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Se abre la sesion a las 5:15 p.m., bajo la presidencia del Vicepresidente, Hon. Ruperto Montinola.

EL VICEPRESIDENTE: Lease la lista de los Delegados.

SR. PERFECTO: Senor Presidente. pido que se dispense la lectura de la lista.

EL VICEPRESIDENTE: ØŸHay alguna objecion a la mocion? (Silencio.) La Mesa no oye ninguna. Se dispensa la lectura de la lista. Hay quorum. Lease el acta.


SR. PERFECTO: Senor Presidente, pido igualmente que se dispense la lectura del acta y que la misma se de por aprobada.

EL VICEPRESIDENTE: ØŸHay alguna objecion a la mocion? (Silencio.) La Mesa no oye ninguna. Aprobada. Leanse los documentos recibidos.

DESPACHO DE ASUNTOS

EL SECRETARIO:


The President
Constitutional Convention

S i r :

Your Committee on Official Language begs leave to submit herewith a draft of the provisions recommended to be inserted in the Constitution, for the consideration of the Constitutional Convention. In making the recommendation, the Committee makes the following report of its deliberations and on the reasons that have impelled it in making said recommendation:


Three main sources of information have been availed of by the Committee in the study of the question of an official language, namely, the various precepts submitted by Members of the Convention, the views and opinions of men who have made a special study of said question expressed at the public hearings conducted by the Committee, and the extensive literature available dealing with the language problem.

The following constitutional precepts submitted by Delegates to the Convention were considered:

	C. P. No. 3	—	Presented by Delegate Perfecto. Sobre el idioma nacional de las Islas Filipinas.
	C.P.No. 29	—	Presented by Delegate Baltao. Referring to the National and Official Language for inclusion in the Constitution.
	C.  P. No. 35	—	Presented by Delegate Santos. Establishing a Filipino  National language, based on the Tagalog dialect as distinguished from  the official language which is English.
	C. P. No. 123	—	Presented  by Delegate Cloribel. Providing for the use of English as the official  language of the Philippine Republic.
	C. P. No. 323	—	Presented by  Delegate Vinzons. Adoption of Tagalog as the National Language of the  Philippine Commonwealth, and the temporary use of English as an  official language.
	C. P. No. 463	—	Presented by Delegate Calleja. Declarando lenguajes oficiales el ingles y el castellano.
	C.  P. No. 521	—	Presented by members of the Committee on Official Language.  Adopting English as the official language and directing the Legislature  to provide for the study of the native languages with the view to  evolving a national language.
	C. P. No. 556	—	Presented by  Delegates Ribo and Zialcita. Adoptar, como lenguaje nacional un  dialecto vernacular seleccionado mediante plebiscito.
	C. P. No. 634	—	Presented by Delegate Cruz (C.). The official languages shall be English and Spanish.
	C.  P. No. 653	—	Presented by Delegates Villamor and Guzman. Que los idiomas  ingles y castellano seran el idioma oficial del Gobierno de la  Mancomunidad Filipina.
	C. P. No. 780	—	Presented by Delegate Maramara. Creating a national academy for the study of a common local language.
	C.  P. No. 742	—	Presented by Delegate Maramara. Recognizing Spanish as an  official language in the courts of the Philippines for six years during  the Com­monwealth.
	C. P. No. 792	—	Presented by Delegates Jose  Artadi and Manuel Fernandez. El lenguaje oficial de la nacion durante  el periodo de transicion y despues de establecida la Republica Filipina  sera el ingles y el espanol.

The following appeared and expressed their opinions before the Committee at the public hearings: Professor Antonio Viterbo, Dr. Antonio Isidro, Dr. Cecilio Lopez, Prof. Gabriel Bernardo, and Dr. Carmelo Reyes, all of the University of the Philippines; Dna. Rosa Sevilla de Alvero of the Institute de Mujeres; Hon. Vicente Sotto, Delegate from Cebu; and Messrs. Lope K. Santos, Abe Gonzales, Sofronio Calderon, Jose Sevilla, Jose Esperanza Cruz, Felix Gonzales, and various others.

