Sponsorship Speech on the RESA Bill

By Sen. Panfilo M. Lacson

Mr. President, it is an honor to present before this chamber Senate Bill No. 2963, under Committee Report No. 232, entitled “An Act Regulating the Practice of Real Estate Service in the Philippines, Creating for the Purpose a Professional Regulatory Board of Real Estate Service, Appropriating Funds Therefor and for Other Purposes.”

Real property is considered as a major resource given its viability as a great financial asset not only of individuals or business groups, but of the government as well.  It is the most stable, sustainable, and progressive source of income.  Unfortunately, it’s vast potential for greater contribution to our gross domestic income remains to be fully tapped.

Real estate practitioners perform highly technical work which provides the basis for decisions on property sales, expropriations, compensation, mortgage financing, and most importantly in the assessment of taxes.  It is for this reason that real estate service practitioners serve a vital role in spearheading the continuous flow of capital, in boosting investor confidence, and in promoting overall national progress.

Because of the importance and value of real property, transactions of this nature are indeed susceptible to manipulation and corruption, especially if they are in the hands of unqualified persons working under an ineffective regulatory system.  This is why the real estate practice ought to be regulated through appropriate licensing and the observance of a code of ethics with a defined disciplinary procedure for the protection of the public.  It should be provided institutionalized government support to develop a corps of highly respected, technically competent, and disciplined real estate service practitioners, knowledgeable of internationally accepted standards and practice of the profession.  The prevailing negative perception of the work of many appraisers and assessors as hardly professional and tainted with various considerations serves as a setback for the growth of the real estate market as a factor for national development. 

Presently treated as a trade, and not as a profession, real estate service practitioners are under the supervision of the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) through the Bureau of Trade Regulation and Consumer Protection (BTRCP), in the exercise of its consumer regulation functions.  This setup is not conducive to the growth and proper regulation of this practice given the lack of expertise by the department to properly monitor them.

Verily, this proposed measure seeks to address all of these concerns through the development of a corps of technically competent, responsible and respected real estate service professionals who will provide the stimulus for accelerating the growth of the real property market and enhance its contribution to the social and economic development of the country.    It is therefore the desire of this measure to not only strengthen but more so to professionalize the real estate service practice by ensuring that only those qualified are granted authority to practice.

One of the salient features of this measure is the imposition of an entrance examination for all real estate service practitioners including those in the government such as the assessors and appraisers in local government units.  Through this examination, the appointment of these local assessors and appraisers will no longer be vulnerable to political persuasion.  The improvements that will result from the enactment of this measure will benefit not only the realty industry but more so for the government in terms of revenue generation.  Indeed, when the people assessing or appraising real properties are highly competent to perform their tasks, then we can be assured that the proper taxes will be collected.

Needless to say, a professionalized corps of real estate service practitioners will contribute in boosting revenue generation for the government on real-property transactions, develop more confidence in the government valuation system, encourage investment in the real property market, stimulate greater economic activity, and generate more resources for poverty alleviation and development programs.

It is for these reasons that approval of this proposed measure is earnestly requested.

Thank you.

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No to Cha-Cha!

Senator Panfilo M. Lacson calls on Catholic bishops to lead the Filipino people in opposing Charter change, during his address at a multi-sectoral prayer rally against Charter change in Makati City last December 12.

Lacson Disowns T-shirts Distributed in Mandaluyong City

Opposition Sen. Panfilo M. Lacson disowned Tuesday yellow T-shirts reportedly being distributed in Mandaluyong City in time for an anti-Charter change rally in Makati City on Friday.

Lacson branded the distribution of the shirts, which he said bore images of a clenched fist – his campaign logo in 2004 - as a possible attempt to sabotage Friday’s rally.

“While I am attending the anti-Chacha rally on Friday, I have not imposed a supposed dress code on my supporters, much less wear such shirts,” he said.

He said he suspects the distribution of shirts at Addition Hills village in Mandaluyong City last Friday may be meant to disrupt the rally, and pin the blame on him.

