Speaker Lord Allan Velasco. (Photo from the Office of the Speaker of the House of Representatives)
MANILA, Philippines — House Speaker Lord Allan Velasco hopes for “clean, peaceful and orderly” polls next year, deploring any act of election-related violence as the country awaits the beginning of 2022.
“The culture of violence that has characterized the country’s electoral process must come to an end. Everyone must be reminded that violence is not a legitimate or desirable means of engagement in the political sphere,” Velasco said in his New Year message on Friday.
“It is the contest over issues and the exercise of one’s civic duty and expression of choice through the ballot that matter,” he added.
Meanwhile, the House leader called on the public to remain vigilant amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
“We have come a long way since last year when we felt seemingly hopeless against the wave of COVID-19 infections. With more and more people getting vaccinated, the number of cases has now dropped to a manageable level, allowing our economy to open up and enabling us to enjoy relaxed social and economic restrictions,” he said.
“Let us all stay vigilant and build upon this momentum so that 2022 can bring about changes that will lead us further towards recovery, resilience, and prosperity,” he added.
Velasco also offered “heartfelt prayers” to those who suffered due to the pandemic as well as the onslaught by Typhoon Odette, assuring that House members are “doing their part” in helping those affected.
“We in Congress continue to do our mandate to craft meaningful laws that will uplift the life of every Filipino. As House Speaker, I am grateful for our Members as we have enacted more than 130 laws this year, including the National COVID-19 Vaccination Program Act and the 2022 General Appropriations Act recently signed into law by President Rodrigo Roa Duterte,” he added.