Transcript of Sen. Pia S. Cayetano's interview during the National Cacao Congress 2024 with Cebu media

PHILIPPINES, July 31 - Press Release
July 31, 2024

Transcript of Sen. Pia S. Cayetano's interview during the National Cacao Congress 2024 with Cebu media

Q: Kinikilala na po sa iba't ibang dako ng mundo ang PH chocolate. Ano pa ang maaari nating magawa upang makilala at masuportahan ang lumalaking industriya ng chocolate sa bansa? At ano po ang mga policy initiatives para maabot natin ang demand ng mga international buyers and traders?

Sen. Pia S. Cayetano: We have multiple government agencies that are involved in the cacao industry - DTI, DA, DOST. And during my talk, na-explain ko na yung job namin as legislators is to ensure that there is proper funding in these agencies kung magaganda naman ang mga programa. Sabi ko nga, huwag niyo ako gawing judge dun sa mga competition niyo because you have the private council, you have DTI and the other agencies that are implementing these programs. But we're more than happy.

Like in my case, ang dami kong nakitang products. I also want to be sure na when they're ready for the world stage, we can also support. Kasi mahirap din yun. Ayoko ng patsamba-tsamba. If there are the proper international events for them to attend, then let's give them that exposure. But they need to have products that are presentable to the world. They need to have proper packaging, proper storage. And that is what DOST, DTI, and all these other agencies can do for them. So let's prepare them. Like I said, parang karera lang yan. You have to prepare for that race. You want to be a world leader? You want to be a world competitor? Prepare.

Q: Senator, bilang Chairperson ng Blue Ribbon Committee, any update sa isinasagawang hearing tungkol sa pagkalat ng mga fake government documents?

Sen. Pia S. Cayetano: Yes. Actually, Monday, abangan niyo, next week, we have another hearing.

Obviously, yung mga lumalabas sa news the past few months na rin, talagang nakakatakot na there are really fake government identification documents - yung birth certificate, yung passports. So we will have continuing hearings about this to get to the bottom of it. Kasi may mga areas na parang sila yung hotspots. So gusto natin talagang ma-identify na ano nangyari doon? Sino ang mga responsible?

Now, to be clear, the Senate is not a law enforcement agency. The Senate, the Blue Ribbon in particular, can investigate in aid of legislation para makita namin na ano ba yung mga problema. And then, in particular, the Blue Ribbon looks into yung mga pagkukulang, not just pagkukulang, pero yung failure to act, yung paggawa talaga ng katiwalian ng mga government agencies particularly.

So we make those recommendations kung meron kailangan talagang masisante or mabigyan ng punishment sa kanilang actions or inactions.

Q: Regarding sa EPIRA, ma'am, do you think kailangan i-amend some provisions of this law?

Sen. Pia S. Cayetano: Yes. EPIRA was mentioned in the SONA. And interestingly, panahon pa ng tatay ko yung pagpasa ng EPIRA. Fun fact, siya po ay naging Chairman ng Committee on Energy and Power Commission 20 years ago.

And when you look at the laws, it depends on what is needed during that time. So ang dami nangyari diyan, mga privatization, including itong pag-create ng ERC, kung siya yung nagre-regulate pagka may problema ang mga kababayan natin dun sa kuryente sa bayan nila, yung panay ang brownout, o nagtaas na naman ang presyo, ERC yun.

But during my initial briefings with ERC, parang we need to empower them some more. Parang mababa lang ang penalty dito sa mga gumagawa ng hindi tama, yung mga abusive na cooperatives. So yes, we really have to review the whole EPIRA law and see how we can strengthen ERC so that talagang ma-regulate nila itong mga cooperatives that are servicing the nation.