“Those wearing the shirts may make trouble during a protest action so I will be blamed as a destabilizer. To whoever is behind this, your style is as rotten as this administration.  I am exposing this now just so people will be aware of your dirty tricks,” he said.

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Lacson Bats for Slash in Gov't Corporation Officials' Perks

Opposition Sen. Panfilo Lacson batted Monday to slash the perks and allowances of officers of government corporations that run on big subsidies from the national government.

Lacson voiced concerns the subsidies for some government corporations may find their way to perks and allowances of some directors and officials.

“Sana bawasan ng incentive ang mga directors or officer ng government corporation, incentive for incurring losses. It doesn’t make sense to me (At the very least, I hope the incentives for directors and officers of government corporations will be lessened.  It’s like we are giving them an incentive for continuing to incur losses),” he said at Senate deliberations on the budget of the proposed agriculture department for 2009.

He noted “practically all” government corporations are now being subsidized, with the National Food Authority (NFA) looming as the “next” National Power Corp. (Napocor).

Government critics had tagged Napocor as a huge white elephant because of the subsidies it continues to get despite the huge losses it incurs.

“Practically all government corporations are being subsidized. The total amount for subsidy is quite huge for the 2009 budget,” Lacson noted.

In the NFA’s case alone, he said the agency stands to get a subsidy of P3.6 billion for 2009.

“What’s the wisdom of maintaining government corporations? If the subsidies go to the intended purpose, what I’m concerned about, baka sa perks and allowances ng directors and officials mapupunta ang subsidies (I am concerned the subsidies will find their way to perks and allowances of directors and officials),” Lacson said.

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Malacañang May Have Dipped Hands in P131-B Pork in AFMA

Malacañang may have availed of up to P131 billion in potential “pork” barrel funds from a modernization fund that had accumulated since 2002, opposition Sen. Panfilo M. Lacson disclosed Monday.

Lacson made the disclosure in his interpellation of the Agriculture and Fisheries Modernization Fund (AFMA) in the budget for the Department of Agriculture (DA) for 2009 during Senate deliberations on the P1.145-trillion budget for 2009.

“It appears (the DA budget for 2009 is) very small, P3.6 billion, compared with the other budgets of the different departments, it looks pathetic. But if we examine the special purpose funds the portions of the agency’s budget as indicated particularly Agriculture and Fisheries Modernization Act, it is a whopping P35.4 billion and everything is carried under the Office of the Secretary,” he said.

He added that aside from the P35.4 billion AFMA for 2009, the AFMA that had accumulated since 2002 now amounts to more than P131 billion.

Lacson said that if there are no projects identified for AFMA funding the fund will become discretionary on part of the agriculture secretary and President as well.

“I don’t believe the secretary will utilize funds of AFMA without clearance of the president,” he said.

On the other hand, Lacson sought an accounting of the money spent so far for AFMA-related projects.

He said that despite the huge allocation for AFMA, it remains questionable if the agriculture sector had been modernized.

“From 2002 to 2009 AFMA funds accumulated to P131 billion-plus. Looking at the huge funds intended for AFMA and considering main thrust is to modernize agri and fisheries, what have we modernized? We’re still importing rice, fishery is still in disarray. May the Senate be informed of the programs undertaken by the DA through AFMA to modernize the agri and fisheries sector?” he said.

Meanwhile, Lacson called for specific details of some lump sums in the House version of the budget.   These included:

* Construction/repair/rehab of new/existing national irrigation systems nationwide, P200 million;

* Small reservoirs irrigation projects nationwide P425 million;

* Balikatan Sagip Patubig Nationwide P200 million;

* Restoration, rehabilitation of NIA-assisted irrigation systems, P6billion;

* Payment of road right of way, P220.8 million;

* Repair operation and maintenance of pump irrigation P116 million;

* Repair, rehab and constructions of farm-to-market roadas in key production areas, P3.65 billion.

* Agriculture projects for various indigenous products and industries, P100 million.

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