The following literatures have received special attention of the Committee: "What should be the National Language of the Filipinos?" by Director Eulogio B. Rodriguez of the National Library and Museum; "The Language Problem of the Filipinos" by Hon. Manuel V. Gallego.


The draft submitted contains a provision not only on an official language but also on a national language. The former is to be used by the Government and its agencies, its documents, papers and proceedings, as well as on dealings between it and the private citizens. The national language is to be used as a means of communication among the people, in their daily life and in their private dealings with one another. The official language is the language of official transactions; the national language, of the home, society, and private intercourse. It is further provided that when a national language will have been determined and adopted by the Legislature, it shall then also be used as an official language.

The Committee and the men who appeared before it fully agree that the time is neither ripe nor expedient nor propitious for the adoption of the national language from among the vernaculars. But all are agreed that such a time may be hastened or accelerated by the establishment of an academy to foster its growth and development. Hence, provision is made for the establishment of an academy of Philippine languages, which shall be entrusted with the determination of the vernacular to be adopted as a national language, and, after such determination, to foster its growth, enrich it from among the other vernaculars, and hasten its dissemination. The Committee believes that the determination of the national language is purely a technical matter, and therefore, to be left to the academy. But since such adoption may have its social and political aspects, provision is made for the approval of such determination by the Legislature.


There is unanimity of opinion in making English at least one of the official languages. The following reasons, among others, have been considered by the Committee:

1. English is now very widely diffused throughout the Islands, especially among the masses.
   
   
2. The present generation, with the exception of a limited portion, has been educated in English, and the coming generations are also being educated in the English language.
   
   
3. The great staff of teachers now developed has been educated in English and uses English as a means of instruction.
   
   
4. English is the prevailing commercial language in the Orient, and the bulk of commercial transactions with Oriental countries or with America is conducted in said language.
   
   
5. Millions have been spent in the education of the masses in English, in the training of teachers, preparation of a system of instruction, books, periodicals, etc., and the nation can ill afford the loss of so much time, money, and energy spent in the study and diffusion of the language.
   
   
6. A great mass of literature, especially by the younger generation of Filipinos, is written in the English language.
   
   
7. The mandatory provision in the Tydings-Mc-Duffie law making English the principal basis of instruction and the introduction of a similar provision in the recommendation of the Committee on Public Instruction.

The development of a national language is the aim of every Filipino statesman and the dream of every Filipino patriot. No factor is so essential to the homogeneity of the race, or to the compactness or unity of the nation, or to the evolution of a culture and civilization entirely our own as a vernacular language is, not only the medium of comprehension between individuals and groups but also as a vehicle of thoughts and ideas —in it are treasured the spirit and the ideals, the culture and the civilization of a race. In the cultivation and preservation of a native language, native customs, thoughts, feelings and ideals are cultivated and preserved. If we are to evolve in this corner of the Orient a nation with its own individuality and civilization, its native language should be preserved and evolved, as a treasure chest or a nurser for such culture and civilization. The adoption, cultivation and evolution of a national language among the vernaculars is, therefore, essential to the establishment and perpetuation of a real Philippine Republic and a real Filipino people.

There was a time when English was expected in time to become the national language of the Filipinos. That time is gone, for, in spite of thirty years of continuous tutelage in the English language, the vernaculars still dominate the home, the village, the country, society, and all the fields of industry. The inexorable law of nature as reflected in the history of Rome and her colonies, Arabia and its dependencies of Mesopotamia, Syria and Egypt, the Mohammedans in India and Malaysia, must take its course here as in other parts of the world. Barely thirty-five years has passed since Spain hauled down its flag in the Philippines, yet, in spite of over three centuries of Spanish domination, the Spanish language is a waning language. Thirty years after America will have hauled down its flag in the Philippines, and the pressure of foreign domination lifted, the vernaculars will leap into a new life of growth and vigor. With the lessons that history has taught us, and with the little experience we have witnessed in our own land, the way should be clear towards the adoption of a vernacular as a national language. In such a step we shall be encouraged, not only by the lessons of history and experience but by the noble ideal of perpetuating the Filipino individuality. But the Committee has been encouraged in the adoption of a vernacular as a national language, not only by the desire to preserve and perpetuate Filipino culture and civilization but by its evident practicability and feasibility and the material hope for its ultimate accomplishment. The following reasons assure us of the practicability of adopting a national language from among the vernaculars.

