De Venecia has the numbers…

…AND they are not flattering.

This line was from a full-page advertisement in the Philippine Star today, in what is perhaps a last-ditch effort to influence the voting for the House speakership.

Here is the full text of the advertisement:

In choosing the next House Speaker
THESE ARE THE NUMBERS THAT REALLY MATTER

Rock-bottom public satisfaction ratings

Under Speaker Jose de Venecia, the leadership of the House of Representatives suffered the lowest public approval ratings in its history.

The lowest number of bills passed since the 8th Congress, a mere eight percent (8%) of the latter’s output.

Unjustifiably high cost of legislation

Because of inefficiency, absenteeism and lack of leadership, it cost the people almost P150 million to have a single bill passed under the 13th Congress, with de Venecia as Speaker.

Billions in House funds “not subject to public scrutiny”

The House’s budget of P3.4 billion has so far escaped public scrutiny, and even the examination of the members of the House.

For general administration and support, and operations, including locally-funded projects, as indicated hereunder…P3,439,250,000.

The worst case of absenteeism in recent history

The Speaker claims he has the numbers. But as the 13th Congress closed, he could not even muster the numbers to pass bills of paramount national importance such as the Cheaper Medicines Act, the new U.P. Charter, and the bill granting compensation to victims of human rights abuses.

De Venecia has the numbers and they are not flattering.

Chamber Change, not Charter Change!

No individual or groups signed the advertisement, but Professor Noel Morada, chair of the Political Science Department of the University of the Philippines was named as the source of the two tables showing data for the declining efficiency of the Philippine Congress and the unjustifiably high cost of legislation.

Incidentally, the two tables were part of the PCIJ Congress report, researched and compiled by the Center’s research team.

The Philippine Star disclosed that the advertisement, which cost P154,440, was paid for by the National Labor Union (NLU).

An hour before Arroyo’s scheduled address before the 14th Congress, De Venecia was elected by 159 solons as the Speaker of the House for the fifth time.