasyon, trabaho at agrikultura, all of these vacuum to health. Health is the core of our economy and existence. Kaya dapat umayos ang PhilHealth,” Garin ended.
DEPUTY Majority Leader and Iloilo 1st District Rep. Janette Garin on Friday said residents in the province are starting to get sick due to extreme heat caused by lack of electricity because of continuous power outage in Western Visayas.
“Apektado rin naman [ng brownout] ang buong Pilipinas dahil lahat tayo nagko-contribute sa ekonomiya. Hindi lang ‘yan ang dami na rin pong nagkakasakit kasi sobrang mainit,” Garin said in an interview with Punto Asintado on Friday.
The Iloilo lawmaker further stressed that the continuous power outage affects economy and livelihood of fishermen and output-based work force.
“Ang problema ‘yung iba hindi nakakapagnegosyo ay nawawalan ng kita. ‘Yung iba na output-based ang kanilang kita apektado. ‘Yung mga mangingisda naman ‘yung kanilang isda ay ibebenta na lang ng murang mura dahil wala kang ice [na paglalagyan ng isda],” Garin said, adding that generation sets in hospitals were not enough to provide full electricity needs.
Iloilo City Mayor Jerry Treñas cited data from Local Economic Development and Investment Promotion Office (LEDIPO), saying that Iloilo City was losing P400 million to P500 million a day due to the power interruptions, totaling to P1.5 billion on the third day of blackout.
Garin mentioned that power providers vowed to resolve the problem on Friday, however, Garin, who is currently in Iloilo, said that electricity has yet to return on Friday noon. Power outage began on January 2, she said.
During the congressional probe on widespread power outage, the House Deputy Majority Leader vowed that those responsible for the blackout will be held accountable.
“Dapat talaga imbestigahan kung bakit ito nangyayari at ‘yung imbestigasyon na ‘yun ay hindi lamang mahinto sa pagtatanong. Dapat malaman natin kung bakit nagkaganito. Sino ba ‘yung dapat managot,” the lawmaker said.
“Adding insult to injury is the constant finger pointing between NGCP (National Grid Corporation of the Philippines) and the power generators. Ang mahal mahal na nga ng kuryente, hindi mo naman maramdaman yung quality of service,” Garin added.
House Deputy Majority Leader and Iloilo First District Representative Janette Garin emphasized that building owners should follow the infrastructure standards as number of structures in Sarangani were shattered after the magnitude 6.8 earthquake.
This was raised by Garin during her interpellation on ACT-CIS Partylist Rep. Erwin Tulfo’s privilege speech regarding his call to amend building code after infrastructures in Sarangani were destroyed due to the earthquake.
“Hindi po ba kapag government projects or even privately funded projects and privately-owned infrastructure, hindi po ba supposedly dapat earthquake proof or calamity proof. Hindi ba mayroon po ‘yung standard?” Garin said during the session on November 21.
Buildings in the country should withstand magnitude 7 to 8.4 earthquake, Association of Structural Engineers of the Philippines earlier said, citing the National Structural Code of the Philippines.
The Iloilo lawmaker also said that the buildings which were destroyed due to earthquake have not yet reached its lifespan of 50 years.
“With the statement that it was constructed in 1990, will our distinguish colleague agree with me na kapag ganito ang mga imprastraktura, ang kanilang lifespan has a minimum of 50 years?” Garin noted.
“Kung sasabihin po nating 50 years eh sana po ay ginawa ‘yan noong 1973 but with the statement na it was constructed in 1990 ibig sabihin po nito ay nasa 17 years pa lamang po ang lifespan ng project na ito,” she added.
Garin also expressed her gratitude to Tulfo for his quest to amend the building code.
Last November 17, a magnitude 6.8 earthquake rocked Davao Occidental and had road damage amounting to P21.9 million in Sarangani.
The Regional Trial Court in Quezon City Branch 229 has denied admission of all the documents in two motions filed by the prosecution in reckless imprudence cases against former health secretary Janette Garin due to “utter lack of merit.”
