Makati Mayor Abby Binay | The Source - video Dailymotion

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The tension between the local governments of Makati and Taguig heats up, with public schools caught in the middle of the territorial dispute.   The Makati City government demands Taguig officials to secure a writ of execution to implement the transfer of jurisdiction of over 10 barangays.   The Taguig LGU now accuses Makati of using delaying tactics.   Makati Mayor Abby Binay joins us live!  Visit our website for more #NewsYouCanTrust: https://www.cnnphilippines.com/  Follow our social media pages:  • Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CNNPhilippines • Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cnnphilippines/ • Twitter: https://twitter.com/cnnphilippines

Transcript

00:00 Welcome to The Source, where we combine the headlines with in-depth conversations with

00:06 the newsmakers themselves. I'm Pinky Webb. Today on the program, the tension between

00:11 the local governments of Makati and Taguig heats up with public schools caught in the

00:15 middle of the territorial dispute. The Makati City Government demands Taguig officials to

00:21 secure a writ of execution to implement the transfer of jurisdiction of the ten barangays.

00:28 The Taguig LGU now accuses Makati of using delaying tactics. Makati Mayor Abby Binay

00:36 joins us in the program.

00:49 Classes resume in two weeks, but the City of Taguig claims there's still no proper turnover

00:53 for schools affected by the territorial dispute with Makati. As EJ Gomez tells us, Taguig

00:59 is accusing its rival of using delaying tactics.

01:04 The Department of the Interior and Local Government, or DILG, is urging the cities of Makati and

01:09 Taguig to coordinate and begin the transition over its boundary dispute. Interior Secretary

01:15 Benhar Abolos says the two city governments should prioritize the welfare of affected

01:20 residents, particularly teachers and students, as classes are set to begin soon.

01:36 About 30,000 elementary and high school students in 14 schools are affected by the situation.

01:42 Classes will start in two weeks, but according to Taguig City Mayor Lani Cayetano, no proper

02:02 turnover has been done to prepare the affected schools.

02:12 Proving the persistent tension between Makati and Taguig is the start of a new school in

02:17 Barangay East, which was removed an hour before Mayor Cayetano arrived for Brigada Escuela.

02:23 But the Makati City Government insists that Taguig needs to secure a rate of execution

02:29 to effect the transfer of jurisdiction over the 10 barangays. It further adds that the

02:34 entry of Taguig City's personnel in public schools in disputed areas is unlawful. The

02:40 mayor of Taguig, however, says this is just part of Makati's delaying tactics.

02:54 Their intention really is to delay and to distract us so we cannot focus.

02:59 On the issue of funds, Makati City Mayor Abby Binay says that the Taguig City Government

03:04 is not capable of funding the billions of pesos for the services they provide to the

03:08 14 affected schools. According to her, total expenditures of Makati have reached more than

03:14 600 million pesos in just six months. In response, Mayor Cayetano says,

03:20 "We are not rich, but for more than a decade, we have been providing school supplies and

03:28 school kits that our students use." Junior High School student Cedric is hoping

03:33 that everything will be alright in the end. "It's not easy to accept, but we're hoping

03:40 that everyone will be able to accept. And if Taguig City can give us anything, the district

03:46 will be able to give us anything." EJ Gomez, CNN Philippines

03:52 And let's go straight to the source of the story. We have Makati Mayor Abby Binay. Mayor

03:56 Abby, welcome to the source. Good to see you again. Okay, Mayor. Let's start with the basics.

04:05 I hope you don't mind. I think it's best to really first set context on this issue. So

04:10 the Supreme Court ruling ruled on this what is called territorial jurisdiction. It means

04:16 that the 10 barangays previously with Makati is now part of Taguig. Which means, from my

04:21 understanding, these barangays now belong to Taguig and Taguig has governance and jurisdiction

04:28 over these barangays. Are we on the same boat, Mayor?

04:33 Yes, we are. Now, this is my question. If they have governance

04:37 and jurisdiction, does this equate to ownership? No.

04:42 Okay. So let's talk about the issue at hand now.

04:46 Just to clarify, because she's saying it's clear, the Supreme Court. Yes, it is clear.

04:52 There's only two paragraphs written in the Supreme Court decision. In the dispositive

04:58 portion of the Supreme Court decision, there is nothing there that says that parcels 3

05:04 and 4 is now owned by Taguig. It says parcels 3 and 4 is now the territory of Taguig.

