The House of Representatives passed on second reading the proposed ₱4.5 trillion budget for 2021 after Speaker Alan Peter Cayetano moved to terminate plenary debates.
Cayetano gave a speech in the middle of deliberations on the budget for Department of Environment and Natural Resources. He discussed Speakership issues and spotlighted the importance of producing a “relevant and responsive” budget that Filipinos could be proud of for 2021.
After a promise of a transparent budget for the country, he then moved to terminate the plenary debates for the proposed 2021 budget.
Buhay Party-list Rep. Lito Atienza said in a statement that Cayetano’s move shows how the current speaker is “desperately hanging on.”
Atienza said many of them, who were present via Zoom on Tuesday’s plenary deliberations, were objecting, but were again muted.
“He didn’t care about Constitutional integrity, throwing everything into the air and making Congress go on a long vacation,” he said.
Cayetano also moved for the creation of a small committee that will consolidate not only individual, but also committee amendments on or before Nov. 5. The output of the committee will still be brought for third reading, which should be held when the session resumes until Nov. 16.
Senate President Tito Sotto lamented the Speaker’s action, saying that the Senate will not be able finish processing the budget if it will not be transmitted to them before Oct. 14.
“The HOR has just disregarded the request priority of the President (Rodrigo Duterte) to pass the budget… Do not blame us,” he said.
