The House of Representatives on Wednesday approved House Bill 7857, principally authored by House Speaker Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, which seeks to provide the establishment of Timbangan ng Bayan Centers in all public and private markets nationwide and penalize those who tamper with weighing instruments after these are officially sealed.
The House, in plenary session, approved the bill by an overwhelming 199 votes.
Arroyo’s proposed establishment of Timbangan ng Bayan Centers, which shall provide the buying public with an effective means of checking the accuracy of the weight and the quantity of the goods that they are buying.
It will also discourage dishonest vendors to commit any irregularity because of the imminence of getting caught in flagrante delicto, said Arroyo.
The bill seeks to amend Republic Act 7394, otherwise known as the “Consumer Act of the Philippines,” to protect the public against fraudulent practices relative to the use of weighing instruments in public and private markets.
For one, the bill seeks to insert a new Article 62-A in Chapter 11 of RA 7394 which mandates all local government units, through their provincial, city or municipal treasurers, to establish Timbangan ng Bayan Centers in all markets nationwide, public or private, including flea markets or tiangges.
Instruments for determining weights and measures shall be open for and accessible to anyone who needs to verify the accuracy of the quantity and measurement of the products they purchase.
The safekeeping and maintenance of said instruments shall be under the control and supervision of the market supervisor who shall likewise be in charge of keeping a record of every product found to be wanting in quantity or substandard in dimension, as well as the establishment where the product was bought, including the name of the proprietor or manager thereof.
A certification duly issued by the market supervisor or an authorized representative reflecting the contents of such record shall be prima facie evidence of a violation of Article 64 (Fraudulent Practices Relative to Weights and Measures) of RA 7394.
The prohibited acts relative to weights and measures provided under Article 64 of RA 7394 shall likewise apply to Timbangan ng Bayan instruments.
Secondly, the bill seeks to amend Section (h) of Article 64 of RA 7394 so that it shall be prohibited for any person “to fraudulently alter, tamper, vandalize or destroy any scale, balance, Timbangan ng Bayan, weight or measure after it is officially sealed.”
Thirdly, the bill seeks to amend Article 65 (Penalties) of RA 7394, so that any person who shall violate the provisions of paragraphs (a) to (f) and paragraph (l) of Article 64 or its implementing rules and regulations shall, upon conviction, be subject to a fine of P50,000 to P300,000 or by imprisonment of one year to five years, or both upon the discretion of the court.
The present penalty is a fine of P200 to P1,000 or by imprisonment of one year, or both, upon the discretion of the court.
Moreover, any person who shall violate the provisions of paragraph (g) of Article 64 of RA 7394, shall be subject to a fine of P50,000 to P300, 000 or by imprisonment of one year to five years, or both, upon the discretion of the court.
The owner, possessor or user of instrument of weights and measure enumerated in paragraphs (h) to (k) of Article 64 of the new Act, shall upon conviction, be subject to a fine of P50,000 to P300,000, or by imprisonment of one year to five years, or both, upon the discretion of the court.
Another Arroyo pet bill, dubbed as SGMA’s Green Energy Education Bill was okayed by a panel in the House of Representatives.
The bill seeks to authorize curriculum development and graduate training on the so-called green energy education.
The House Committee on Higher and Technical Education approved House Bill 2354 or the proposed “Green Energy Education Act” mandating the Department of Energy (DOE) and the Commission of Higher Education (CHED) to award grants to university programs related to the design and construction of buildings that integrate and optimize all major high performance building attributes such as energy efficiency durability, life-cycle performance, and occupant productivity.
Priority shall be given to programs in design, architecture, landscape architecture, and city, regional, or urban planning.
“This would improve the ability of engineers, architects, landscape architects, and planners to cooperate on the incorporation of advances [in] energy technologies during the design and construction of buildings,” Arroyo said in the explanatory note of the bill.
“The bill would also help in preparing the next wave of design and construction professionals to improve the energy efficiency and productivity of our nation’s buildings,” Arroyo said.
During the hearing, the panel’s chairperson, Zamboanga Sibugay Rep. Ann Hofer sponsored the measure in plenary session.
Hofer said that global environmental goals and the growing urgency to adapt green building technology to minimize the use of natural resources, reduce waste and negative environmental impact, and maximize the health and productivity of building occupants.
“A few years ago, there were no such things as green building certificates, carbon cap and training programs, and smart grid technologies; it is becoming evident that these programs will have a significant impact on our future,” she said.
Hofer noted the green industry is worth roughly US$ 265 billion. In 2005, 1.6 million employees had green jobs and expectations pointed to a 5 percent annual growth in opportunities and employment, she said.
“The CHED and our colleges and universities should rethink the way they design the curricula for the 21st century. Developing a curriculum in advanced energy and green building technology would prepare students for careers in advanced energy, green building technology, [and] sustainability industries, as well as help transform them into global citizens and champions in addressing some of the biggest challenges that we face in this world,” Hofer said.
Mario Suelto, technical coordinator of the Philippine Green Building Council (PGBC), voiced support for the bill and the promotion of educational efforts centering on green building, energy, and healthy environments.
Professional Regulation Commission Board of Architecture Chairman Robert Samoy Sac endorsed the passage into law of HB 2354, saying the bill aims to enhance the capabilities of architecture students and architects to acquire the latest and most innovative environmental technologies that address threats to climate change.
“The bill, if enacted into law, shall allow the architects to fast-track the appreciation of knowledge and technologies that may be applied and incorporated in building design and construction that improves the energy efficiency and productivity of our nation’s buildings,” Sac said.
Likewise, Association of Local Colleges and Universities Executive Director Dalisay Brawner supported the measure.
“Actually, it is high time that the two agencies should work together to incentivize institutions to strengthen university programs in design, architecture, landscape architecture, and city regional planning through research and instruction,” Brawner said.
She added that this will capacitate engineers and architects to advance their knowledge and craft in developing a strong cadre of graduates engaged in energy technologies in the design and construction of buildings.
Representatives from the CHED also endorsed the measure. John Hernandez, member of the CHED Technical Committee for Architecture, noted that a master’s program in green architecture is therefore welcome as the current architecture program is already heavy in numbers of unit.
Hernandez suggested that several sub-classifications of green development be considered as green architecture is needed not only in buildings but also in electrical and mechanical systems.