INTRODUCTION
It was in one of the bill-signing ceremonies in early march this year when I first said the now frequently-quoted phrase: “The best is yet to come.” I was referring both to the remaining bills that the 9th Congress would pass into law before it would finally march into history, as well as to the enhancement of our economic progress and the acceleration of our social reforms, resulting from the combined efforts of all branches of government and the private sector.

As we celebrate today the signing of these bills and the ratification of a very crucial international convention, we affirm that the 9th Congress indeed reserved their best efforts for the last. Despite the strain of the campaign during the recent election, the members of congress endeavored to pass the bills that I had earlier certified as urgent and vital to our sustained development.

You will therefore agree with me that I have been proven correct insofar as the outstanding performance of the 9th Congress is concerned.
NEW LAWS IN SUPPORT OF BASIC REFORMS
With the passage of these new laws, we have put in place an effective operational framework that speeds up the reforms in our economic, social and political life.
A. FOR MIGRANT WORKERS
The first among these establishes a higher standard for the protection and promotion of the welfare of migrant workers and their families.

This marks a new era for the millions of Filipino migrant workers and overseas Filipinos who will now be assured of better protection, consistent with the constitutional mandate to uphold the dignity of its citizens, whether in the country or overseas.

With this law, we clearly establish the policy that overseas employment is only an alternative option for our citizens and will be pursued only when we are assured that their dignity and fundamental human rights and freedoms are not compromised or violated abroad.

We will review the policies of the countries where deployment may be allowed, to ensure that any of the following conditions are observed in the host country: existing labor and social laws protecting the rights of migrant workers; being a signatory to multilateral conventions, declarations or resolutions for the protection of these workers; having concluded a bilateral agreement or arrangement with our government regarding the protection of their rights as overseas workers; and/or having taken positive, concrete measures to protect the said rights.

Corollary to this, we will pursue more intensively the program to provide our people with realistic options to seek gainful employment here at home and thereby minimize migration.

In connection with this landmark piece of legislation, I thank our Senators for Senate Resolution No. 100 which concurred in the ratification of the international convention on the protection of the rights of migrant workers and members of their families. We have, by this, taken another historic step in upholding the rights of working people all over the world.
B. ELECTORAL REFORMS
Two vital laws that firm up our political stability through our conduct of honest, orderly and peaceful elections (HOPE) in the future are also in this special package.

The first one, sponsored in the House by the late Congressman Tito Espinosa, amends Section 27 of the Omnibus Election Code by authorizing the issuance to the “Quick Count” Citizen Arm of the Commission on Elections (COMELEC) of a copy of the precinct electoral returns.

With this simple but very important act, the public will have access to speedy although unofficial results of the elections thereby discouraging fraud or deceit in the counting.

Even more important is the modernization of our electoral system through the use of technological and electronic devices, including computers.

The computerization of our elections will ensure more accurate procedures for voter registration and thus discourage fraud and manipulation, simplify and speed up the voting process, facilitate the counting, tallying canvassing and reporting of votes, and store vital election data.

In this age of the information highway, we must be rid of the problems coming from manualized operations which offer great temptations for evil minds and hidden hands to perpetrate and perpetuate cheating.

On the whole, all of us will benefit from the high-tech approach to the implementation of electoral procedures thereby giving better protection to the people’s vote and stronger assurance that the people’s choice will prevail.
C. WATER CRISIS BILL
I am delighted that Congress passed the water crisis bill which grants the president emergency powers to act on the worsening water shortage. Its main features include the protection and rehabilitation of denuded watersheds, finding new water sources, and utilizing the B-O-T scheme and its variants to expeditiously interconnect sources, pipelines and users.

For those who think that the broad powers given to the presidency with regard to addressing the water crisis would be abused, I commit to you and to our people that these powers — just like the temporary emergency powers granted me to overcome the electric power crisis — will be used judiciously and only for the best interests of our people.
D. SOCIAL REFORM
Also forming a part of this special bounty of new laws are those that hasten our social reform programs for the protection of our basic sectors.

Of particular interest to us are the laws to protect the rights of young Filipinos. First, the law creating the national youth commission provides an oversight capability to effectuate programs for their welfare and ensures their greater participation in community development and nation-building activities, to include better opportunities to develop their leadership potential.

The law on inter-country adoption reaffirms our commitment to the international convention on the rights of the child. This law is a trail blazer for social welfare in that it will allow the adoption of Filipino children by foreigners only after efforts for in-country adoption have been exhausted. As such, this law protects Filipino children by deterring child-trafficking.

Still another law makes the practice of hazing in fraternity/sorority rites a criminal offense. This barbaric practice has ended the hopes and even lives of so many promising young Filipinos. With this new measure, we vow to avert further death and physical and psychological damage to our youth without curtailing their right to belong to legally acceptable clubs, societies or organizations.

We advance our human resource development programs through quality education by the enactment of the book publishing industry law. It promulgates a national book policy and provides basic support to our educational system which has been enhanced by a greater focus on technical and science education and training. We also expect to achieve a higher level of literacy and reading competence with this law.

Under another new law, we upgrade optometric education and the practice of optometry thereby improving the quality of eye care in our country.

Last but not least today, we boost the coconut industry while pursuing our environmental protection program by regulating the cutting of coconut trees.
SUMMING UP; OUR PEOPLE’S SPECIAL THANKS
I wish to announce that, within a few days, I shall sign another important bill — the Public Works Act — the most voluminous piece of legislation approved by the 9th Congress. This is now being printed with due diligence and undergoing the “fine-toothed comb” treatment to ensure that unauthorized insertions do not creep in or materialize, recognizing that said law will significantly accelerate our infrastructure and countryside development programs.

The sterling record that the 9th Congress has achieved is unprecedented in Philippine political history. The benefits that we derive from a new spirit of unity, solidarity and teamwork in pursuing our common legislative-executive agenda are already evident from our steady economic performance and the democratized sharing of socio-economic benefits.

Under the 9th Congress, some 340 bills of major significance were enacted into law, 248 of which I signed and the others allowed to lapse into law. I vetoed twenty-seven measures to include twelve bills for the establishment of engineering districts. These were not signed into law on the following grounds: the bills are contrary to the streamlining policy of the government; will add to the fiscal burden of the national government; are inconsistent with the privatization policy and negate the progress gained with the enactment of the expanded B-O-T law.

Eleven bills for conversion of schools into higher institutions of learning were likewise vetoed pending completion of rationalization plans for such institutions by the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) and the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA). Also, four bills for the establishment of hospitals and infirmaries were vetoed because there are nearby government hospitals which can sufficiently service the medical needs of the concerned inhabitants and that it will unduly deplete the scarce resources of the government.

In behalf of our people and government, therefore, I convey to the principal authors, the sponsors, the co-authors and co-sponsors, the members of the conference committees and to all those who supported these bills, our profound and special gratitude.

Our wholehearted thanks go to the leadership of the two houses — Senate President Edgardo Angara and House Speaker Jose de Venecia. Their consensual approach to solving problems and forging win-win solutions to attain goals is consistent and indeed desirable in a modern democracy where collaboration, not confrontation, to ensure stability is the name of the game.

To the leaders of both chambers and to all the members of the graduating 9th Congress and the incoming 10th, I say: let us accelerate our momentum, let us stay together. Stay with me — for the best is yet come!!

Maraming salamat sa inyong lahat.

Mabuhay Philippines 2000!!!