(0:00:03) Praise God! Saturday, weekend! Alam ko maraming nagdi-deep breath. Kami maraming trabaho. And I think, bilang mga nagmamalasakit sa ating bansa, bilang mga Pilipino, you deserve to know not only what is happening, you deserve to know why, and you deserve to know the inside stories. 

(0:00:27) So allow me a few minutes to try to directly explain to you—the people—what is happening in our country, what is happening in the Senate, and dahil inside story, what’s happening in our minds and hearts. So, magandang magandang hapon sa akin, Facebook friends, family, mga kasamahan natin sa media. 

(0:00:51) Let me start first with this verse. I love this verse kasi it deals with two words that are very very powerful—it deals with faith and hope. Sabi po sa Hebrews 11:1, “Faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen”. Ulitin ko po, nasa Hebrews 11:1. Of course, if you have time to tell Sunday then tomorrow, I’m addressing myself to fellow Christians, basahin niyo yung buong chapter. But sabi, “Faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen”. 

(0:01:32) So I want to talk about two words, faith, nakarinig po ako ng napakalungkot na statement. Sabi, ang Pilipinas po nagiging mas mahirap mahalin. So, just like Charles de Gaulle, sabi ni Charles de Gaulle, actually hindi niya sinabi ito, pero it’s attributed to him because of his many statements. Sabi niya kasi, I love France but he said something about the French people. Parang madaling mahalin ang France, pero hindi madaling mahalin ang French people. 

(0:02:05) Former President PRRD always said na friends niya ang mga Amerikano. But the American government is different. So, the way I take it, dun sa mga nagsasabing mahirap mahalin ang Pilipinas, I think hindi nagbabago, lalong lumalalim ang pag-ibig sa ating bansa. Naguguluhan lang sa ating leaders at politicians. But again, there’s a difference between magulo at ginugulo. At meron pong difference na maganda takbo, wag mong guluhin.

(0:02:39) And malaki po yung difference that sobra ang corruption, sobra ang poverty, sobra ang takipan, walang reform, walang change, mali yung values. You have to disrupt yan. Disrupt not in the sense na guluhin lahat, but guluhin mo yung momentum ng corruption, ng kasamaan, para nga magkaroon ng repentance, magkaroon ng restoration, magkaroon ng revival, or magkaroon ng pagbabago. 

(0:03:09) So, it is my hope that a spark of hope appeared in May 11. Why? 

(0:03:20) No problem yung takbo ng Senado pagka normal times. But alam po natin that there is a world crisis because of Iran-Israel-US war. We knew that in 2022, nung nagkaroon ng Russian-Ukrainian conflict, apektado din tayo. We know that our being in between the rivalry of China and US also has an effect on us.

(0:03:48) We also know that the flood control scam, the infrastructure DPWH scam, was so big, is so big, that no one imagined na may ghost projects. But until now, the facts have not all been laid out. And a clear reform, a clear change is not upon us. So we have to accept the reality that there are those in the Senate who are comfortable at ang utak lang ay yung impeachment, which is a good accountability mechanism. But it’s not the be all, end all because the flood control scam and other corruption, including agricultural smuggling, including, I recognize the changes being done in the BIR and customs, di ba? But the everyday corruptions that hurt people, di ba? That’s why yesterday, sabi ko, we have to look at the real numbers, no? 

(0:04:51) We keep looking at 11, 13, 12, 11. Sabi ko nga, solid yung 13, hindi magpapa-onse. So, kailangan natin makita yung real numbers, saka natin balikan bakit ang tingin namin yung 11 ay nango-onse. So, what’s the real numbers? 7%.

(0:05:10) May nagsasabing almost 8% sa pinakamahihirap. That means sa 100 pesos mo, 7 pesos, napupunta lang sa inflation. So yung dating mabibili mo for 100 pesos, eh yung pera mo 93 pesos na lang.

