u*--Nation .
E:is*iir;*ttsWodd
r0/s$
N&Ti0NWlng R8u!{tl-uP
Bill on lolelgn paft lcipation
in public utlllties hurdles
Houield readlng
THE HoUSE of Representatives
has moved one step closerto
amendinq commonwealth Ad
N0.146 or the PublicService
Replesentatlve Jos€ l'laria
Act by compteting plenary
Clemente S. Salceda
debates on the measure last
February'l2 aftersix months of discussions :'Competition
and foreiqn investment are inhibited because limitations that
sh0uld only apply t0 the operation 0f a public utility are ap-
plied t0 a ll public services," Albay 2!dDistrict Rep. Jose Maria
cl€mente s. salceda, author of House Bill78, said in his ex-
planatory note on the measure that seeksto limit the defini-
tion ofwhat is a public utility. "Thlssituation ls caused by the
ambiguity in the definition of public utilitythat is often used
interchangeably with publi( service under Commonwealth
Act No.146. The key tofixing this problem !s to develop a
clearstatutory definition of public utility;'he said. Under
HB 78, the definition ofa public utility is limited to electric-
ity distribution, electricity kansmission, and water pipeline
distribution or sewerage pipeline system.
c0]'|PETtTloil
The congressman said the enactment oi the ploposed law
would eventually benef it consumers. "This legiSlative ref orm
willsignificantly contributetoincreasing comp€tition,as
wellas protecting the public interest. l'10re competition
among providers would result ln lower prices and improved
quality of basic services, creating a more competitive
econ0my towards a better quality of life for all," l"1r Salceda
said.l4eanwhile, Rep. EdcelC. Lagman, also from Albay
representing the 1'1Distritt, said he would further explain
his opposition to the bill when lt is up for final reading.
committee and individual amendments to the measure are
due for preseniati0n next, aftel which the bill will be put to
a second-reading vot€. Finaland third{eadlng vote takes
place after three days. The House version of the proposed
New Public Servi(e Law of the Philippines was approved
in September 2017 under the 17'r Congress, but the Senate
counterpart failed to get approval on third reading lJnder
the current l81h Congress, several related bills have alleady
been filed betore the Sendte. - Genshen L. Espedido
l.toilDAY FEBnUARY 17, 2020
sal(eda to tile bill institutionallzlng
schoolteedilg ptoglam
A LEGISLAToR is preparing to file a billguaranteeing access
to nutritigus school meals for all kindergarten and gnde
schoolstudents. Under the proposed Universal Free School
Meals for Children Act, the Department of Education (DepEd)
willimplement aschool-based feeding program f0ra mini-
mum 0f120 days perschoolyear, t0 be donefive days a week
with one feedinq activity per school day, Albay Rep. Jose
t"laria clemente s. Salceda said in a statement on Friday. "The
most critical part of cognitive development is childhood, and
when children are hungry, we cannot expe€t them to develop
their fullintellectual potential;'he said. "That's why we must
consider child nutrition as part of our investment in educa-
tion. Pointless kaslng papasukn sa eskwela, danihan ang
subiect, tapos yung bdf4 qutorn paia (lt's pointles to send
a child.to school, increase the academic subjeds, and it turns
out the child is hungry)."
TOCAITY-SOURCED FOOD
The bill will also encourage food production in schools, and
the ing rcd ients sourced from localfarmers. "ln a sense,
my bill also ensures a sure market for farmer produce," l'4t
salceda said. The congresman's prop0sa I will also callon
DepEd t0 tap persons trained by the Tech nica I Education
and Skills Development Academy (TESDA) 0n food prepara-
tion, handling, and storage, "ln that way, one 0f its positive
consequences isjobcreation and training on child nutri-
tion." The 20i8 Expanded National Nutrition Survey of the
United Nations Children's Fund shows high undernutrition
rates among Filipino children despite a decline ln the rate of
stunting t0 30% in 2018 from 14% in 2003. "The numerical
equivalent ofthis rate is around 650,000 children. Among
them, some 100,000 are with the severest form 0f malnutri.
tion and require treatment," the bill's explanatory note said.
"These results correlate with the country's performan(e in
the 2018 Programme fo/ lnternati0nal Student Assessment
(PlsA), which covered 79 countries, where Filipino students
fared worst in reading comprehension and second lowest in
both math€matical and scientifi( literacy. lJnderdevelopment
ofthe brain and the body tend to result in poor pertormance
in reading, math, science and allother education metrics," it
added. Thefeedinq program measure will be the fourth bill
in Mr Salceda's Comprehensive Education Reform Agenda.
He has previously filed ihe Teacher Empowerment Act to
lighten teachers'administrative load and improve the quality
0f teaching.the K to 12 Reform Aci to make students more
job-ready, and the l"leister Schools Acl t0 close the country's
h iqhly-technical skills gap. - Genshen L. Espedido
I FAq.;- to/,il q