An administration lawmaker on Friday supported the call of Senate President Vicente Sotto III for transparent discussions on the 2020 national budget.
“We praise Senator Vicente Sotto III and join him in his call to have an open, public and transparent debates and discussions on the 2020 national budget to ensure greater transparency,” Party-list Rep. Michael Defensor of Anakalusugan, said.
On the part of the House of Representatives, Defensor said Speaker Alan Cayetano already initiated this by outlining to the public the institutional amendments that congressmen introduced in the money measure.
“Our only collective request is that we avoid purveying ‘fake news’and rumors during budget discussions,” Defensor said.
Defensor was alluding to the insinuation of Senator Panfilo Lacson that the congressmen irregularly inserted items in proposed P1.4-trillion national government budget.
As the congressmen and senators are scheduled to meet in the bicameral conference to discuss the budget, Defensor said “the discipline and parameters of our debates and statements on the budget are not only for the Senate, but as well as for the House of Representatives.”
“This way, intelligent and relevant discussions can be achieved by both chambers “ he added.
Defensor said the House institutional amendments have taken into consideration the various needs of our farmers, educators, health workers, our Metro Manila development workers while also making a priority the country’s electrification program and this is just the start.
“Speaker Cayetano, House Majority Leader Martin Romualdez and House Appropriations Chairman Isidro Ungab together with the House leadership did a great job for the Executive department in ensuring that this budget passes with no pork, no delay and no parking.
“Before adjourning the session, Speaker Cayetano gave the marching order of ensuring full transparency in the budget deliberations,” Defensor said.
He added: “We hope that the Senate leadership being an institution that we look up to will debate and ensure that its collective membership will keep the time-honored inter-parliamentary courtesy.”