Speech
of
His Excellency Fidel V. Ramos
President of the Philippines
During the Signing of National and Local Bills

[Delivered in Malacañang, Manila, February 24, 1995]

Laws to realize
the EDSA dream

IT IS SIGNIFICANT that in the four days preceding our commemoration of the EDSA revolution, we signed into law 26 bills of national importance and many local bills with national impact: they will hasten our achievement of a dream we all envisioned at the EDSA revolution, the dream of freedom, peace and prosperity.

As we witness the symbolic transformation of these bills into new laws, we renew our pledge to the Filipino people—whose freedom we fought for at EDSA—that we will continue to wage war against the injustice and oppression wrought by material and moral poverty, and to work for liberty, peace, justice and progress. This pledge we are fulfilling through the productive collaboration of the legislative and executive branches to pass and enforce the laws that ensure the preservation of our freedom, the protection of our democratic system, the continuity of our social reform agenda and the sustainability of our economic growth. All these will lead to the substantial reduction of poverty of family and nation.

Social equity

We find social justice in action in this law, which amends the Bases Conversion and Development Act of 1992 to provide for a more equitable allocation of the funds raised from the sale of Metro Manila’s military camps. As provided by this new law, more sectoral programs will be supported in addition to the original beneficiaries of the 1992 law. The former bases that have been converted into special economic zones and free ports have proved themselves over the past two years to be capable of substantial self-reliance leading to further growth.

Under this new law, the allocation to the Bases Act for the conversion of Subic and Clark bases will be reduced from 50 percent to 27.5 percent. But the following sectors and programs will become new beneficiaries:

a) The Armed Forces of the Philippines modernization program, whose share has been increased from 32.5 percent to 35 percent, and the Philippine National Police and the National Bureau of Investigation modernization and upgrading of prison facilities, which will receive a total share of 2 percent;

b) The National Shelter Program, increased from 5 percent to 10 percent;

c) The youth, through a 1 percent share for higher education, 2 percent for science and technology scholarships and the study-now-pay-later plan, as well as 0.5 percent for summer education and 2 percent for day-care centers;

d) The elderly, through a 1 percent share for their program as well as a 2 percent allocation for war veterans.

March toward sustainable economic growth

Health insurance, infrastructure not covered by build-operate-transfer arrangements, judicial reforms, prosecution services, the Mount Pinatubo Fund and future special economic zones are the other beneficiaries of this amendment.

We also give justice to the so-called overstaying aliens who have been law-abiding and continue to play productive roles in society, by granting legal status to those who meet the law’s minimum requirements. By legalizing their presence, we give them more freedom to engage in productive enterprises and strengthen, at the same time, our social cohesion.

We protect the gains of EDSA best by pursuing economic and social empowerment goals for our people. Thus a new law that extends the incentive measures for capital equipment brought in by enterprises registered under the Board of Investments is a most welcome albeit temporary measure.

With this, we provide added attractiveness to the Philippines as an investment destination.

In the post-GATT world trading order, it is crucial for us to sharpen our competitive edge as an international player. Any increase in investment translates into gainful employment and economic advancement for more Filipinos.

With this package of fiscal incentives as well as various other benefits already in place, we are better able to sustain the momentum of economic growth that we have achieved in the past three years.

Developing economic zones

To further spur local and foreign investments in the country, we take new steps forward under a new law that creates the Philippine Economic Zone Authority. This will be tasked to identify and develop special economic zones—as agro-industrial, industrial, recreational, commercial, banking, investment, and/or financial centers—in strategic growth areas all over the land. Apart from Subic and Clark (which we consider ultraspecial), these areas are strategic not only in terms of material and manpower potential but also in their geographic relation to specific countries that have signified interest in investing in these areas.

We want to duplicate the success of these special economic zones that have already been established. In fact, we have approved the creation of two new sites: one in Zamboanga created by a law signed yesterday, and the second one, the Cagayan Special Economic Zone, which we sign into law today. The Cagayan zone targets the investor markets of Taiwan, Japan, Korea and Hong Kong, which have signified interest in establishing industries there. I felicitate the people of Cagayan Valley and urge them to boost Northern Luzon’s growth by their teamwork and industry.

Other new laws

Of value to our science and technology program is a new law that amends the 47-year-old Electrical Engineering Law. This new law is more responsive to the needs and technological capabilities of our electrical engineers by requiring only one instead of three written examinations, reducing the categories of electrical engineers from three to two, and exempting foreign engineers from local examinations and registration, subject to certain conditions.

I also congratulate the people of Eastern Visayas, who now have a new radio and TV broadcasting station to cater to their information and entertainment needs. The Sumoroy Broadcasting Corporation receives its franchise today.

I also felicitate the people of Camiguin Province for having received new opportunity for affordable college education with the creation of the Camiguin Polytechnic College.

I have never doubted that this Ninth Congress will surpass other Congresses in the quality and quantity of the bills it has produced. What has been a source of gratification and even amazement to me is the relatively smooth relationship between the executive and legislative, whose relations have traditionally been contentious. I thank the members of the House of Representatives and the Senate—for their speedy passage of laws crucial to solving urgent national problems.

I credit two equally important factors: the different but equally effective leadership styles of Speaker Jose de Venecia and Senate President Edgardo Angara, and the maturity and perceptiveness of this present crop of legislators, most of whom sacrifice personal or local interests when the national interest so demands.