Toff to file 20 bills when 17th Congress convenes
CHRISTOPHER de Venecia, tagged as a sure-winner as congressman for the Fourth District of Pangasinan to take on the post to be vacated by his mother, pledged to file 20 bills when the 17th Congress opens in July this year.
Interviewed few days before May 9 election at the sideline of his nightly “Lugawan” session with fellow young, ones in the district, the son of former Speaker Jose de Venecia Jr. and Fourth District Rep. Gina de Venecia, said most of his bills are on agriculture and tourism.
“I want the farmers to harvest more and earn more so that they can improve their lives and send their children to school up to college,” he said.
He said agriculture can be a good tourism come-on if the farms are improved and become a show window for modern agricultural technology, thus another income opportunity for the durable farmers.
He said there is a need to file his own version of the Farm Tourism Bill that was originally filed in Congress by then Rep. Congresswoman Janet Garin, now secretary of the Department of Health.
Noting that the Philippines is among the only few countries in the world charging irrigation fees, De Venecia said the farmers must be freed of the burden of paying for water flowing to their farms.
He will file a bill finally abolishing irrigation fees in answer to the long clamor of farmers in his district.
He said he will also re-file the bill authored by his mother Gina which was not approved in the 16th Congress seeking to provide expanded crop insurance to farmers and fishermen so that they are protected against losses in case a calamity strikes in their area or Ell Nino devastates their farms or fish in captivity.
As an artist and theater director, the 29-year old De Venecia wants to boost the capacity of the arts and culture sector by filing bills that could enrich and stimulate its growth.
He said he will also file a bill for the modification of the Local Government Code taking off from the bills filed in the 16th Congress by Camarines Sur Rep. Leni Robredo but remain pending in Congress.
These include increased salary for barangay officials and incentives for volunteer workers such as barangay health workers that must be shouldered by the national government.
De Venecia said he will wait for the approval of the new Comprehensive Land Use Plan (CLUP) of Manaoag before he files a bill that will make it as a Pilgrimage City.
“I am for Manaoag becoming a new city but like Dagupan, it must update its outdated CLUP first,” he said. .
De Venecia also said he will file a bill that would not require mediamen’s presence when the police is conducting search on illegal drugs so that mediamen’s life will not be put at risk.
He said he is hoping that Mar Roxas becomes the next President so he can support all his programs in Congress.
“Sec. Mar has a very good plan for the country and needs the support of both the lower and upper houses of Congress, he said.
He is confident that the silent majority who keep their choices close to their chest and seldom writes on social media or not at all, will send Roxas to Malacanang.
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