by Alma L. Tingcang
PAGADIAN CITY, December 19 (PIA) - - House Speaker Feliciano “Sonny” R. Belmonte Jr. was the guest of honor and inducting officer during the 45th Induction Ceremonies of the JCI Senate Philippines held at the Megayon Stage, Provincial Government Complex, Dao, this city on December 17, 2011.
Belmonte, who is also a JCI Senator inducted the 2012 National Board of the JCISP headed by JCI Senator and Zamboanga del Sur Governor Antonio H. Cerilles.
It can be recalled that Governor Cerilles was elected president of the JCI Senate in Panglao, Bohol last November.
In his speech, Belmonte said as far as the house is concerned, their objective is to make the Philippines more competitive in order to get more investments. “It would mean jobs, economic activities for everybody. Together with competitiveness comes good infrastructure, good education and good social services.”
He said he has complete confidence in our own abilities, the abilities of fellow Filipinos. “Can you imagine, almost 10 million Filipinos valued everywhere in the world because of their abilities? Kung hindi man natin vina-value sometimes ang ating mga kababayans, they are well valued everywhere!” drawing a loud cheer and applause from the crowd.
“As I said, we want to improve our competitiveness. Last December 15, President Benigno Aquino III signed the budget for 2012. Since 1986, this is the first time that the president has ever signed a budget that early. Because we worked early, we worked hard and we were able to produce it. Anong ibig sabihin nito? This means we will be able to release the money and get it going,” Belmonte said.
“Last year, nahuli tayo ng paggastos sa pera and it contributed to a decline in our gross domestic product (GDP). Pero ngayon, the promise is that P150B will be released soon at nang ma-jumpstart na ang ating mga infrastructure programs,” explained Belmonte.
Talking about the impeachment issue, he cited the words of Plato saying, “where the law is subject to some other operative and has none of its own, the collapse of the state, in my view, is not far off. But if the law is the master of the government and the government is its slave, then the situation is full of promise…”
The impeachment of the chief justice along with the president, vice president, heads of constitutional bodies including the ombudsman is the only method mentioned in the constitution to remove them from office. “What we are talking about is that everybody is subject to accountability for what they do in office. This process does not mean that they are guilty. It means they are being given the chance to defend themselves, to prove themselves right. This is not a question of constitutional crisis or anything else. This is not a question of personality at all. This is a democratic process at work. Nobody is above the law and everybody has to abide by the law,” Belmonte said.
Congress, with 285 members where 188 voted for the filing of impeachment raps against Chief Justice Renato Corona is the most public of all institutions in our country where districts, party lists, all of them come together.
The house speaker also noted that there are several members of Congress who are fellow Jaycees, even those in government service. At all levels, they got their first phase of politics in the Jaycees. He called on them to do more, to help ameliorate the condition of everybody in the country. “Sayang ang ating pinagkagalingan sa pagiging JC at sa paglilingkod sa bayan kung hindi nating ipagpapatuloy ang gusto nating gawin. That is the challenge that I want to give you, tayong mga JCI senators, let’s be more active dahil tayo ay mga leaders. If we all strive to do this, even our post JC days will continue to be meaningful to us, meaningful to our communities and meaningful to our country,” he said in conclusion.
The Junior Chamber International Senate Philippines (JCISP) is an organization of JCI members who, in recognition of their outstanding achievements and contribution to the JCI movement have been awarded lifetime membership as JCI senators.
The following core values are imbued in every JC member : faith in God, brotherhood of man, individual freedom and dignity, government of laws, human personality and service to humanity. (ALT-PIA9/ZamboSur)