1. All the vernaculars are outgrowths or branches of the Malay.
   
   
2. The vernaculars have very many terms in common and are almost similar in inflection and variation.
   
   
3. Ease and rapidity with which one tribe learns and uses another vernacular.
   
   
4. Wide diffusion of Tagalog in provinces not speaking it, notwithstanding the absence of encouragement for its use.

Most of those who have appeared before the Committee are confident that with the adoption of one of the vernaculars as a basic dialect, a national language may be evolved. What language shall it be, which shall be adopted as the basic language, the academy shall decide according to the merits of the different vernaculars. But whichever language is adopted, it shall be enriched by importations or engraftments from the other vernaculars. In that way all words or terms in the various vernaculars shall be preserved and combined to form a national tongue rich in variety of thought and expression, and peculiarly suited to the expression of Filipino thought, feeling and emotion. Hereunder are quoted two eminent authorities who have given thought to the adoption of Tagalog as a basic language.

Dr. Blake of John Hopkins University.—"Some persons, struck by the great resemblance which the various Philippine languages bear to one another, have thought it would be possible to fuse these languages into one, and form a sort of national compound language, but such an artificial scheme is certainly impracticable. If the Filipinos are destined even to have a national language in which a national literature can be written, that language will almost surely be Tagalog, the language of the capital city, and of the most progressive race of the archipelago; a language admirably suited by its richness of form and its great flexibility for literary development and needing but the master hand of some great native writer to make it realize its latent possibilities."

Assistant Director Eulogio B. Rodriguez of the Philippine Library and Museum.—"I, too, am of the firm conviction that Tagalog with all its undreamed of possibilities as a national vehicle of expression and thought will be the basic dialect. In fact it was the official language of the Philippine Revolution. Consolidation of all the languages and dialects is artificial and impracticable, and such a language would meet the same fate as Esperanto, which, without the traditional development and progress inherent in a natural language, makes little or no headway. Anything artificial has no stable life, and is subject to the whims and fashions of the day, to be cast aside any time as interest in it fades. It is soulless and therefore fated to collapse."

While some of the members of the Committee and some Delegates are decided on the adoption of Tagalog as the basic language, the Committee has refrained from making a definite and specific recommendation to that effect in view of the technical nature of the question involved in the determination as to which of the vernaculars should be adopted as the basic language. This question seems also to be of a controversial nature. Hence, the Committee is of the opinion that the matter should be left to the academy and to the Legislature to finally determine.


There is a strong movement among many of the Delegates to the Convention that Spanish should also be one of the official languages of the nation. Because of the prevalence of the use of Spanish among the older generation of cultured Filipinos, the Committee cannot but view with sympathy such a proposition. The Committee also recognizes the fact that perhaps the best Filipino thoughts and ideas are written in the Castilian tongue. It is believed, however, that while the study and the cultivation of the Spanish language should be encouraged and fostered, both because of its beauty as a language and because of the richness of Filipino thoughts expressed in said tongue, this should not urge us in having it adopted as one of the official languages. The adoption of an official language, if not as an empty name merely, implies its use in official proceedings and transactions, its adoption as a required course of study in the public schools, and its use in government documents and papers. The adoption of Spanish as an additional official language would, therefore, necessitate that the corps of teachers in the public schools be educated therein to such a degree that they may in turn teach it to their pupils, thus an entirely burdensome affair both for them and for the government. The study of the English language in the public schools is already a heavy burden on the Filipino pupils and the adoption of Spanish in the course required of them would be an entirely unbearable burden.

The Philippine Legislature has seen fit to set down the policy of eventually eliminating the use of Spanish as a language of the courts, but providing in the last amendment to Sec. 12 of Act 190 that the use of Spanish in a court shall continue until the year 1940, (Act No. 4103.) To adopt Spanish now as an official language would be an entire reversal of this policy and would seriously complicate the language problem of the Filipinos.

