INTRODUCTION
I thank the members of Congress for making time today to witness the signing into law of three nationally-significant bills and four more bills creating new cities.

It is important that our people should recognize in these bill-signing ceremonies the unity of purpose of the legislative and the executive branches. I have insisted in such ceremonies not only to honor the authors and all other legislators who have made these bills possible but more importantly to stress to our people that our efforts — both in the legislative and the executive — should redound to the improvement in the quality of their lives.

In the next three more days, we shall keep signing new laws in these simple ceremonies. I hope that our Congressmen and Congresswomen and Senators will assure us of their continued presence, if only as a physical demonstration of their continuing desire to serve our people.
ANTI-CREDIT CARD FRAUD
The first of today’s laws is RA 8484 which regulates the issuance and use of access devices and prohibits their fraudulent use.

In the last 7 years, credit cards have been used more and more as instruments of domestic and international commerce in lieu of cash. These cards are expected to be major instruments in our retail transactions in the future. The convenience they offer and the psychological reassurance they provide that our country is keeping in step with the amenities of the 21st century are reasons for their growing acceptability.

The growth potential of plastic money, as credit cards are often called, has however been marred by the production of fake credit cards that can cause tremendous losses to our financial institutions. Just a few months ago, the Philippine National Police caught a Philippine-based credit card counterfeiting syndicate that operates worldwide. The reason for this syndicate’s choice of our country as its base is that we did not have a law specifically against credit card frauds.

The implications of being the operational base of such rackets are many: first, we face the possible infamy of being known internationally as coddlers of economic saboteurs who conduct business through fake credit cards. Second, such frauds affect the consumers who will suffer from higher transaction costs. Third, and of particular effect to our economy, we may drive away potential visitors who prefer to buy our products through their credit cards.

We need no longer fear these scenarios. RA 8484 is a strong message that the Filipino people will not tolerate fraud of any form. Henceforth, we will throw the book at all those involved in such nefarious acts to include production, selling or possession of even one counterfeit or unauthorized credit card or any counterfeiting equipment for such purpose.

RA 8484 will prevent our good name from being tarnished further, protect our card-using consumers and spur further sales of Philippine products to foreign visitors who prefer doing business through credit cards.
AGRICULTURE-ENHANCING LAWS
We also have two laws enhancing particular subsectors in agriculture.

RA 8485, otherwise known as the Animal Welfare Act of 1998, regulates the establishment and operations of all facilities utilized for breeding, maintaining, keeping, treating or training of all animals either as objects of trade, work or as house pets. Also covered are animals used in research and scientific experiments.

The law allows only the persons, associations, partnerships or corporations duly registered with the Bureau of Animal Industry (BAI) to maintain or operate pet shops, kennels, veterinary clinics or hospitals, stockyards, corrals, study farms, stock farms or zoos for the breeding, treatment, sale or trading or training of animals. With the strict enforcement of this law, we expect an increase in the productivity levels of industries engaged in raising animals for food.

The BAI will ensure that facilities for animals are sanitary and appropriate for keeping them. The torture and maltreatment of any animal is likewise forbidden by this law. Pet neglect as well as dogfights and horsefights are now considered punishable acts. As such, we maintain our image as a nation whose compassion is not only for human beings but for animals as well.

The second law for agriculture hastens the development of the Philippine cotton industry.

RA 8486 aims to improve the quality and quantity of our cotton production. Past researches have shown that cotton growing can be a viable source of income for our people if certain technological conditions are followed. The potential of the cotton industry in the Philippines has however not been explored well because of a weakness in our technology delivery system. Our cotton farmers have not been able to produce high-quality cotton because they have not been provided the appropriate farm technology.

This law merges the Philippine Cotton Corporation created in 1973 and the Cotton Research and Development Institute, formed in 1978, into the Cotton Development Administration. This newly created agency will spearhead activities to make Philippine cotton one of our world-class products. This law serves as example of timely government intervention to encourage agriculture-based income-generating alternatives.
CITIES: VISIBLE PROOFS OF COUNTRYSIDE GROWTH
In the last two weeks, the Philippine political units have been augmented by the creation of 6 new cities, one new town and a new province. We raise to 79 the number of Philippine cities as we sign into law today four measures transforming the towns of Taguig, in Metro Manila; Victorias in Negros Occidental; Talisay, also of Negros Occidental; and Malaybalay in Bukidnon into cities through RA Nos. 8487; 8488; 8489 and 8490 respectively.

Far from dismissing these laws as measures with very limited impact, we view the increasing number of town-to-city laws is a prime indicator that growth has spread to the provinces.

Countryside growth in the past five years is a point that eludes a noisy minority who prefer to see the hole rather than the dough in the doughnut. But we have stretched this point again and again: that in this administration, our people could see and feel enough evidence of our continued growth.

It is beyond contention that the issue we must immediately address is the economy. But if our people must judge this administration — and the 10th congress which is its legislative counterpart — judgment must be based not on a yardstick drawn up just today and based only on recent regional developments that are beyond the national government’s control but on the overall impact of government’s labors of five-and-a-half years on the lives of our people.

A city may be created only if the locality has fulfilled the requirements for cityhood, especially population size, local income and basic amenities. The local government code stipulates that a highly-urbanized city must have a minimum annual income of p50 million and a population of 200,000 and a component city should earn at least p20 million. When a town is transformed into a city, this is evidence of the town’s growth. The rise of urban centers in our various regions are concrete proofs that development is countrywide and not merely concentrated in the metro manila area.

A criterion not defined but certainly observed by every sponsor of a bill creating a city is whether the locality has the ability to sustain the activities of its numerous residents. We believe that every city that has passed the scrutiny of congress has the basic amenities and possesses the potential for sustained growth and development required by such a large number of people.

Growth has certainly been enjoyed by people all over the country in the last five years. This is a fact proven not only by figures of our gross national product and our gross domestic product, the reviews of local and international financial managers, and foreign and domestic businessmen but also by the number of new cities and towns that have been created in far-flung provinces. These new local government units are visible proofs not just of growth but of sustainable growth.

To the residents of the cities of Taguig, Victorias, Talisay and Malaybalay go our congratulations for this new opportunity to avail of more efficient and effective systems and services. The transformation of your respective towns into cities will bring local governance closer to you. It is the hope of this administration and the 10th Congress that the people of these four new cities — and the other towns that will become cities in the next few days — will creatively utilize the benefits of better governance to improve their lives.
CLOSING
Once again, I would like to thank the members of the House of Representatives and the Senate who were instrumental in passing this set of laws. I single out Speaker Jose de Venecia and Senate President Neptali Gonzales for pushing through a record number of bills that have been or will be signed into law this week.

Yet, I must remind Congress that there are still a number of crucial bills in various stages of congressional approval. These bills are vital in laying the additional safety nets necessary for us to weather this Asian economic storm and enable our nation to make its way back to the growth path.

I have, therefore, called a special session of Congress starting today until the 13th, to give our legislators ample time to pass at least 13 more laws of national import.

I ask the men and women of Congress for their wholehearted cooperation. We should act now. We must not make our people wait.

Maraming salamat sa inyong lahat. I will see you again in more forthcoming bill signing ceremonies.