Ni NOEL ABUEL
Gaya ng ipinangako ng mga senador at kongresista ay hindi gagalawin ng Maharlika Investment Fund (MIF) ang pondo ng Social Security System (SSS), Government Service Insurance System (GSIS), ng PhilHealth o ng Home Development Mutual Fund (HDMF).
Ito ang nakagkasunduan sa ginanap na Bicameral Conference Committee kung saan ikinagalak din ng mga ito na hindi naalis ang safeguards na inilagay sa MIF Act.
Nabatid na hindi ginalaw ng Kamara ang bersyon ng Senado kung kaya’t hindi nagtagal ang pag-uusapan ng mga senador at kongresista.
“The Maharlika Investment Fund (MIF) is the first but it does not have to be the last sovereign wealth fund (SWF) that the government can create. The House has decided to adopt the Senate version, so that the Executive can begin crafting the rules and regulations – which no doubt will be as significant as the law itself. We expect the President to announce that he has signed it by SONA,” sabi ni Albay Rep. Joey Salceda.
“As promised, the MIF will not touch the funds of the SSS, GSIS, Philhealth, or HDMF. We are thankful for the Senate for retaining most of the accountability and transparency safeguards established by the House,” dagdag nito.
Ayon pa kay Salceda, nagbigay ito ng ilang mga punto sa pre-bicameral conference meeting kung saan umaasa itong matutugunan ito ng Ehekutibo.
“First, I suggested that we allow multilateral financing institutions like the World Bank and the Asian Development Bank to be strategic partners with a stake in the founding of the MIF. These banks bring in not only capital, but also experience, institutional expertise, and international credibility to the Fund,” sabi nito.
“I also suggested that we make provision for listing in the stock market. The Senate version, which we adopted, can allow for that in the implementing rules and regulations. Listing, of course, subjects the MIF to more transparency and public accountability standards,” aniya pa.
Kailangan din aniyang linawin ang lawak ng saklaw ng Civil Service Commission (CSC) bagama’t sa bersyon ng Senado ay nagbibigay ng mga alituntunin sa kompensasyon, maaaring linawin ito sa IRR kung paano ire-regulate ng CSC ang mga empleyado ng MIF.
“I appreciate the Senate’s effort to remove special exemptions, including tax exemptions. I agree with the point that government neutrality is a desirable element in an investment corporation. But I expressed my reservations on requiring regular dividends out of the MIF. The point of an investment company is to compound its funds, and dividend remittances even when the Fund can achieve a bigger return, can reduce the power of compounding. While the Treasurer has assured me that the President can exempt the MIF from dividends, I hope they give the MIF sufficient time to compound its funds,” sabi pa ni Salceda.
“I also requested that we ensure that members of the Board, during meetings, attend themselves and are not represented by proxies,” ayon pa dito.
Sinabi pa ng kongresista na tutulong ito sa pag-draft ng implementing rules and regulations (IRR).
“Anyway, I congratulate House Speaker Ferdinand Martin Romualdez, Chairman Irwin Tieng, and our Senate counterparts. I will continue to offer what I can by way of prior experience and subject matter expertise in the drafting of the IRR,” aniya pa.
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