Cayetano to House members: ‘Set aside politics,’ pass 2021 budget in special session

MANILA, Philippines — Amid the speakership row at the House of Representatives, House Speaker Alan Peter Cayetano on Saturday called on House members to “set aside politics” and allow the 2021 proposed national budget be passed during the special session of Congress.

https://www.facebook.com/alanpetercayetano/videos/477422693182943

In a Facebook live video, Cayetano also assured that the four-day special session will be “fruitful.”

“Asahan niyo sa special session will be very fruitful. Ako nakikiusap po na isantabi muna natin ang pulitika, magtulong-tulong muna tayo sa budget,” Cayetano said.

(You can expect the special session will be very fruitful, let us work together for the budget.)

“At least yung grupo namin no (At least our group), I can assure you mga kababayan (my fellowmen) that we will be focusing on the budget,” he added.

Cayetano, in his live video, also showed that he was having a caucus with some members of the majority in the House.

On Friday, Malacañang announced that President Rodrigo Duterte has called on for a special session on Congress to avoid delays in the passing of the proposed budget.

The special session is set on Oct. 13 to 16.

San Jose del Monte, Bulacan Rep. Florida “Rida” P. Robes urged her colleagues in the House of Representatives to set aside indifferences and prioritize the welfare of the people when session resumes this week.

“As we resume sessions in the House of Representatives this week, I would like to remind our colleagues to put the welfare of the people at the forefront in the deliberations on the 2021 budget,” Robes said.

“In carrying out the legislative processes, may we be guided by righteousness, respect and dignity as we remain with our commitment to help President Rodrigo Duterte to bring the much needed assistance to the Filipino people in these difficult times,” the Bulacan lawmaker added.

A day before this, Duterte threatened that he will take matters into his own hands and resolve the ruckus at the House of Representatives as the speakership tussle between Cayetano and Marinduque Rep. Lord Allan Velasco is threatening the timely passage of the national budget.

On Oct. 6, Cayetano and his allies suddenly moved to terminate sessions at the House until Nov. 16 after approving on second reading the proposed spending measure for 2021.

With the lower chamber suspending its session until Nov. 16 and the budget bill approved only on second reading, the proposed 2021 spending legislation will not reach the Senate before it goes on break on Oct. 17.

Cayetano, in his Facebook live video, assured the President that the national budget bill will be passed: “Ang aking pong objective at akin pong pinaalam sa Pangulo ay magkaroon ng magandang budget at tapusin itong budget na ito.”

(My objective, and I told this to the President, is to have a good budget and to finally pass this.)

/MUF