In its decision, the trial court denied the admissibility of the testimony of Dr. Anthony C. Leachon on the grounds of incompetency.
“It must be pointed out that the TSN (transcript of stenographic notes) was already ruled to be inadmissible due to the failure of the Prosecution to attach the same to the Judicial Affidavit of Dr. Fausto R. Quizon, Jr. and later, on ground of incompetency of Dr. Anthony C. Leachon to testify on the same,” the court decision read.
RTC denied the prosecution’s motion to take Judicial Notice of the Proceedings in Congress praying for this Court to take judicial notice of the Blue Ribbon and Committee on Health and Demography and Finance inquiry in 2017 and 2018; Committee on Good Government and Public Accountability and the Committee on Health inquiry in 2018 and TSN in the above-mentioned inquiries.
“What the Court can take Judicial Notice of is the fact that hearings in aid of legislation and findings therein cannot be a substitute to the duty of the prosecution to prove the guilt of the accused beyond reasonable doubt based on competent and relevant evidence,” the decision stated.
The court also denied admission of Committee Report Nos. 368 and 1336; Motion to Take Judicial Notice of Republic Act No. 3720, as amended and Republic Act No. 9711; Issuance of Certificate of Product Registrations; FDA Circular No. 2013-004; FDA Decision dated December 29, 2017; and FDA Order dated December 21, 2018.
On the matters of the FDA decision, the court explained that failure of the Sanofi Pasteur, Inc. to comply with the requirements is a matter which must be proved through evidence during the trial of these cases.
“These documents cannot speak for itself. It has been held that testimonial evidence provides foundation for all types of evidence. Documentary evidence requires statement from the witness to make its way to the realm of admissible evidence.”
House Deputy Majority Leader and Iloilo First District Representative Janette Garin has posted bail on Monday, saying that it is part of their “agonizing process to prove their inocence.”
“Posting bail is part of the agonizing process to prove our innocence. It is a crucial step in ensuring fair trial and safeguarding one’s rights,” Garin said.
“We hope that this first step into cleansing our name can be dealt with timely so that scientists and doctors can perform our regular tasks,” the lawmaker added.
Garin together with other medical experts have posted bail on cases of the alleged realignment of funds and alleged augmentation of funds for immunization, relating to Dengvaxia.
She also said that Dengvaxia issues have led to significant drop in vaccine confidence leading to measles and polio outbreak in the Philippines.
“Resolving the issue once and for all is aligned to the Doctors for Truth clamor because global history have taught us that any vaccine demonized, usually spreads to include other vaccine preventable diseases and results to outbreaks,” Garin pointed out.
Deputy Majority Leader and Iloilo First District Representative Janette Garin said the government may use the contingency funds to assist the Filipinos in Israel after Palestinian Islamist group Hamas launched an attack last Saturday.
“Contingent fund may be used for their repatriation and generate jobs for affected Filipinos. The government must come up with economic plans to cushion their abrupt termination of work,” the House Appropriations Committee vice chairperson said on Monday, adding that contingency funds are necessary for emergency situations.
The lawmaker also urged the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) and Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) to secure the safety of the Filipinos in Israel, stressing that it must be the government’s primary concern.
The Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA) earlier stated that it is “closely monitoring” the circumstances of 24,807 Filipinos in Israel.
OWWA Administrator Arnelle Igancio said that 200 Filipino employees are based in the Gaza Strip, which is under attack by the Hamas militant group.
Meanwhile, the Presidential Communications Office (PCO) said that DMW has opened a hotline and several Viber and WhatsApp hotline numbers that will accept calls and queries from Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs) and the Filipino community needing government assistance.
“With wars like this, even if far from our country, outbreaks and epidemics are expected to spread globally. Remember the war in Syria and Lebanon and conflict in Pakistan, measles and polio spread to the Phils. Outbreaks of norovirus and rotavirus also happened leading to outbreaks of diarrhea,” she said.