The Committee has, therefore, deemed it proper to continue the policy set down by the Philippine Legislature of eventually eliminating Spanish as the language of the courts. In order, however, not to lose the service of many of our ablest jurists and legislators who speak the Spanish language, it is suggested that for a certain period of time, at least up to the year 1940, Spanish should also be declared to be an official language of the Legislature and of the courts.


Your Committee, therefore, respectfully recommends for your consideration and the Committee of Sponsorship the attached draft of provisions for insertion in the Constitution,

		Respectfully submitted,
		(Sgd.) ALEJO LABRADOR
		Chairman
		Committee on Official Language .

EL VICEPRESIDENTE: Al Comite de Ponencias.

MR. LEDESMA: Mr. President, may I consume the half-hour privilege?

EL VICEPRESIDENTE: Tiene la palabra el Caballero de Negros Occidental.

DISCURSO DEL DELEGADO LEDESMA

MR. LEDESMA: Mr. President and Gentlemen of the Convention: In asking for the half-hour privilege to address you this evening, I was afraid that I might be abusing your generous attention because hardly three days ago I spoke on agricultural and land policy. Now again I have taken the liberty to speak on a question affecting the agricultural class.

This question may be insignificant, compared to many important matters, that come up daily for the consideration of the Constitutional Convention; to us planters, however, it is of vital importance and momentous significance. Its proper and just solution is necessary for the welfare of people dedicated to the sugar industry and also of the entire country. This speech would be proper if delivered in the session of the House of Representatives because my subject is the present bone of contention in that Body. Furthermore, the principal object of my stand here tonight is to answer a false allusion and criticism directed against me by a certain Representative who spoke yesterday in favor of House Bill No. 600 providing for unfair and discriminatory limitation of sugar. Since I do not belong to that Body, it is impossible for me to answer him directly.

However, knowing that this Assembly, is the representative of the entire people of the Philippine Islands like the House of Representatives, I pray for your kind attention and submit to your consideration this sugar limitation question. Yesterday, a Representative mentioned that during the hearing of the House Committee on Agriculture, a certain gentleman, notwithstanding his big sugar quota for exportation and the big income taxes he pays the government, wants to be favored in the allocation of sugar for domestic consumption; and said also that the sugar barons of Negros are overriding and trampling upon the small planters. I would have let it pass were it not for the malice and the desire of said Representative to paint the Negros people and myself black in order to attain his purpose. I do not care if said Representative, thru clean and correct argumentation, wins for his side all the sugar allotments for domestic consumption. But I am surprised that a gentleman of his position has resorted to false and disreputable statements to attain his purposes.

MR. BOCAR: Mr. President, for a point of order. The half-hour privilege is for discussion of something pertinent to the Constitution. The speech of the Gentleman from Negros shows he is answering an attack against him by a member of the House of Representatives, a subject which he can himself settle with the gentleman who attacked him through the newspapers or somewhere else.

EL VICEPRES1DENTE: La Mesa ruega al orador que diga si su discurso se refiere a la Constitucion, porque, segun el Reglamento, solo puede usarse del privilegio de la media hora para hablar sobre asuntos referentes a la Constitucion.

MR. LEDESMA: Mr. President, I am only in my preliminaries.

MR. BOCAR: Mr. President, he stated that he is making this speech in answer to an attack made against him yesterday in the House of Representatives. That can be taken care of somewhere else, not in this Convention.

MR. LEDESMA: This question on which I shall speak has something to do with the Constitution.

MR. BOCAR: Also?

MR. LEDESMA: Yes, sir.

(Continuing). The Representative said yesterday that certain planters who will have big export quotas and are paying big income taxes, want to be favored in the allocation of sugar for domestic consumption; and that Negros sugar barons are trampling the rights of small planters.

SR. RAFOLS: Para una pregunta al orador, Senor Presidente.

EL VICEPRESIDENTE: El orador puede contestar, si le place.

SR. LEDESMA: Si, senor.