05:15 Yes. Those 10 barangays are now in the territory of Taguig. That's what the Supreme Court said.

05:22 The Supreme Court, also from my understanding, never ruled on ownership. There was no part

05:28 in that decision on ownership. Okay. None. In fact, there was no mention of ownership

05:37 nor was there a mention on accounting of taxes. Okay.

05:43 Because there was no demand from Taguig. Okay. So let's talk about this, Mayor, these

05:53 14 schools located in these 10 barangays. Now that is part of the territorial jurisdiction

06:01 of Taguig. My question is, if Taguig has jurisdiction over these 14 schools, what exactly are they

06:09 entitled to? They're entitled to the governance of, not

06:16 the schools, governance of its political territory. Now, since the schools are owned by the city,

06:26 the city has the discretion whether to let them use the facility still as a school or

06:35 use it for something else. Okay.

06:39 So that's one. Number two is clear in our meeting with DepEd is I will be retaining

06:49 certain schools to be run by DepEd Makati because we will be short of schools. So we

06:58 will also lose Science High School. So they don't want to have an equitous decision that

07:05 they'll just get all 14 schools. Mayor, how many schools did you want when

07:12 you had that meeting with DepEd? In the beginning, I only wanted Makati Science

07:19 High School. That was very clear on our first meeting with DepEd. On the second meeting

07:25 with DepEd, I asked that the two other schools, which is right beside the University of Makati,

07:31 to be retained because we will be converting parts of the school of Fort Bonifacio High

07:37 School into a senior high school laboratory for the University of Makati. So again, it

07:43 is within the discretion of the city of Makati on how they will use their facilities because

07:49 it is owned by the city government. So what will happen is out of the 14, there

07:57 will be no problem if they want to run the 11 schools because 14 minus 3 is 11 schools.

08:07 But the conclusion of this is, one, you will have to respect our contracts until the end

08:15 of the year. We do have contracts for these schools until the end of the year. Number

08:21 two is the compensation. Compensation for the use of the facilities, not just the use

08:27 of the buildings, but also they want us not to take out any movables inside the school.

08:36 So meaning, all the school chairs, all the computers, all the smart labs, all of that,

08:43 they want to get it without paying the city compensation. You have to remember, it's not

08:49 about money. It's about proper accounting. These items, these assets are in our books.

08:56 And for us to be able to remove that from our books, it's either there will be a sale

09:01 or some form of transfer. Because when it comes to the collection, you

09:06 are the one who will look for it. I will be the one who will look for the collection.

09:10 Because it cannot be that it's in my book, but the owner is the one who uses it.

09:17 Is that why you want to call this a writ of execution? Is that how it is? To make it clear?

09:22 To make it legal? Because in the writ of execution, we are not

09:27 just talking about schools. We are talking about health services.

09:31 Hospitals. The health centers are owned by the city.

09:34 It's not owned. So how is that? When do we stop giving assistance to those that go to

09:45 the hospital? When do we stop giving free dialysis? When do we stop giving free medicine?

09:52 Is it only when they say, meaning Taguig says, "Oh, ako na. Ako na. Wag na kayo. Stop na

10:00 kayo." Hindi pwede 'yun. Kailangan may dokumento. It can't be verbal.

10:06 So the problem with negotiations, it's all verbal. There is nothing written.

10:14 So hindi mo pwede sabihin, I take offense with what the mayor of Taguig said, that we are

10:21 delayed because first of all, just to put into context, the NCR DepEd order was released

10:30 August 4, Friday. August 7, the city of Taguig writes the city of Makati asking for transition.

10:41 So weekend 'yun, Monday. The city of Makati wrote to them, August 11, baka hindi niya

10:48 nabasa 'yung sulat. But prior to our letter on August 11, they already asked their security

10:59 agency, "Go into our schools as early as Saturday, August 12."

11:06 Okay.

11:08 Here comes, "Gaga, eskwela," August 14. So, hindi 'to delaying. They're ramming their position.

11:20 And hindi kalabisan 'yung hinihingi namin na we all put everything in writing.

