Refurbishing
image of Congress

The other day, Speaker Prospero Nograles, in a meeting with the League of Municipalities of the Philippines, was reported to have promised to “plug the loopholes in revenue laws governing real property which have cost various local government units P9.5 billion annually in losses.”

The Speaker took this up in a meeting with the officers of the League led by Binalonan, Pangasinan Mayor Ramon Guico Jr. The League paid him a courtesy call.

The Speaker also said he will order a comprehensive review of our real property taxes which, he said, are antiquated.

This is very welcome to our local government units, which have suffered from inadequate tax collection.

And I hope our Speaker also undertakes a review of the uncollected taxes from CARP distributed lands. Agrarian reform beneficiaries are not paying real estate taxes. There are only a few who pay.

* * *

Former La Castellana Mayor Enrico Elumba made a study of unpaid real estate taxes for CARP covered lands. And the amount is staggering.

Our three Congressmen, Monico Puentevella, Iggy Arroyo, and Jeffrey Ferrer called for a further study of CARP. For doing so, they have been the object of demonstrations.

These CARP lands are not productive because landowners are not pressed to pay land taxes. But if government forecloses lands whose taxes are not paid, they will make them productive.

This way, they will spend their time tilling the land and making it produce rather than joining street marches.

* * *

I am happy earlier I read many news items of Speaker Nograles instituting reform measures in the House, foremost of which is what, he said, is the need for transparency.

He preferred that pork barrel funds must be strictly audited by the Commission on Audit. Pork barrel, because of lack of transparency, has given Congressmen the bad image.

The perception is a big portion of pork barrel funds goes to the pocket of Congressmen. This should be corrected. But COA is not enough. The people must be encouraged to check where the pork barrel funds go.

* *  *

There is a big hope in the Speakership of Congressman Nograles.        While attention has been focused on the President but among the three branches of government, media has not focused on the Legislature in terms of transparency.

Nograles has seized the initiative in promoting transparency.

Congressmen have always been the butt of jokes. In the U.S. many wits always say, in Congress they make a joke and it becomes a law. They make a law and it becomes a joke. I recall some years ago, there was one Congressman from Bicol who presented a bill to outlaw typhoons.

I recall a story of a Russian actor who visited the U.S. Congress and was asked to write a comment on his observation. He wrote something like, “Your Congress is strange to me. Everybody wants to speak. Then one speaks. Nobody listens. Everybody wants to ask questions and everybody disagrees with one another. Then they go home.”

This was the height of Communism and in the Politburo, it was only one voice that could be heard, that of Josef Stalin.

* * *

A little review of history shows, no Speaker became President aside from Manuel A. Roxas, grandfather and namesake of Senator Mar Roxas.

Considering this track record, Speaker Nograles should first be a Senator and from that pad launch the Presidency. It was tragic then Speaker Ramon Mitra missed the Presidency to Fidel Ramos, a military General.

Jose de Venecia lost it also to an actor. And the tragedy was a big majority of Congressmen did not help them. They campaigned for the opponents.

Speaker Nograles should study the history of the Speakerhip of Manuel Roxas. One story I recall was in his fight with Quintin Paredes. Paredes wanted to oust Roxas as Speaker. This was before World War II.

In the commotion, somebody called for, was that police or Constabulary I cannot recall. What I remember is it was the eloquence of Roxas that saved him.

He took hold of the microphone and shouted, driving the armed men out, something like, “Get out. You have no business being here for this is a sacred place of democracy which must not be desecrated by the power of the guns…” His stirring eloquence spoke of calling for the gods at Mt. Olympus to throw thunderbolts of lightning to those who desecrate the seat of democracy… He spoke for more than an hour.

* * *

Speaker Nograles has his roots from Pontevedra. His father is the cousin of Commodore Marianing Tuvillla of Miranda and they are related also to the Leonardias, all had their earlier roots from Tigbauan, Iloilo.

And speaking of Pontevedra, I have always claimed to be from Miranda myself, Deputy Spokesman of the President Anthony Golez will be guest in my Friday Feedback. My friend Kampi Boss here Ricardo “Cano” Tan called me up and suggested Golez. Golez is also from Pontevedra.*

back to top