Fireworks between
Senate and House

Expect fireworks between the Senate and the House over the issue of people's initiative to amend the Constitution. Actually the initial salvo had already broken out in the Senate with Senator Miriam Defensor-Santiago stressing that the Senate must vote separately on the issue of Cha-Cha.

In short, she argued that the constitutional provision of Congress voting by a three-fourths majority on the constitutional amendment is as separate and co-equal bodies, not just one whole body. De Venecia, however, seemed to have addressed that constitutional question tangentially bypassing the issue by advocating people's initiative. That is going to create a major stir. But how the Senate could stop that is a major problem.

In short, expect the next few weeks to be tumultuous, although the mobilization of the ULAP to put through with the people's initiative would be difficult to stop or even just to undercut.

We must brace ourselves for more strident debates over the issue with the non-government organizations, the civic sector and even the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines contributing to the din.

Nothing, however, could be more controversial than charter change. The basic issue is - has the 1987 Constitution outlived its usefulness?

Speaker De Venecia has put it squarely - political instability and the threat of coups will continue as one of the consequences of a unitary presidential system. In short, he is posting charter change as the country's salvation.

Per se, that is an issue that is bound to stir a nationwide debate.

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Don't look now. But yesterday, the discussion of the National Bioethanol Program bill brought to the surface some investment problems that most may just have glossed over. First, of course, aside from the tax incentives, there is the issue of the cost of storage facilities for ethanol.

Second, whether the big oil companies can be compelled to abide with the five percent mix of ethanol and gasoline. Third, the establishment of bioethanol fuelling stations all over the country.

Some of our starry-eyed prospective investors simply focus on the need for a market for ethanol. No doubt about that, it is now a flourishing industry in Brazil. But even in the United States, although it produces as much ethanol as Brazil, there are still misgivings about the additive or alternative fuel.

In short, there is no shortcut to its use as an alternative fuel. It will take a tremendous amount of investment before the program can really take off. Brazil took 25 years to adopt ethanol so that the bulk of flex-cars in that country are now fueled by ethanol mix or pure ethanol.

Okay, assuming that Negros Occidental can provide the major ethanol production base. The next question is how will the produce be stored pending their shipment to the oil refineries in Luzon? And which bottoms can take on this fuel? Ethanol is corrosive. Then, who will handle the mixing with gasoline? And how will these mixed fuel be transported and to where?

There are no pat answers to these questions. Thus, it may take sometime for us to be able to go into bioethanol production on a scale required for the country to be able to emancipate ourselves from total dependence on oil.

A lot of detailed homework must still be completed.

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Belated birthday greetings to Gov. Joseph Marañon. So far, it must be admitted by Negrenses, that Joseph has become a byword of public service and decisive public administration.

I have served for several years in the provincial government. Thus, I should know that Joseph is the type of leader who can immediately grasp a problem without the usual gobbledygook of a bureaucrat.

He immediately zeroes in on a problem or a mistake. And he acts on his feet. Which means that could immediately come up with possible solution to a situation.

Gov. Joseph may not have the gift of gab, but he is a decisive executive. He has been noted all over the province precisely for that. He spots out a good idea, then immediately tries it with the necessary safeguards.

It will take a long time for anyone to step into his shoes. And, perhaps, I can honestly say that he is the best governor Negros ever had.

The only thing I can wish for him is "ad multos annos."

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I just read a report about how the Professional Regulations Commission has refused to administer the oath of West Negros College nursing graduates who had passed the board examination last December.

That, of course, means that the successful examinees cannot receive yet their licenses as nurses. A difficult thing to justify.*

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