SR. RAFOLS: Puede informarnos su Senoria ØŸque relacion tiene su discurso, que versa sobre otro pronunciado en la Camara Baja, con la Constitucion que estamos redactando ahora?

SR. LEDESMA: Luego hablare sobre la Constitucion. Yo estoy en los preliminares de mi discurso solamente.

SR. VENTURA: Senor Presidente, para una cuestion de orden.

EL VICEPRESIDENTE: ØŸCual es la cuestion de orden?

SR. VENTURA: Entiendo que el Reglamento tacitamente dispone que los Delegados que deseen hablar en uso del privilegio de la media hora podran hacerlo si han de hablar sobre una materia referente a la Constitucion. Ahora bien, el Delegado por Negros Occidental, Senor Ledesma, esta hablando sobre la limitacion del azucar.

EL VTCEPRESIDENTE: La Mesa pregunto al orador si su discurso tenia relacion con la Constitucion, y contesto que si. Vamos a ver mas adelante.

SR. VENTURA: Senor Presidente, entiendo que compete a la Convencion resolver la cuestion de si el orador esta hablando sobre la Constitucion o no.

EL VICEPRESIDENTE: La Mesa esperara a que el orador desarrolle su discurso.

MR. LEDESMA: This representative will trample one's reputation just to attain his object.

Who shall estimate the cost of priceless reputation the impress of which gives this human cross its currency, without which we stand despised, debased and deprecated? Who shall repair its injuries? Who can redeem its loss? Well and truly does the great philosopher of poetry esteem the world's wealth as "trash" in comparison.

Without it gold has no value, birth no distinction, station no dignity, beauty no charm, age no reverence. Without it, every treasure impoverishes, every grace deforms, every dignity degrades and all the arts, the decorations, and accomplishments of life, stand, like the beacon blaze upon a rock, warning the world that its approach is danger—that its contact is death. The wretch without it is under eternal quarantine—no fires to greet, no haven to harbor him. The voyage of his life becomes a joyless peril; and in the midst of all that ambition can achieve, or avarice amass, or rapacity plunder he tosses on the surge—a buoyant pestilence.

Oh! divine, o delightful legacy of a spotless reputation! Rich is the inheritance it leaves; pious the example it testifies; pure, precious and imperishable the hope which it inspires! Can you conceive a more atrocious injury than to filch from its possessor this inestimable benefit—to rob society of its charm, and solitude of its solace; not only to outlaw life, but to attain death, converting the very grave, the refuge of the sufferer, into the gate of infamy and of shame!

I can conceive few crimes beyond it. He who plunders my property takes from me that which can be repaired by time! But what period can repair a ruined reputation? He who pains my person affects that which medicine may remedy; but what herb has sovereignty over the wounds of slander? He who ridicules my poverty, or reproaches my profession, upbraids me with that which industry may retrieve, and integrity may purify; but what riches shall redeem the bankrupt fame? Can there be an injury more deadly? What power shall blanch the sullied snow of character? Can there be a crime more cruel? It is without remedy—it is without antidote—it is without evasion.

SR. KAPUNAN: Senor Presidente, para una cuestion de orden.

EL VICEPRESIDENTE: ØŸCual es la cuestion de orden?

SR. KAPUNAN: Tengo entendido que el Delegado por Negros Occidental esta pronunciando su discurso para contestar a un Miembro de la Camara de Representantes, que ayer pronuncio un discurso en aquel Cuerpo.

SR. LEDESMA: Incidentalmente.

SR. KAPUNAN: Pero en los comienzos de su discurso, Su Senoria dijo que era para contestar al discurso pronunciado por un Representante. Si es asi, si el discurso que esta pronunciando el Caballero de Negros Occidental va a crear un antagonismo entre esta Convencion y la Camara de Representantes, yo desearia pedir, Senor Presidente, que se le declare fuera de orden.

SR. RAFOLS: Senor Presidente.

EL VICEPRESIDENTE: Senor Delegado.

SR. RAFOLS: Entiendo que, de acuerdo con las practicas parlamentarias, no se permite contestar a un discurso pronunciado en otra Camara.