11:28 Okay. Mayor, balikan ko lang po 'yung, kasi I want to talk about this DepEd memo, which

11:33 to me is a little confusing on exactly what is the role of DepEd in all this. I'll pause

11:39 on that question. Balikan ko po 'yung sinasabing niya. Dun sa 14, you wanted three. Wala ho

11:44 bang naging, when you say you want three, anong ibig sabihin nun? Yun dun sa tatlo,

11:49 Makati na magbabayad lahat ng operating expenses, etc. Ganun ho 'yon.

11:53 Yeah.

11:54 Tapos 'yung 11, you turn it over to them. Tama ho ba 'yon?

11:57 Yeah. So, they will pay for the capital expenses. They will pay for the utilities. Lahat 'yon.

12:07 Sila na mag-takeover sa 'yon. But again, there's nothing in writing.

12:12 Opo. But, hindi, ang tanong ko po, nung hiningi niya po, hindi naman hiningi niya, 'yung sinasabing

12:16 niyang iwan 'yung tatlo sa amin, pumayag ho ba sila o hindi? Even if this is just verbal?

12:22 Hindi. Hindi. Hindi sila pumayag. Lahat nung hiningi namin, hindi sila pumayag. That's putting it simply.

12:29 Lahat ng hiningi namin, lahat ng suggestion namin, ayaw nila.

12:35 Okay. So, kung Makati po ang may-ari ng mga buildings and Taguig will have governance,

12:42 in other words, siguro tatagalogin ko, dapat sila, dapat ang Taguig rather, ang magbayad

12:46 ng lahat ng gastusin dito sa labing apat na hospital. So, can they do that, number one?

12:55 And number two, is that okay with you, basta sila po magbayad ng lahat ng mga expenses dito sa labing apat?

13:02 Yeah. That's fine.

13:05 Okay. But you want this in writing?

13:08 Of course.

13:09 Okay.

13:11 So, yun na yung problema. Wala nga in writing. When are you saying that you're going to start today?

13:20 Opo.

13:22 And until when? Because what if, this is technically just a lease. I am just leasing you the properties.

13:29 I'm not giving you, it's either you buy or you lease. Diba? So, even that, we don't know anong intention ng Taguig.

13:39 So, we're not going to start in Manila. Because for them to interpret that the city government properties are owned by them,

13:48 is unjust enrichment unless they give us just compensation.

13:53 Okay. Ayan na po si Mayor Abby speaking as a lawyer. Okay. Meron ko kasing sinabi din dito si Mayor Lanny na sa lapi ng bayan ito.

14:02 But we'll talk about that and the memo order. Ano po? But we need to take a very short break.

14:06 This is The Source on CNN Philippines. Please stay tuned.

14:09 You're watching The Source on CNN Philippines. I'm Pinky Webb. Our source today, Makati Mayor Abby Binay.

14:22 Mayor, we left it off dito sa DepEd memo. So, the DepEd issued a transfer of management and supervision to Taguig. Dito po sa labing apat na eskwelahan.

14:35 Siguro, ang gusto ko pong malaman, anong ba, up to what extent ang dapat na responsibilidad ng DepEd dito sa issue na ito?

14:45 Kasi parang nagkaroon ho ng problema, obviously, dito sa DepEd order sa Brigada Eskwela na ginawa po ng Taguig.

14:54 So, if you look at the order, it only pertains to what is within their jurisdiction.

15:01 Number one, nakalimutan mo kasi ata ng DepEd na hindi ho DepEd ang may mayare ng facilities.

15:10 Nor do they even have a use of rap in the use of the facilities.

15:15 A what, Mayor? Nor do they have a?

15:18 Use of rap. Use of rap. Meaning to use.

15:21 Opo.

15:22 So, di ba, ang sakot lang ng DepEd ay yung teacher niya at yung kung yung facility na siya ang mayare.

15:34 So, since hindi siya mayare ng facility, yung DepEd order niya only pertains to the teachers.

15:41 Tsaka yung pagpapatakbo ng school. Pero hindi pinag-uusapan nun, saan gagawin?

15:47 Saan gagawin yung pagpapatakbo ng skwalahan? Kasi hindi nga sila yung mayare ng school.

15:55 So, it's different with Taguig because as far as I know, the buildings, the school buildings in Taguig is actually owned by DepEd.

16:03 All our buildings, all our school buildings is not owned by DepEd. It is owned by the city.

16:10 So, all 14? All 14?

