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Velasco: Lower House ends 2021 session on 'positive and hopeful note'
Velasco: Lower House ends 2021 session on 'positive and hopeful note'
Restrictions and strict health and security protocols imposed by government against the threat of the 2019 coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic did not stop the House of Representatives from pushing for the passage of vital legislative measures that would help ensure recovery from the COVID-19 crisis.
Speaker Lord Allan Velasco said the chamber ended its 2021 legislative session on a “positive and hopeful note” on Wednesday, Dec. 15 with the ratification of the P5.024-trillion national budget for 2022.
Delivering his year-end message to his Lower House colleagues, Velasco said the budget ratification capped the chamber’s months-long effort to craft policies needed to shepherd the country towards recovery from the COVID-19 crisis.
“This budget offers hope, opportunity and economic security for our kababayans as we tread on the path to recovery in 2022,” Velasco said.
According to him the proposed spending plan for an election year provided Congress the “single greatest opportunity” to shape the country’s priorities for next year as COVID-19 drags on.
In his speech, Velasco thanked all his colleagues in the bigger chamber for their hard work and dedication in ensuring the passage of vital pieces of legislation that would help the country navigate through and emerge stronger from the pandemic.
“All of us played important roles in this monumental responsibility,” Velasco stressed. “And because of the commitment and dedication of every person here today, we are bringing this dark and difficult chapter in our history to a hopeful close.”
He added: “In this time of crisis, I am truly humbled to stand by your side and fight for the Filipino people. Every day is an opportunity to champion our constituents.”
As of last Tuesday, the House approved 133 Republic Acts and expected more measures will be signed into law by President Rodrigo Roa Duterte before the year ends, including the proposed 2022 General Appropriations Act.
The chamber also approved 930 measures on third reading, and adopted 266 resolutions.
“We are more capable than we realized. We have seen that there is more that unites us than divides us. We have seen that our legislative work is vital to our pandemic response.”