TO FORMALLY launch the Jesse Robredo Foundation, the Ateneo School of Government (ASOG), together with the foundation, co-organized a forum called “Politicians meet Professors” held on November 28 at Escaler Hall.
“We have thought of putting up a Jesse Robredo Foundation because, after my husband died, we thought that it is just appropriate that we work very hard to make sure that his legacy is made alive and we are in position to continue that,” said Camarines Sur 3rd District Representative Leni Robredo, the wife of the late politician.
On August 18, 2012, a small plane carrying former Department of Interior and Local Government Secretary Jesse Robredo crashed in the sea near the coast of Masbate. His body was found three days later.
During the forum, several politicians and Ateneo faculty members discussed issues concerning good governance and corruption in commemoration of Jesse Robredo’s dedication to clean and honest politics.
Aside from Rep. Robredo, the forum speakers were the following: Presidential Adviser on Environmental Concern Secretary Neric Acosta, Dinagat Island Representative Kaka Bag-ao, Commission on Higher Education Commissioner Alex Brillantes, De La Salle University School of Law Dean Atty. Jose Manuel Diokno, Ateneo de Manila Vice President for Social Development Atty. Jaime Hofileña, Valenzuela Congressman Sherwin Gatchalian, Senator Teofisto “TG” Guingona III, Bicol University President Fay Lauraya, PhD and University of the Philippines-Diliman National College of Public Administration and Governance Dean Fe Mendoza, PhD.
Asog Government Director for Youth Leadership and Social Entrepreneurship Harvey Keh hosted the forum.
The event was open to Ateneans and outsiders.
Disaster risk management and PDAF
The speakers were asked to discuss two topics during the forum.
The panel was first asked to answer the question, “How can our society better prepare for disasters?”
Guingona suggested that the government create an agency solely intended for disaster preparedness, as it is hard for the different sectors of the government to effectively coordinate and provide services on time during calamities.
Bag-ao, meanwhile, shared her experience in Dinagat Islands, located in northeastern Mindanao, when Typhoon Yolanda made landfall on November 8.
She said that although there were no casualties in her area because of the early evacuation, around 4,000 houses were damaged.
According to Bag-ao, legislators should prioritize the passing of Senate Bill Number 3091 or the “National Land Use Act.” The bill seeks to create a National Physical Framework Plan that will divide land resources among the following categories: Protection, production, settlements development and infrastructure development.
The panelists were also asked about their reactions to the Supreme Court’s (SC) decision last November 19 to deem the Priority Development Assistant Fund (PDAF) unconstitutional.
Rep. Robredo said that she is in favor of the SC ruling. However, she acknowledged that the PDAF could have been used as a development tool.
“If I can use my PDAF [to create some] sort of performance incentive fund, mapipilitan po ‘yung mga [local government units (LGUs)] in my district to perform and to step up,” Rep. Robredo said.
Before its abolishment, the PDAF could only be used by well-performing LGUs.
According to Guingona, the bottom-up budgeting (BUB) method can replace the PDAF.
With the BUB method, the formation of the national budget depends on the needs that each LGU is supposed to address.
Jesse Robredo Foundation
Even before the formal launch, Rep. Robredo said that the members of the Jesse Robredo Foundation had already been assisting the Yolanda victims through a project called “Tabangay,” which focuses on adopting affected barangays and offering them rehabilitation services.
“Right now we are thinking of giving out fishing boats to the several coastal communities to help them start their livelihood activities,” said Rep. Robredo.
During the forum, Sea Oil Chief Finance Officer Mark Yu turned over P1 million to the Jesse Robredo Foundation. According to Yu, they chose to donate the seed funding because they believe in the foundation’s vision.
By December 2013 or January 2014, the donations gathered from the Tabangay project will be brought to Eastern Samar for the rehabilitation of the victims.