SR. KAPUNAN: Precisamente, es ese mi punto de vista.

SR. CUADERNO: Senor Presidente, la Mesa ha decidido ya.

MR. ABORDO: What is the subject to be broached by the Gentleman from Occidental Negros? As it is, everybody is now questioning the privilege of the Gentleman from Negros Occidental to speak.

EL VICEPRESIDENTE: La Mesa ha decidido ya que se espere a que el orador desarrolle su discurso. Despues, si vemos que gran parte del discurso no tiene relacion con la Constitucion, prodriamos hasta inclusive descartarlo del record.

SR. RAFOLS: Senor Presidente.

EL VICEPRESIDENTE: Senor Delegado.

SR. RAFOLS: De acuerdo con las practicas parlamentarias no se permite contestar en una Camara a un discurso pronunciado en otra, y el Caballero de Negros Occidental ha dicho claramente que su discurso viene a contestar a otro pronunciado en la Camara de Representantes. A menos que estos precedentes parlamentarios sean derogados, al Caballero de Negros Occidental no le esta permitido hablar sobre la materia de que esta tratando.

EL VICEPRESIDENTE: La Mesa ha decidido ya ...

SR. NEPOMUCENO (R.): Senor Presidente, para una cuestion de orden.

EL VICEPRESIDENTE: ØŸCual es la cuestion de orden ?

SR. NEPOMUCENO (R.): Me parece que realmente el Delegado por Negros Occidental no esta hablando sobre una materia constitucional, sino que esta haciendo una defensa de su actitud sobre cierta materia que ha sido impugnada por un Miembro de la Camara de Representantes, y creo que esa defensa no debe hacerse en esta Convencion, porque, como muy bien ha dicho el Delegado por Leyte, Sr. Kapunan, eso podria dar lugar a una enemistad o desavenencia entre esta Convencion y la Camara de Representantes.

EL VICEPRESIDENTE: Realmente parece que el discurso del Delegado por Negros Occidental es para defenderse contra unas acusaciones lanzadas ayer en la Camara de Representantes.

MR. ESCAREAL: Mr. President, I rise to defend the Gentleman from Negros Occidental. He is speaking of the precepts he has presented here.

EL VICEPRESIDENTE: La Mesa desea someter esta cuestion a la Asamblea, porque, realmente, es una cuestion importante. El Delegado por Negros Occidental trata aqui de defenderse contra ciertas alusiones hechas en la Camara de Representantes. Ahora someto la cuestion siguiente: ØŸEsta conforme la Asamblea con que el Delegado por Negros Occidental continue en el uso del privilegio de la media hora? (Various Delegados: Si.) (Varios Delegados: No.) Division, Los que esten conformes con que el Delegado por Negros Occidental continue en el uso del privilegio de la media hora tengan la bondad de levantarse. (Se levantan 59 Delegados.)

SR. NEPOMUCENO (R.): Senor Presidente, retiro la cuestion de orden que he suscitado.

EL VICEPRESIDENTE: Estamos en periodo de votacion. Los que esten en contra, sirvanse levantarse ahora. (Se levantan 16 Delegados.) Por 59 votos afirmativos contra 16 negativos, la Asamblea resuelve que puede continuar el orador.

SR. VILLANUEVA: Senor Presidente, para una cuestion privilegiada.

EL VICEPRESIDENTE: Senor Delegado.

SR. VILLANUEVA: Si las alusiones lanzazas en la Camara de Representantes, referentes a un Miembro de esta Asamblea, han sido descartadas; parece que no ha lugar a contestarlas; pero si las palabras que hacian alusion a un Miembro de esta Asamblea no han sido descartadas, parece que cualquier Miembro de esta Asamblea tiene perfecto derecho a defenderse.

SR. RAFOLS: Senor Presidente, el Delegado por Negros Oriental, Senor Villanueva, esta fuera de orden. La Asamblea ha resuelto ya que el Delegado por Negros Occidental, Senor Ledesma, puede continuar su discurso.