(0:05:26) For the millionaires and billionaires, it is a problem but not that big a problem. But for those who ang daily wage is less than 700 pesos, first of all, usually ang trabaho computed a little bit over 20 days. Pero i-30 days mo na. Sabihin mo na minimum wage every day, 21,000. Magkano pamasahe? Magkano renta?

(0:05:51) Magkano kuryente? Magkano pagkain? Pag cinompute mo yun, sakop na yung 21,000. So, bawal magkasakit? Bawal na magkaroon ng sapatos or gamit pang pasukan yung anak mo? 

(0:06:05) Bawal na magkaroon ng weekend man lang na makakain man lang ang pamilya together? Bawal manood ng sine? So, these are the numbers that really strike at the heart of the everyday life ng Pilipino. Magkano na po ang bigas ngayon? So, sa Pilipino po, marami kang pwedeng tipirin.

(0:06:25) Pero syempre, hahanap at hahanap tayo ng kanin. And if you look at the numbers deeper, the poorest of the poor, noodles na nga lang yung hinahati-hati. Minsan, isang pamilya ng lima, hahati-hatiin yung noodles because nga, even the minimum wage is a luxury. So if you look at the numbers, isama mo na yung unemployed at underemployed.

(0:06:48) Almost 9 million yun. Tapos 10 million Filipinos abroad. E ngayon, yung iba sa Middle East nagkakaproblema kung hindi man sa remittances, sa trabaho nila, sa kita nila. So, good for some OFWs na mataas ang dollar. Pero sa marami na nag-i-import at sa ating mga consumer, napakataas po ng itataas ng presyo ng bilihin kung hindi po makakahabol ang peso sa value ng dollar. 

(0:07:17) So, we’ll have a separate talk about the numbers, but I want to emphasize, sa ating pong first pitch as Senate President, yung bigger picture, sinabi ko nga po, di ba, na napaka-importante po yung spiritual, economic, socio-economic well-being ng isang bansa, financial well-being ng isang bansa. Hindi lang po politika. Nakatuon kasi po tayo sa politika, which is important. Good governance is important. Accountability is important. But economics, health, education, the soul of the nation, values, this is very important. 

(0:07:57) So going to the numbers, let’s clarify some things about rules. Sa rules mismo ng Senate, nakalagay doon, simple majority can amend. Again, emphasize ko ha, kasi binabaliktad nang binabaliktad ng ating kaibigan ni Sen. Lacson. Sabi niya, okay lang pag-usapan yung rules, huwag lang i-railroad. Wala pong railroading. Ang sinasabi po kasi niya, nasa committee yung rules.

(0:08:24) Ang plenary po or yung plenario ay mas powerful sa committees. Ang mga committees parang bowl po yan. Pwede mo ilagay dyan tapos iproprocess sa bowl or pwede mong tanggalin, ilipat sa bowl or dalhin sa plenary. 

(0:08:40) Ang rule po ng Senate, hindi po kailangan dumaan ng katulad po ng pinagdadaanan ng bills. Kasi ang bills po nasa Constitution may first, second, third reading. So we were not violating any rule. And in fact, May 11 pa nag-start yan. So sa nagsasabing nagmamadali kami? 

(0:09:01) May 11 pa yan eh. So sabi lang, Monday na lang. Bakit? Kasi po, iilan lang sila nandun during that Tuesday night. But the point is, we were ready to defend and talk about the proposal. Ang dami na po lumabas na hindi totoo. For example, for any reason, pwede mag-online. Hindi po. Ang nakalagay po dun sa proposal, justifiable reason and the Senate President still has to consult the majority leader and minority leader, case-for-case basis. So hindi po ito blanket na anytime, for any reason, pwede ka na mag-online. Sabi pangalawa, pandemic lang kasi ito bringing up. Hindi po. Panahon pa ni Sen. Trillanes kay Sen. De Lima, bringing up na po ito. Yung ibang nag-criticize po ngayon, tignan niyo po yung mismong sinulat nila at reasons nila. 

(0:009:58) They were arguing from the point of view of representation. So, representation is very important na why? Because it’s all about control. But before I talk about control, Senator Pia reminded me na binabasa niya ang dami na lumabas about participation sa impeachment through online.

