ROXAS URGES NEW SPEAKER: HEAL THE HOUSE
KEEP MEDICINES BILL, OTHER IMPT. MEASURES ON TRACK

Senator Mar Roxas urged newly-installed House Speaker Prospero Nograles to seize the moment and shake off embittered partisanship to consolidate the House not behind any interest or faction, but behind the people and their urgent needs.

"Let us now stop the conflict of factions and families and get straight to the business of the people without any more bickering," he said.

"I call on the new House Speaker to start healing the wounds of the House so Congress could now speed up on the people's legislation," he said.

He cited the Quality Affordable Medicines bill, which has already been approved by the Senate and House, and set for discussions next week by the Bicameral Conference Committee. Roxas earlier said that 80%-90% of the provisions of the Senate and House versions could easily be reconciled.

Roxas, Liberal Party President, stressed that politicians are in power not for their sake but because the people put them there to look after the people's interests.

"Itong kontes na ito, sa pagitan lamang ito ng mga pulitiko, at hindi naman talaga kasali si Juan dela Cruz dito. Tulad ng mga miting-miting na naganap bago itong paghalal ng bagong Speaker--mga golf sessions man o 'gulp sessions,'--hindi naman kasali si Juan dela Cruz," he said.

"At the end of the day, regardless of who bangs the gavel in Batasan, the people want to see a Congress that is working for their interests and not the interests of a few," he stressed.