“Interruption of clean water, hygiene, congestion creates a Petri dish for various outbreaks can spread globally. Our main defense is to have herd immunity via a high vaccination coverage,” Garin added.
DEPUTY Majority Leader and Iloilo First District Representative Janette Garin said that requests for confidential funds should not be abused by government agencies.
Garin made the statement after she noted that the number of agencies asking for confidential funds increased, saying that it ballooned from 16 agencies in 2012 to 28 agencies in 2024.
“Ang daming nakiuso at naabuso na rin… If we look at the historical data, the jump started in 2017,” Garin said on Monday in an interview with ANC.
As vice chairperson of the Committee on Appropriations, Garin submitted proposed amendments to the Small Committee convened by the leadership of the House of Representatives.
The lawmaker underscored the urgency of reallocating confidential funds within agencies like the Department of Information and Communications Technology, the Department of Transportation, the Office of Transportation Security, and the Office of the Solicitor General.
She emphasized the critical need to redirect these funds towards anti-smuggling campaigns, while also supporting the essential activities of the Philippine Coast Guard and Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources, safeguarding the West Philippine Sea and our invaluable fishing grounds.
The lawmaker also mentioned that the total confidential fund in 2016 was P720 million and escalated in 2017 to P2.07 billion and it doubled in 2020, amounting to P4.57 billion.
“Tumaas nang tumaas ang confidential fund pero ngayon ang nakikita natin, tila hindi siya napunta sa mga tamang ahensya na dapat taasan — if we are talking about national security,” she said.
The Iloilo lawmaker also clarified that an agency may only avail of confidential funds, provided that it will be justified and proven that such is necessary.
Under the Special Provision of GAA 2022, it states that confidential funds are lump sum amounts for expenses related to “surveillance activities in civilian government agencies” to support their mandate or operations.
DEPUTY Majority Leader and Iloilo First District Representative Janette Garin said contingent funds are vital as they will be utilized for unforeseen events, such as outbreaks, which do not have an allotted budget under the General Appropriations Act (GAA).
“’Yung contingent fund is very necessary. Kunyari biglang nagkaroon ng outbreak ng Nipah [virus], ‘yung mga ganyang bagay,” Garin said in an interview with The Source in CNN Philippines on Wednesday.
Garin stressed that contingent funds have been part of the GAA every year, which can cover urgent activities or projects of national government agencies, including new projects.
On the other hand, the lawmaker clarified that an agency may only avail of confidential funds, provided that it will be justified and prove that such is necessary.
“DBM (Department of Budget and Management) will justify that pero kung kunyari ginamit sa iba at hindi pala ginamit ng maayos… then we need to look at COA (Commission on Audit). There’s a point that they can explain, they can rectify kasi hindi naman ‘pag ni-release wala na. There are guidelines, there are safety measures [that should be followed],” the House committee on appropriations vice chairperson said.
Under the Special Provision of GAA 2022, the contingent fund “shall cover the funding requirements of new or urgent activities or projects of national government agencies, GOCCs, and LGUs that need to be implemented or paid during the year.” Meanwhile, confidential funds are lump sum amounts for expenses related to “surveillance activities in civilian government agencies” to support their mandate or operations.
Garin also expressed concern over the increasing number of agencies requesting confidential funds.
“Ang nagiging problema nga na nakikita dito ng karamihan—nakiuso ang iba [sa ‘pag request ng confidential fund]. ‘Yun ang dapat na sugpuin,” Garin pointed out.
DEPUTY Majority Leader and Iloilo First District Representative Janette Garin said that official reports and safety precautions should be issued to prevent Filipinos from acquiring the virus.
The former health secretary said it is not yet time to panic due to NiV. However, she pointed out that the public must be informed about the virus and its symptoms.
“Dapat ay mayroong actual and reliable information to the general public without being an alarmist so hindi po pwedeng takutin ‘yung tao pero dapat alam nila ‘yung totoo at bakit nangyayari ito,” Garin said in an interview with DZBB on Sunday.
