Davao Del Norte 2nd District Rep. Antonio Floirendo Jr., the second of six children of the late ‘banana king’ Antonio Floirendo Sr., said he is among the members of the House of Representatives who received a zero budget.
Floirendo, a former member of the ruling PDP-Laban political party who had a falling out with Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez, said the zero budget “reflects the shady intention of the House leadership and speaks clearly of how he has looked down on the people of Davao del Norte, treating them as sacrificial lambs in his ultimate goal to bring me down.”
Alvarez was quoted as saying that some congressmen lost infrastructure funding for being non-allied members.
“It’s a question of leadership. I have to take care of my members,” Alvarez was quoted as saying.
Floirendo, however, said such action was a “great disservice to the electorate.”
“Though this is a big setback in my pledge to bring home more projects, Alvarez’s action will not hinder me from delivering what I had promised,” Floirendo said.
“Surely, there are other sources of funds for well-meant projects and I am sure there are people in government who firmly believe that bringing public services to the people cannot be taken hostage by callous politicians,” Floirendo said in a statement.
Floirendo, whose family owns the Anflo Group of Companies that include Tagum Agricultural Development Company Inc. and Pearl Farm Beach Resort, earlier said he continued to support President Rodrigo Duterte despite the decision by the national hierarchy of PDP-Laban to expel him from the administration’s political party.