Press Release
November 6, 2008

MOUNTING SUPPORT FOR HEAP BILL FURTHER SPURS GORDON TO PUSH FOR ITS PASSAGE.

Independent Senator Richard J. Gordon today vowed to sustain efforts in pushing for his proposed measure requiring telecommunications companies (telcos) to remit a portion of their revenues to fund the education and health requirements in the more than 43,000 public schools nationwide.

Gordon said that with the support that Senate Bill 2402 or the Health and Education Acceleration Program (HEAP) had been getting from different sectors, he is doubly motivated to intensify his campaign for the passage of the proposed bill.

"The support that the HEAP is getting from various sectors only shows that the eyes of our countrymen have been finally opened to the state of our education system, particularly public education. The more than 43,000 public schools nationwide are really in a deplorable situation and I am glad that our citizens have come to realize this," he said.

"The support of the different sectors of society provides me with an added impetus to see to it that the bill is passed into law," the senator added.

Gordon, author of the bill which seeks to address the pressing problems plaguing the country's educational system, disclosed that he is now preparing the Committee Report on the proposed measure prior to the plenary deliberation, which will be set once Congress opens on November 10.

"I am gathering all the materials that would be needed to emphasize the need for the passage of the bill," he said.

"I hope my colleagues in the Senate would also realize the importance of this bill and the great benefit it would give to our public school children. We really have to do something to improve our education and health system and passing this bill would surely do that," the senator added.

Recently, the local government units of Albay, Norzagaray, Bulacan and Buenavista, Bohol all passed and unanimously approved their respective resolutions expressing strong support for HEAP.

The LGUs also echoed the senator's call for the telcos companies' support to the measure.

Under the Senate Bill 2402, also known as the "text-for-change" bill, a HEAP Corporation will be established to manage funds that would be remitted by telcos from a portion of their net revenues from text messages which reportedly reach two billion daily, and the funds would be used to fill the gap in the country's health care and educational requirements.

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