(0:10:20) Wala pong katotohanan na yung amendment ng rule na ito ay nakaugnay sa amendment sa rule sa impeachment. Bakit po? Unang-una, in-adopt na po namin yung rules sa impeachment. Pag binago namin yun, ipa-publish pa, tatagal pa po yun. So, ngayon po, ang pinag-uusapan ay rule sa Senado. Wala pong katotohanan yung mga nagpo-post na nagsasabing ito po ay may kilalaman sa impeachment.

(0:10:46) Why is control important? Because the control, the chairman, schedules the hearing. So meaning, kung mababalik sa kanila, ise-schedule ba nila yung flood control hearing? Kung ise-schedule nila, kontrolado din po ng majority at ng chairman, sino ang iimbitahin?

(0:11:04) Kontrolado din kung once a week, once a month. Dati po, wala naman yung partial-partial report. Kaya nga, paulit-ulit ko sinasabi, ang kailangan, impartial, not partial. And paano ka maglalabas ng partial na hindi mo pa nabubuo yung theory kung ano talaga nangyari? Tignan niyo po, sabi ng Office of the Ombudsman, may mastermind. Sabi ni Senator Lacson, walang mastermind.

(0:11:30) So, paano ka maglalabas ng report na partial pa lang? And then, paano nangyari yun na panay oposisyon na panay sa Senado? One trillion budget sa administrasyon, walang involved dito. Sa ibang mga panig ng gobyerno, walang involved pa dito. 

(0:11:50) So, I’m not going to go into the details precisely because gusto natin independent at gusto natin yung committee ang magpatakbo. Nagulat lang po ako na sa lahat ng pwedeng maging reaction ni Senator Tito, sabi niya it’s illegal. Papasalamat ako sa mga matitinik nating mga netizens na una pa kayo na tinignan yung Section 18 ng rules ng Senate at yung Section 20 ng rules on investigations in aid of legislation.

(0:12:19) But assume natin, ha? Assume natin tama si former Senate President Sotto at bawal mag-create ng subcommittee. Hindi po bawal, ha? Nasa rules po yan. But sabi mo, then all the majority has to do is for the chairperson, Senator Pia Cayetano, to come out herself with the notice on Monday. So, ang point ko, sa lahat ng pwedeng reaction, bakit parang ayaw talaga na ituloy ito? So again, we’re not here para manggulo. Kami ang ginugulo. 

(0:12:51) We’re not here para dagdagan pa ang problema ng Pilipino. We’re here para yung hindi maayos, ayusin. So until we have true repentance and true reforms, corruption will continue at the highest levels. I was sad because I’ve been saying this for three weeks. I’ve been saying independent investigation because I do believe the President is being given wrong information.

(0:13:22) So, nung sinabi niya yung barilan, paulit-ulit sinasabi ng NBI at DOJ, wala sa Senate. We have evidence, so mapipilitan kami na i-hearing din yan. So, the Committee on Public Order will hear, will get to the bottom of this, will bring the NBI, the DOJ, PNP, DILG, lahat ng nag-iimbestiga. Sabay-sabay na kaming iimbestigahan lahat. So I want you to understand that the rule about voting is tied to the control. So totoo, 13 ang kailangan para mapalitan ang SP. Pero ang magpapatawag po ng hearings ay yung chairperson. So isang strategy po ngayon nung onse, kaya napansin nyo po every weekend. Sila ang gumagawa ng sinasabi nila, may babaliktad, may sasama na sa kanila, may nag-iisip.

(0:14:11). Alam niyo po ang coup d’état , ang isang essential element po diyan ay stealth o kaya yung tahimik, ibubulaga ka, magugulat ka. Di ba? 

(0:14:21) So, bakit sila maingay about it? One is to try to create distrust among the 13. Secondly is to create pressure. And number three, bakit nila pine-predict may huhulihin diyan, may aarestuhin, ganyan? Okay. Because may mga kakampi sila sa gabinete, that’s very clear. So, my point is this. 

