House Speaker Martin Romualdez on Wednesday, Sept. 14, expressed support for Vice President Sara Duterte, pledging that the lawmakers will find ways to fund the projects and programs of the Office of the Vice President (OVP) and the Department of Education (DepEd), which she chairs.
Duterte personally went to the House of Representatives to attend the budget deliberations for the OVP and DepEd by the House panel on appropriations.
The Vice President also paid a courtesy call to Romualdez ahead of the budget hearings.
“You have exhibited once more your exemplary brand of leadership by showing up at the House Committee of Appropriations hearing to defend the budget of the Office of the Vice President and the Department of Education,” the House Speaker said in a statement.
The House hearing, which was attended by Romualdez, was terminated in less than 10 minutes following the swift approval of the OVP’s requested P2.3-billion budget, the highest ever the office has requested.
Like with the budget deliberations on the Office of the President (OP), the hearing was dismissed without questions out of “courtesy” to the Vice President.
Romualdez, the cousin of President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr., promised Duterte that the Congress will find ways to support her programs.
“Umasa kayo na katulong ninyo kaming mga mambabatas sa 19th Congress sa paghahanap ng sapat na pondo para sa mga programa at proyekto ng OVP at DepEd Philippines na magpapataas ng kalidad ng pamumuhay ng mga kababayan nating Pilipino (You can expect that the lawmakers of the 19th Congress are with you in looking for enough funds for the programs and projects of the OVP and DepEd Philippines that will improve the quality of lives of our fellow Filipinos),” he said.
Romualdez, president of the Lakas-Christian Muslim Democrats (CMD) party, thanked the Vice President for visiting him in the office. Duterte is the chairperson of their party.
“Malaking karangalan na makasama sa paglalakbay mo sa larangan ng serbisyo publiko (It is a huge honor to be with you in this journey of public service),” he said.