Alvarez all for fast-tracking plenary debates on 2018 budget

The plenary hall of the House of Representatives. (Photo from the Philippine Daily Inquirer)

House Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez on Wednesday said had no problem with the shortened plenary debates to tackle the proposed P3.767-trillion national budget for 2018.

In a press briefing, Alvarez said, after exhaustive committee deliberations, fast-tracking the plenary debates on the proposed 2018 budget would allow the House to focus on other matters.

“Bakit ba natin patatagalin? Andami nating ginagawa dito sa House of Representatives. Hindi lang po yan ang ginagawa natin. I don’t see any reason kung bakit kailangan nating patagalin yan, e kung okay na naman,” he said.

The House has scheduled five session days for plenary debates.

The Speaker was reacting to the statement of Albay Rep. Edcel Lagman shorter plenary debates on the budget would defeat the legislature’s power of the purse.

READ: Opposition solons lament short budget plenary debates

But Alvarez said: “Huwag na nating patagalin. Dapat nga pabilisin pa natin para matapos tayo diyan at gagawa naman tayo ng ibang trabaho.”

He said the shortened plenary debate on the budget would only mean less time for grandstanding lawmakers.

“Tama na yung five days para magpasikat diyan sa baba, susmaryosep,” Alvarez said. “Isipin mo antagal tagal na sa committees yan o, dini-deliberate. Lahat ng tanong mo, itanong mo na roon. Pagdating sa plenary, pasikat ka pa rin.” /atm