Cayetano backs measures to protect vulnerable Filipinos
Senate Minority Leader Alan Peter Cayetano has joined efforts to advance measures aimed at protecting vulnerable Filipinos — from families without homes and patients with tuberculosis to children navigating social media.
Cayetano signed four committee reports with reservation, allowing him to support the measures while retaining the right to raise concerns over specific provisions during Senate deliberations.
Three of the measures are set to undergo period of interpellation in the upcoming Senate session. These include the proposed Free Housing Through Usufruct Act, which would give qualified homeless and underprivileged Filipinos the right to use government land and housing while ownership remains with the State.
Cayetano said government assistance should help families move beyond temporary relief.
“They appreciate the help, any help. But we have to see things through. Hindi pwedeng kaunting tulong ang gobyerno tapos bahala na kayo,” he said.
“We all want quality housing. We all want to fix that,” he added.
He also backed the proposed Comprehensive Tuberculosis Elimination Act, which seeks to strengthen prevention, early detection, treatment, and patient support while protecting people with TB from discrimination and unauthorized disclosure of their status.
The proposed “An Act Establishing a Minimum Age for Social Media Use, Regulating Children’s Access to Social Media Platforms, Prescribing Obligations and Providing Penalties for Violations” would set the minimum age for social media use at 16 and require platforms to adopt age-assurance systems to determine users’ ages.
Cayetano said lawmakers must consider the long-term effects of children’s online experiences.
“We have to reflect kung anong tinatanim natin sa isip ng mga bata. It’s really getting to a consensus of what law will be most proactive and relevant to us where we can protect our young people,” he said.
Meanwhile, Cayetano also signed the committee report on the proposed Condominium Redevelopment Act, which is set for third reading.
The measure seeks to update the country’s condominium law and set clearer rules for the maintenance, repair, reconstruction, and redevelopment of condominium projects.
Cayetano has continued to participate in committee hearings and legislative discussions with senators from both the minority and majority as the measures move forward in the Senate.
Filipino Version
Mga hakbang para protektahan ang mga Pilipinong nangangailangan isinusulong ni Cayetano
Isinusulong ni Senate Minority Leader Alan Peter Cayetano ang mga hakbang na naglalayong palakasin ang proteksyon para sa mga Pilipinong higit na nangangailangan ng tulong.
Apat na committee report ang nilagdaan ni Cayetano “with reservation” bilang pagpapakita ng suporta sa mga panukala. Maaari pa rin niyang kwestiyunin o punahin ang ilang probisyon kapag umabot na ang mga ito sa plenaryo.
Tatlo sa mga panukala ang sasailalim sa period of interpellation sa pagbabalik ng sesyon ng Senado.
Kabilang dito ang panukalang Free Housing Through Usufruct Act na magbibigay sa mga kwalipikadong pamilyang walang tirahan ng karapatang gumamit ng government land at housing. Mananatili naman sa gobyerno ang pagmamay-ari ng lupa at bahay.
Para kay Cayetano, hindi dapat hanggang pansamantalang tulong lamang ang suporta ng gobyerno sa mga pamilyang nangangailangan.
“They appreciate the help, any help. But we have to see things through. Hindi pwedeng kaunting tulong ang gobyerno tapos bahala na kayo,” sabi niya.
“We all want quality housing. We all want to fix that,” dagdag niya.
Kasama rin sa mga panukala ang Comprehensive Tuberculosis Elimination Act. Layunin nitong palakasin ang pag-iwas sa TB, maagang pagtukoy sa sakit at paggamot sa mga pasyente.
Magbibigay din ito ng proteksyon sa mga may TB laban sa diskriminasyon at hindi awtorisadong pagbubunyag ng kanilang kondisyon.
May panukala rin na magtatakda ng 16 bilang minimum age para sa paggamit ng social media. Sa ilalim nito, kailangang magkaroon ang social media platforms ng sistema para matukoy at ma-verify ang edad ng kanilang users.
Binigyang diin ni Cayetano na kailangang isipin ang epekto ng social media sa pag-iisip at paglaki ng mga bata.
“We have to reflect kung anong tinatanim natin sa isip ng mga bata. It’s really getting to a consensus of what law will be most proactive and relevant to us where we can protect our young people,” wika niya.
Samantala, nilagdaan din ni Cayetano ang committee report para sa panukalang Condominium Redevelopment Act, na nakatakdang sumailalim sa third reading.
Layunin nitong gawing mas malinaw ang mga patakaran sa maintenance, pagkukumpuni, reconstruction at redevelopment ng mga condominium.
Patuloy namang nakikilahok si Cayetano sa mga committee hearing at talakayan sa Senado habang umuusad ang mga panukalang ito.
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