SR. VILLANUEVA: Senor Presidente, es por cortesia a la Camara de Representantes. Si dicha Camara ha ordenado el descarte de esas alusiones, de su record, me parece que no tenemos derecho a defendernos; pero si realmente no han sido descartadas esas alusiones, tenemos perfecto derecho de votar, como hemos votado, a favor de que el Delegado por Negros Occidental continue en el uso de la palabra. Quiero solamente hacer esta observacion.

MR. CINCO: With due respect to the decision of the Convention to permit the Gentleman from Negros Occidental to continue his speech, I request the Chair to advise the Gentleman that permission is given under the condition for his continuance of speech, but not to continue delivering a speech outside of subjects pertaining to the Constitution.

SR. RAFOLS: ØŸCree Su Senoria que el Caballero de Negros Occidental se tomaria la molestia de contestar a un discurso que ha sido descartado? Si se ha molestado es porque cree que aquel discurso o aquellas palabras no han sido descartadas.

EL VICEPRESIDENTE: Esta fuera de orden el Caballero de Cebu. Puede continuar el Caballero de Negros Occidental.

SR. VILLANUEVA: Senor Presidente, para una pregunta al Caballero de Negros Occidental.

EL VICEPRESIDENTE: El Caballero de Negros Occidental puede contestar, si le place.

SR. LEDESMA: Si, senor.

SR. VILLANUEVA: ØŸLe consta a Su Senoria que han sido eliminadas del record de la Camara de Representantes las palabras referentes a Su Senoria?

SR. LEDESMA: No, senor; no tengo voz alli para pedir eso.

SR. VILLANUEVA: En ese caso, hemos votado bien en el sentido de dejar que continue en el uso de la palabra el Caballero de Negros Occidental.

MR. LEDESMA (continuing): This is the reason why I stood up this evening to justify my humble self against the false insinuations and disreputable accusations of a certain Representative who tried to paint me before the people as a powerful man trampling upon the small planters, and preventing their rights for existence. My friends, I am an average man from the masses of Negros. I do not claim to be powerful nor pretend to be one. I can justify myself by words and by my actions in the past. In my speech on agricultural policy. I advocated a policy of small landholdings and the enactment of laws to protect and safeguard the rights of the small and the promotion of small planters as the basis of sound democracy.

You must have noticed the precepts submitted by the Agricultural Development Committee of which I am its Chairman. The provisions are always based on the principle of the creation of small tenants and the protection of small planters against big landlords. Is this the man that the very distinguished member of the House of Representatives called powerful, and one who tramples and hates the small? The gentleman may call me by all degrading adjectives, but my actions prove that my sentiments are with the poor, that my object is to uplift the welfare of the poor and the average people.

Several months ago I was a member of the Governor-General's Consulting Committee on Sugar. I was requested to submit a plan which I consider just for the allocation of sugar for domestic consumption. Contrary to the accusation of the Representative, I submitted an allocation plan under which my own personal interest would be the most affected and I would have the smallest percentage of participation. I completely disregarded personal interest and submitted a plan that would be more beneficial to those greatly affected by the Jones-Costigan allocation. Yet the gentleman had the nerve to accuse me of grabbing all for myself, for no other reason than to deceive the general public in order to attain his objects.

Limitation bills come and go but their undesirable features seem to go on forever. Once again a limitation bill has been presented to the Legislature. Once again an expressed desire to help the sugar industry is being used to camouflage a measure whose purpose is in reality expansion and favoritism for some. Certainly, it is difficult to interpret this bill in any other way. For limitation to be successful, the cooperation of every entity in the sugar industry will be needed. Certainly, if this bill will result in irritation and annoyance, in antagonizing certain centrals by discriminating against them because of the size of their production, antagonizing others by discriminating against them on account of their age, and antagonizing still others by discriminating on the basis of a clause in their private contracts, then such cooperation is going to be destroyed before it gets a chance to develop.

MR. CINCO: Mr. President.

EL VICEPRESIDENTE: Senor Delegado por Leyte.