The lawmaker also called for immediate collaboration between the Department of Health (DOH) and the Department of Agriculture (DA) for aggressive surveillance.
“From Ebola to Zika to MERSCOV to COVID-19 to Nipah. This overemphasizes the need to prioritize Surveillance Centers in each DOH Regional Hospital immediately. Little investment in office and experts can go a long way,” Garin, a doctor, said.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the Nipah virus is usually transmitted from animals to humans, adding that people can also become infected if they have close contact with an infected animal or its body fluids.
Garin said that the Philippines is not new to NiV as the country had cases in 2014 with documented transmission from fruit bats to horses to humans in which the feeds of horses were contaminated with bat urine and secretions.
“Resilient as we are, we were able to contain it. It was one of my ‘baptism of fire’ when I joined DOH. I have strong faith in our experts, but information from them should be laymanized to the public,” the lawmaker said.
The Deputy Majority Leader advised the public to wash fruits and vegetables, properly cook meat, and do handwashing to be safe from viruses. She also suggested that individuals who experience persistent fever and moderate to severe headache should consult a doctor.
“Washing fruits and vegetables should not be taken for granted. Not only Nipah but other viruses as well. Teach our children the importance of washing fruits and not directly eating them from the trees—frequently handwashing with soap and water. Proper hygiene. These are lifesaving measures. Should Always be remembered, never to be forgotten,” Garin pointed out.
“Fruit bats are part of Philippine ecology. We live with them and ensure we don’t stress them out, but if ever they get sick, we ensure that viruses transmitted to animals and/or humans should have no human-to-human transmission. Persistent fever, especially if accompanied by moderate to severe headache, are red flags,” the Iloilo lawmaker added.
DEPUTY Majority Leader and Iloilo First District Representative Janette Garin stressed that the 20 percent cap on appointing professors in state universities and colleges (SUCs) must be increased to 50 percent or removed to support educators’ professional growth.
During the congressional debates at the plenary level, Garin urged her fellow lawmakers to amend the guidelines of National Budget Circular (NBC) No. 461, particularly on the 20 percent cap.“
In the University of the Philippines (UP) walang limit [ang pagpo-promote ng mga professors]. However, in the other universities, as stipulated in the guidelines of DBM (Department of Budget and Management) and as stated in NBC 461, nagkaroon po ng 20 percent cap,” the House appropriations committee vice chairperson said.“
It is now an opportunity for Congress to have this amended. Either remove or increase the 20 percent to 50 percent, or we can have it similar to UP na walang limit,” Garin pointed out, adding that the provision “demoralizes” the professors.
NBC No. 461 states that “[t]he quota for the rank of Professor shall be adjusted to 20 percent of the total number of faculty positions of each SUC.”
The lawmaker furthered that the cap should not deter the professional growth of qualified professors.
Garin also cited that the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) will support the amendment of NBC No. 461.
“If we remove the 20 percent [cap], then CHED will also be very happy,” she said.
DEPUTY Majority Leader and Iloilo First District Representative Janette Garin supported the Office of Transportation Security’s (OTS) move to tighten its baggage inspection procedure to prevent theft by screening personnel.
OTS Administrator Ma.O Aplasca said that their office imposed additional guidelines after a baggage screener at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) was caught on camera apparently swallowing bills pilfered from a passenger’s bag.
However, Garin pointed out that the OTS should uncover the syndicate behind the illegal acts and not those employees in the lower position.
“It is not enough to file a case against the person who swallowed the money. It is important to uncover the syndicate behind these acts,” Garin stressed.
“Dapat mas managot ang nagpakain ng pera and the directors behind this syndicate,” she added.
The lawmaker noted that the incident seemed a recurring issue, hinting at a potential conspiracy among the employees.
“Obviously, this is not the first time, and is impossible to do alone. Probably, there is a collaboration among employees. Might be the tip of the iceberg,” Garin stressed.
