Pimentel uses "AEIOU"' to enumerate problems that President Marcos should address

Senate Minority Leader Aquilino "Koko" Pimentel III has enumerated seven issues that the administration of President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. should address.

Pimentel used "AEIOU" as a mnemonic device to list down the seven major problems that he thinks Marcos should solve. These are agriculture, economy, education, energy, inflation, obra or work, and utang or the country's debt.

In The Mangahas Interviews, Pimentel explained that the administration should work on the agriculture sector and "maximize" our lands to produce food.

Meanwhile, the lawmaker said energy should also be prioritized as this will be the "problem of the future."

Lastly, Pimentel raised the need to address the growing debt of the Philippines.

With the Philippine government's debt standing at more than P13 trillion to date, the senator said each Filipino now owes around P115,000.

Although he understands that the administration is just starting to conduct its meetings amid the rising cost of goods and fuel products, Pimentel expressed hope that the Cabinet discussions are "productive."

"I hope mga productive meetings po ang mga ito...Ang hinihintay lang ng taong bayan e 'yung resulta na, produkto ng mga meetings," he said.

"I know that everything takes time lalo na government projects or programs. It really takes time to reach the people. So bigyan pa natin sila ng kaunting panahon," the lawmaker added.

On Marcos' priority legislative measures, Pimentel said there are some that are "worthy of support" such as the Internet Transaction Act but as part of the minority, he said the details of these proposals should be scrutinized.

As a lawyer, the senator said he wanted to make sure that the actual wordings of the law would not lead to confusion as these might cause legal disputes and clogging of court dockets.

Apart from the Internet Transactions Act, Pimentel said he also supports the creation of the Department of Water Resources, the amendments to the Electric Power Industry Reform Act, and the measure for the unified system of separation, retirement and pension for military and uniformed personnel.

However, he expressed reservations on the proposed Budget Modernization bill and the Mandatory Reserved Officer Training Corps bill.

The lawmaker also questioned the lack of details on the government's plan to rightsize the bureaucracy.

"Pagdating sa konsepto maganda pakinggan pero kulang na kulang sa detalye," he said.

"Tagal ko nang naririnig 'yan start ng Duterte administration na-propose na 'yan e pero tinatanong ko nga ang detalye n'on. May study na ba kayo? Anong ahensya ba ang sa tingin ninyo ay redundant, wala nang role, wala nang papel sa gobyerno, tapos na ang kanyang objectives? Asan ang listahan? Wala namang makapagbigay e," he added.

The lawmaker pointed out that the executive department can already start abolishing those offices created by an executive order.

However, Pimentel said the executive department should inform the lawmakers about the agencies created by laws that they seek to expunge.

He also reiterated his objection on the recently-passed law postponing the December 2022 barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan elections (BSKE).

He specifically pointed out that an entire generation of young people were deprived of the opportunity to serve as leaders.

"An entire generation ng SK, na-deprive natin ng opportunity to present themselves to serve as leaders ng SK. Wala silang chance na i-present ang sarili nila kasi mayroong time limit ang pagiging SK," he said.

Pimentel and Senator Risa Hontiveros voted against the passage of the measure in the Senate.

Although he is part of the minority, Pimentel said he is not an "obstructionist" but he will offer "constructive cooperation."

"Kung may maganda bang idea, why not? Pero kung may idea na let us say, para sa akin e hindi naman, wala namang sinasagot na pangangailangan ng taumbayan, hindi klaro ang detalye na baka lalo lang itong—ang ending nito e mas madagdagan ang dispute, ang awayan sa baba...Iwasan na natin 'yang mga ganyan," he said.

"Para maiwasan 'yan, focus tayo sa pinakamabibigat na problema natin ngayon," he added.

Further, Pimentel said the minority bloc in the Senate will push for the following bills in the 19th Congress:

• Internet Transactions Act
• Magna Carta of Workers in the Informal Economy
• Geatric Hospital Bill
• Modernization of the National Orthopedic Hospital Bill
• Anti-Hospital Detention Bill

—AOL, GMA News