(0:14:44) One of their intent is to not allow the electronic or teleconferencing or any kind of online voting para pag sila majority sa floor, aagawin nila yung mga committee. At pag naagaw yung mga committee, sila na naman magdidikta ngayon kung anong pwede i-hearing o hindi. Nakita nyo po na inaalok namin ang committee. They can read their members anytime. So, nagugulat lang ako kay, let’s say, kay Senator Erwin paulit-ulit na wala daw napasa during my time and mabagal, etc. Pero nandiyan na yung mga malalaking committee. Hindi sila nagpapalista as members. Dati, nag-uunahan pa. 

(0:15:28) So, I’ll try not to make as much comments regarding the Senators because I do believe in your Senate President, your Senate President, the whole Senate. I can make a list para kontrahin yung sinabi ni Senator Lacson of bending backwards. Sila bending the law, bending the rules. Ako bending backwards. Lahat ng request nila, hindi ko na isa-isahin. Basta’t kaya ginagawa. 

(0:15:52) Sa impeachment po, consensus. I did not dictate anything and maayos na lahat yan. So again, I want to emphasize the priorities of this majority. One is the soul of the nation, so good governance. Kasama po dun sa good governance, hindi lang yung accountability, which is the committee hearings and the impeachment.

(0:16:14) Kasama din po dyan yung mga legislation that goes into the real numbers o yung economics para hindi gutom ang ating mga kababayan, para walang temptation for crimes and for corruption. So kasama sa good governance, accountability, blue ribbon, kasama din po dyan yung impeachment then as I said kasama din po dyan yung real numbers so many other things will come up there are administrative things but as you see sabi nga nila they’re throwing everything including the kitchen sink at you no, they’re throwing even the kitchen.

(0:16:53) At tinatapon na sa amin. Anything they can think of, kaso daw. So guys, what can you do? One, pray for us. Pray for the nation. Two, tutukan. Res ipsa loquitur. You know, the thing speaks for itself. Read between the lines. Anyone can speak.

(0:17:11) Pero tignan nyo kung sino nagsasabi ng totoo. So let me stop there and ask for prayers, for reflections, for insights during this weekend. Hopefully, both sides will have their numbers in full force sa Monday. But yun nga, tuloy kasi yung takutan at yung sinasabing ma-aresto na and then kung sino-sino nini-name nila na babaliktad. You know, what’s happening in the Senate, lahat tayo may stake dyan.

(0:17:39) Ang ating… pati yung hindi pa botante, you know, all Filipinos have a stake there because we all came together under different constitutions saying that check and balance and an independent legislature is good for the nation. Because in the past, pag na-concentrate ang lahat ng power sa isang opisina o tao, abuse ang nangyayari. Ngayon nga po, separate ang House at Senate, separate ang Judiciary, separate po ang Executive, nagkaroon ng flood control scam.

(0:18:09) Nagkaroon ng kung ano-anong smuggling, nagkaroon ng yung problema sa BIR, di ba? In the first few years, yung kung ano-anong na buko ng mga kalokohan. So, it’s ongoing in every level of government, from the barangay until the national government. So if power is going to be concentrated just in the executives, kawawa naman tayo. I don’t think the president wants this. And I continue to extend a hand of working together professionally, but I really think he’s not getting the right information. 

(0:18:47) So I do hope that the senior officials in the cabinet will be able to get the right information and throw the right information. Because one, yung 11, nang o-onse talaga, hindi nagbibigay ng tamang impormasyon, then there are forces, spiritual and physical forces in this nation that wants to keep us poor, that wants to corrupt, that wants to take out hope. So where I started, that’s where I’ll end. Don’t lose faith, mga kababayan. Have faith. Don’t lose hope, mga kababayan. So Christians, Muslim, anuman ang ating paniniwala.

(0:19:19) Keep praying. Malaki ang pag-asa ng ating bansa. But we have to. We have to get things done. Good afternoon. God bless you all.