HOUSE Majority Leader Martin Romualdez said the House of Representatives under the leadership of Speaker Lord Allan Velasco is making necessary adjustments and sacrifices in the 2021 national budget to ensure sufficient funding for coronavirus disease-19 (COVID-19) vaccination and social amelioration programs.
“Now we are actually one with the President in achieving and providing the proper, appropriate and timely legislation to make the COVID pandemic and the portion of that obviously the national budget,” Romualdez said in media forum Ugnayan sa Batasan.
Romualdez stressed that Congress made all the requisite adjustments, congressmen have made all the sacrifices to prioritize the vital needs of the nation, in terms of medical concerns like vaccines and social amelioration program.
“We are one with the President and one with you and the nation to defeat this COVID pandemic and help us recover economically,” Romualdez, both President of the Lakas-Christian Muslim Democrats (CMD), added.
Despite the pandemic, the lawmaker also assured that the efficient leadership of Velasco has been working hard to pass vital legislation to help the country recover from the blows of the COVID-19.
“The Speaker is very focused on this and he is providing the efficiencies and better performance of this Congress,” Romualdez said.
The House leader expressed confidence that with the able and steady hands of the Speaker and the unified leadership, every goal will be achieved and that the economy will fully recover.
Meanwhile, Romualdez, has expressed gratitude to the House media who have been risking their safety to cover sessions and events in the chamber and inform the Filipino people despite the pandemic.
“To our very, very important partners, the media, you are the ones who bring forward the issues, sensitize us to what is the daily in terms of the needs of our countrymen, brothers and sisters, we most appreciate these efforts of yours,” Romualdez said.
“Your job is sometimes, well, they say unrewarding, but I say, I assure you that you are very, very much remembered, you are always in our hearts and minds, and I hope that the Speaker feels that more than also now that he is leading the House of Representatives,” he added.
On Monday, the House unanimously approved on third and final reading a measure extending the availability of funds under Bayanihan 2.
