House committee to back Marcos’ development agenda

Ako Bicol party-list Rep. Elizaldy Co —photo from the Office of Elizaldy Co Media Affairs

MANILA, Philippines — The House of Representatives will support President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s development plan through a strategic allocation of next year’s budget, Ako Bicol party-list Rep. Elizaldy Co said on Tuesday.

Co, who heads the House committee on appropriations, said in a statement that he will support the President’s plans by ensuring that key projects would have sufficient allocation.

“President Marcos again demonstrated his unwavering dedication to uplift the lives of every Filipino. His comprehensive plans and initiatives are testaments of his vision for a brighter future for our nation,” Co said.

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“As chairperson of the House committee on appropriations, I will ensure that necessary funds for his priority projects are properly allocated,” he added.

Co said the House plays a very important role in crafting the budget, as proper management of resources would ensure the continuity of programs.

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“An integral part of the success of the President’s vision lies in our ability to judiciously allocate funds where they are most needed. The President has set clear priorities that will drive our nation forward, and it is my duty to ensure these priorities are met with the appropriate financial support to turn them into reality,” he added.

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Marcos mentioned several gains of his administration during his State of the Nation Address on Monday, like the effect of infrastructure programs particularly the construction of roads and bridges, the implementation of disaster risk management initiatives and climate change response, and health programs that seek to prevent malnutrition and protect mothers and their infant children.

However, the President also admitted—at the start of his speech—that these good statistics do not mean anything if Filipinos struggle to buy basic goods and commodities like rice, which still sits at around P45 to P65 per kilogram.

Co said agricultural development and modern farming methods will address Marcos’ concerns about the price of goods—noting that House Speaker Ferdinand Martin Romualdez has instructed them to allocate funds for irrigation and fertigation, contract farming, seeds distribution and farm mechanization.

“We also support initiatives like handing out Certificate of Land Ownership Award (CLOA), the Presidential Assistance to Farmers, Fisherfolk and Families (PAFFF), and infrastructure projects that include solar irrigation, farm-to-market roads, and other programs to give farmers a better life,” he said.

“Per the instruction of President Marcos, we will continue constructing new Legacy Specialty Hospitals in various regions. We’re also upgrading existing medical facilities to safeguard the health of the people, which is why we need to ensure funds are properly allocated,” he said.

Co also noted that infrastructure development will be supported, along with education.

“Quality education is the foundation of our country’s future. We will make the necessary allocations to improve schools and educational facilities, give more scholarships, develop our teachers to better educate our youth,” he said.

“President Marcos can count on the support of the House of Representatives to deliver the best public service to our citizens,” he added.