16:13 All my 30+ schools is owned by the city. Wala akong kaming kinukuhang kahit anong budget for the facilities.

16:23 Even yung upuan, yung school chairs na binibigay nyo ng DepEd. Even yung supplemental feeding, hindi akong kaming kumukuha sa DepEd.

16:32 So, we are very independent financially when it comes to the support to our schools.

16:38 So, ang building ay sa pera ng Makati, pagpapatakbo nun, paglagay ng kung ano mang equipment, ginamit din ng Makati ang kanilang pera para dito?

16:51 Kahit yung nurse at dentist ay empleyado po ng city ng Makati.

16:57 Mayor, do you think that there was, siguro, nagkamaliho ba yung DepEd to issue this memo transferring the management and supervision to Taguig?

17:10 Is this something that is questionable for you?

17:12 Actually, if you look at the wording, diba, for the transition. Diba? So, hindi sinasabi nauna.

17:21 Ang sabi dyan is yung mga teachers, ililipat na sila from DepEd Makati to DepEd Taguig in preparation for the transition.

17:34 In fact, kahit yung sweldo nila, hindi nila kukunin sa DepEd Taguig.

17:39 Kukunin nila doon sa, there's an acronym there, it's called RSPU if I'm not mistaken, Regional Salary Payroll Unit.

17:52 So, it pertains to their employees, DepEd employees. Yung ang pinag-uusapan dun sa DepEd order na 'to. Yung mga empleyado lang ng DepEd.

18:06 Which are mostly the teachers?

18:09 Yes.

18:10 Okay. So, is there another meeting with DepEd? I mean, what is...

18:15 Yes. There is another meeting today, this afternoon. I made an appeal with BP Sara on last Monday.

18:27 And I was pleasantly surprised last night that they are now calling a meeting for this afternoon.

18:38 So, okay. Isa pa pong tanong dito. This needs to be cleared.

18:46 So, one of the statements made by Mayor Lani was that, pwede bang isang tabi na lang ito? Dahil kung ini-insist na...

18:57 Let me start with this, sorry. If you have a legal position that you own the schools, pwede bang isang tabi muna ito?

19:04 Dahil if you insist, ano mangyayari? Itutuloy mo yung plano na ipasara yung schools. It's not fair. Ito po yung question ko.

19:11 That was never the plan. That was never the plan.

19:16 You never threatened to isasara mo yung...

19:19 Okay. Medyo selective yung memory niya.

19:24 When we were in the DepEd meeting, I said, "Okay, we're just here to listen to Taguig on their plans for the transition."

19:33 Sabi niya, "Okay, we're ready. Ready na kami. Nakunin lahat ng sudyante."

19:38 Sabi ko, "Okay, good." Sabi ko, "Okay, so isasara na namin yung schools?"

19:42 Because sabi niya, "Ready na kayo."

19:44 Sabi, "Bat mo mapapasara?"

19:46 Sabi, "Well, you said you're ready. The schools are owned by... You said you're ready.

19:52 That means that you're ready to absorb all these students, even without the city facilities because you know that the city facilities is owned by the city."

20:00 That, to put into context, yung sinasabi niya at the end of the meeting, nakalimutan niya, nangkaroon siya ng amisha.

20:11 At the end of the meeting, I said, "Okay, transition." I said, "Clear."

20:16 Even the DepEd knows that. Malinaw sa amin at the end of that meeting that we will transition the schools.

20:24 Kaya hindi ko maintindihanan yung sinasabi niya ipapasara ko. Yan ang fake news.

20:31 Yan ang clear na misquoting the conversation during that meeting in DepEd.

20:40 Bakit mo papasara? E mamimigay nga ako ng supplies. Hindi ba nakakatawa yun?

20:45 Anong nga mangyayari dun pala sa supplies, Mayor? Ang dami po nun.

20:50 Okay. So, the supplies are already distributed in the schools, ready to be given to the students.

20:59 Very unfortunate for the city of Taguig to issue a statement last night saying that we should just donate the supplies to the LGUs na sa Lantan ng Kalamidat.

21:13 So, in short, they are admitting that they do not want the supplies. That is already there.

21:21 And yet, in the same breath, they're saying they're not ready.

21:25 Meaning, sinabi nga niya, susukatan pa yung mga bata. So, bago pa dumating yung uniform, baka tapos na yung school year.