She also urged Transportation Secretary Jaime Bautista to have a timetable to unmask the syndicate involved in illegal acts.
HOUSE Deputy Majority Leader and Iloilo First District Rep. Janette Garin on Friday urged the government to look into the reasons of the high numbers of children who are being exploited online to earn money.
The statement was made after the Cybercrime Investigation and Coordinating Center (CICC) revealed that the Philippines ranks second in the world on the matters of online sexual abuse and exploitation of children (OSAEC)
“This is alarming. Edukasyon ang dapat ibinibigay sa mga bata at hindi dapat ganito ang nararanasan nila. We need to look into why the Philippines seem to be an easy target,” Garin said on Friday.
The lawmaker stressed that the government must act upon the situation and emphasized that it “should not be reduced to mere data and statistics.”
This is a calling for a whole of nation approach. Awareness is very important to prevent the prevalance of child exploitation and illegal acts,” Garin said.
The House appropriations committee vice chairperson said it is vital to give full support to the Department of Justice (DOJ) to detect and catch the perpetrators of the illegal acts.
Earlier, the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) Secretary Ivan John Uy said that they lack necessary tools in order to identify the perpetrators of the crimes.
Garin also expressed her gratitude to House Speaker Martin Romualdez for immediately responding on the issue and for his commitment to fund National Coordinating Center against OSAEM and CSAEM.
DEPUTY Majority Leader and Iloilo First District Representative Janette Garin told the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) to prioritize giving scholarships to students instead of using the funds for non-essential expenditures.
During the budget deliberations on Tuesday, Garin urged CHED Chairperson Prospero De Vera III to provide the needs of the students, stressing that more funds must be allocated for the scholarship program.“
There’s a big difference between wants and needs. Maybe eto ‘yung checklist niyo pero mas kailangan siguro ng ating mga kabataan ngayon na mabayaran [ang tuition fees],” the House committee vice chairperson said.
“Bilyon-bilyon ang ginagamit natin dito sa mga paggawa ng guidelines, biyahe, bisita, research kunyari, pang-evaluate ng performance. Do we really need this huge expense?” she added.
Garin further said that CHED may collaborate with other agencies on programs such as the Integration of Natural Green and Renewable Energy towards sustainable schools, citing that the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) and Department of Energy (DOE) have the same projects.
“Ang napapansin lang namin, CHED always says ang daming kailangan ng mga estudyante [but] apparently you are not that keen on directly giving the assistance to our students because we are at a point na ang dami ngayon na hirap na hirap na gumastos ng pang tuition because we are in the midst of challenging times,” the lawmaker pointed out.
In 2023, CHED proposed a total expenditure program of P30.7 billion, with P29.3 billion or 98.5 percent designated for funding scholarships through the Higher Education Development Program (HEDP).
For 2024, the agency’s proposed budget increased to P31 billion; however, there was a slight decrease in the allocation for HEDP, which now stands at P29 billion.
HOUSE Deputy Majority Leader and Iloilo First District Representative Janette Garin questioned the hiring of a consultant by the Department of Health (DOH) that was not vetted by the search committee.
Garin urged the agency to follow the hiring process to avoid duplication of the tasks of experts working full time in the DOH.
“Matanong ko lang po, paano po ba siya Secretary [Herbosa] pinipili? And [will it not be a] duplication of expertise of the people within the department?” Garin asked Health Secretary Teodoro Herbosa when the House of Representatives deliberated on the DOH budget for next year on Wednesday.
“Isa lang po ito, Secretary [Herbosa], [kung] kukuha tayo ng consultant na hindi naman dumaan sa search committee… Why don’t we instead align with specialty societies if we’re talking about non-communicable diseases. Why don’t we tap the Philippine Society of Cardiologists, why don’t we tap the Philippine College of Physicians?” she added.
Herbosa admitted that the Health department has five consultants.
Garin called on the department to minimize unnecessary expenses and give priority to the hiring of personnel for the medical assistance program rather than the recruitment of high-paying consultants.