MR. CINCO: Mr. President, I would like to remind the Gentleman that the premise for continuance of his speech is that he speak on matters pertaining to the Constitution. I request the Gentleman to confine his speech to the provisions that he wants to insert in the Constitution. I do not think we are establishing a pre­cedent.

SR. ABORDO: Senor Presidente.

EL VICEPRESIDENTE: Senor Delegado.

SR. ABORDO: Me parece que el Caballero de Leyte esta fuera de orden, porque la Convencion ya ha dado su decision a favor del Caballero de Negros Occidental. Yo habia hablado en contra del Caballero de Negros Occidental oponiendome a que continuara hablando; pero habiendo la mayoria de la Asamblea votado a favor de que continue en el uso de la palabra, yo sostengo que dicho caballero puede continuar hablando.

EL VICEPRESIDENTE: Puede continuar en el uso de la palabra el Caballero de Negros Occidental.

MR. LEDESMA (continuing): This is a serious emergency. The various factors in the industry have been brought to a realization of the needs for cooperation and intelligent planning. I hope our Legislators will enact a bill which actually will benefit their industry as a whole, instead of advancing private, selfish and special interests.


SR. RAFOLS: Senor Presidente.

EL VICEPRESIDENTE: Senor Delegado.

SR. RAFOLS: Propongo la siguiente enmienda al Reglamento: que la parte del articulo 9 que dice: "sobre cualquier asunto que se refiera a la Constitucion," sea suprimida; de tal manera que uno pueda gozar en el floor del privilegio de la media hora del mismo modo que ha usado el Caballero de Negros Occidental. La Asamblea tiene que ser consecuente con la resolucion dada ahora, porque no seria bueno que despues de que uno sea atacado en la Camara de Representantes o en el Senado, venga aqui a levantarse para defenderse y no se le permita.

SR. SOTTO (F.): Senor Presidente: La proposicion presentada por el Caballero de Cebu envuelve una enmienda del Reglamento y debe ir por proper channels; debe referirse al Comite correspondiente, si no hay consentimiento unanime. Me opongo, pues, a su consideracion inmediata.

SR. ROMERO: Senor Presidente.

EL VICEPRESIDENTE: Senor Delegado.

SR. ROMERO: El Comite de Reglamentos pide orden especial para que se pueda considerar ppr la Asamblea en la sesion del lunes el informe....

SR. RAFOLS: Senor Presidente, no esta resuelta

todavia mi proposicion,

EL VICEPRESIDENTE: Sirvase sentarse el Caballero de Cebu. El Delegado por Negros Oriental puede continuar en el uso de la palabra.


SR. ROMERO: El Comite de Reglamentos pide una orden especial para que se considere en la sesion del lunes proximo el informe del Comite de Ponencias sobre el proyecto de Preambulo de la Constitution.

EL VICEPRESIDENTE: ØŸTiene la Asamblea alguna objecion a la mocion? (Silencio.) La Mesa no oye ninguna. Queda aprobada.

SR. VENTURA: Senor Presidente.

EL VICEPRESIDENTE: Senor Delegado.

SR. VENTURA: Pido el descarte del discurso pronunciado por el Delegado por Negros Occidental, porque esta en contra de nuestro Reglamento. Habiendo decidido la Asamblea que dicho Caballero podia continuar en el uso de la palabre, creo que precede el descarte ahora de su discurso .....

SR. RAFOLS: No procede, porque se le permitio hablar.

SR. VENTURA: Pero eso no quiere decir que su discurso deba continuar en el record, porque esta en contra de nuestro Reglamento.

SR. VILLANUEVA: Los Delegados Ventura y Rafols estan fuera de orden, Senor Presidente.

LEVANTAMIENTO DE LA SESION

SR. ROMERO: Para una cuestion privilegiada, Senor Presidente.

EL VICEPRESIDENTE: Puede proponerla Su Senoria,

SR. ROMERO: Pido que se levante la sesion hasta manana, a las diez.

EL VICEPRESIDENTE: ØŸTiene la Asamblea alguna objecion a la mocion? (Silencio.) La Mesa no oye ninguna. Queda aprobada.

Se levanta la session.

Eran las 5:55 p.m.