21:34 Because we're talking about 30,000 students. At least.

21:38 At least. Actually, yung huling enrollment namin last March is around almost 48,000.

21:47 So, can you be able to supply, procure, supply for 38,000 students when the school is going to start before the end of this month?

22:04 We're talking about two weeks left before school begins. Classes begin.

22:09 Diba? Okay.

22:11 May kunting sense of reality ba sila na? Nadito na yung supplies? Ayaw mong ibigay ko, bakit?

22:22 You are being generous. Someone is being generous to you with no strings attached. And yet, you're saying no. Why?

22:33 That's something that also needs to be discussed. And even siguro sa DepEd, Mayor, maybe that is something you can discuss with them.

22:42 Because if we just put everything aside, there are supplies there that are ready. There are school uniforms there that are ready.

22:49 Saan hukaya mapupunta yun? But again, we need to take another short break. We will be right back.

22:59 We're back with Makati Mayor Abby Pinay. Mayor, mabilis lang po ito yung tungkol dun sa ownership.

23:04 I know sinasabin niyo, plain and simple at malinaw, may-ari po ng mga building na 'to ay Makati.

23:09 Pero nagamit ko kasi yung word na dun sa sinasabi kong statement kanina, yung ipapasara, it's not fair.

23:15 Yung mga structures na yan, ang sabi po ni Mayor Lani, gamit ang pananalapi ng bayan.

23:21 So, meron pa ho bang posibling conflict o problema sa ownership with regards to ownership?

23:27 Pananalapi, it's true. It was paid for by the taxpayers of Makati, buong Makati.

23:37 Because the ten barangays cannot sustain the expenses in that area, vis-a-vis the taxes generated in that area.

23:50 So funny, kasi kahit na minus mo pa yung tax na kinokollekta doon sa EMBO, may-balance pa rin.

23:58 In fact, I heard an interview this morning that you said that the tax generated from the ten barangays is so small.

24:05 I think it's 6% to 8% tapos yung inyong gastos.

24:09 Actually, the estimated income is only P1.096 billion. The estimated expenditure is P9 billion.

24:22 So the deficit is P7.9 billion. So the P7.9 billion is actually being paid for by the rest of the citizens of Makati.

24:34 So it will be left at P33, minus P10?

24:39 Minus P10.

24:40 Opo, yun ang parang nagsasubsidize, ikanga.

24:43 Okay, the DepEd meeting this afternoon, is that going to be you and Mayor Lani as well?

24:50 Maghaharap niyo ba kayo ulit?

24:53 Hindi po ako ang haharap. I am sending a representative because the schedule was set last minute kasi.

25:03 12 people na ikakasal this afternoon. So medyo pwede naman daw na representative.

25:10 So I will be sending someone to attend the meeting.

25:14 And very quickly, Mayor, do you still see a possible compromise para naman po hindi ma-affect itong 30,000 to 40,000 students?

25:23 What compromise are you possibly seeing?

25:26 That's always been on the table naman, a compromise.

25:31 The one that's not budging is them.

25:35 They don't want to sit down and talk about compensation.

25:40 They don't want to sit down to talk about, let's enter into a MOA.

25:46 They will start paying the janitorial services, the CGT fee.

25:52 I'm now scheduling a meeting with the OH for the transition of the health centers, which we also own.

25:59 Because once we start transitioning, they will now have to provide the health services for the community that they are now saying are their constituents.

26:09 So the only solution that I can think of is for a third party to mediate.

26:19 Ang problema kasi, sinasabit, "Sige mag-usap na lang kayong, bahala kayong dalawa mag-usap tayo."

26:25 But at this point,

26:30 Mayor Abby, pasensya na po, ubusan po oras ko. Sino na hindi kitang third party?

26:32 DILG.

26:33 DILG. Alright. Mayor, I'm sure there's still a lot to talk about dahil hindi lang po, Eskwelahan ang pinag-usapan dito. Maraming iba pa po.

26:41 Mayor Abby Binay, maraming salamat po sa inyong oras.

26:43 Thanks.

26:44 Thank you. And CNN Philippines has reached out to get the side of Taguig LGU, but we have yet to receive a response.

26:50 Thank you for joining us here on The Source. I'm Pinky Webb. You're watching CNN Philippines.

26:54 [outro music]

Makati Mayor Abby Binay | The Source

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