NANGIBABAW umano ang demokrasya sa pagtalakay sa panukalang Maharlika Investment Fund (MIF).

Ito ang sinabi ni Senior Deputy Minority Leader at Northern Samar 1st District Rep. Paul Daza na natuwa sa mga amyendang ginawa sa MIF.

“Mr. Speaker, I think I must say one of my favorite sayings, ‘Give credit where credit is due,” sabi ni Daza sa kanyang interpellation sa House Bill (HB) No. 6608 o ang panukalang MIF na inisponsor ni House Committee on Banks and Financial Intermediaries chairperson at Manila 5th District Rep. Irwin Tieng.

Sa pagtalakay ng komite sa panukala, sinabi ni Daza na pinakinggan ng liderato sa pamumuno ni Speaker Martin G. Romualdez ang mga rekomendasyon at ipinasok ito sa panukala.

“So, I would like to commend the sponsors, the leadership in listening to the inputs, not just from this representation and other colleagues but also from the public and the stakeholders. So, thank you for that. I feel like this is now a much, much better version and I think it’s something that I can support. The answers were very clear and addressed. I think many of my concerns, in fact, I think the public’s concern,” sabi ni Daza.

Iminungkahi ni Daza na alisin ang Pangulo bilang chairperson ng Maharlika Investment Council at inalis din ang paglalagak ng national government ng pondo sa MIF sa pamamagitan ng General Appropriations Act (GAA).

“So, I think in winding up, Mr. Speaker, I think puwede ko pong sabihin sa aking mga kababayan, nakinig po ang mga congressmen and congresswomen sa Kongreso. Umiral po ang demokrasya.

Nagpapasalamat po ako na ito pong latest version is a much better version and I would like to manifest that I intend to vote yes and I would like to thank the good sponsors for improving the bill and taking the time, night and day, to listening to all of us. So, thank you, Mr. Speaker, and thank you to my esteemed colleagues, our sponsors,” dagdag pa ni Daza.

Kabilang rin sa amyendang ginawa ang pag-alis sa Government Service Insurance System (GSIS) at sa Social Security System (SSS) bilang fund source ng MIF.

“Two weeks ago, when I voiced out my concerns and in fact my objections on some of the provisions, it appears and we’ve been assured that at least for this Representation, all my concerns have been addressed: GSIS and SSS have been deleted as a source of funding, the national budget, the two percent cap, additional independent directors, there’s even punitive of sections. So, 20 percent of net profit will go to social services,” ani Daza.