Ako Bicol Party-list Rep. Zaldy Co (Facebook)

The chairmanship of the Committee on Appropriation--one of the most powerful positions in the House of Representatives--was declared vacant during plenary session Monday, Jan. 13.

Losing the plum post was Ako Bicol Party-list Rep. Zaldy Co. Co has been the appropriations panel chief since the start of the 19th Congress in July 2022. 

Presidential son, Senior Deputy Majority Leader Ilocos Norte 1st district Rep. Sandro Marcos made the motion Monday--the first session date of 2025.

"I move to declare vacant the position of chairman of the Committee on Appropriations," Rep. Marcos said.

No less than House Speaker Martin Romualdez affirmed the motion after hearing no objections from members of the chamber. There was no successor announced on the floor.

Co has overseen the House passage of the national budget bills for 2023, 2024, and 2025. The Bicolano is a second-termer in the lower chamber.

It should be noted that the 19th Congress has only 12 session days left, including Monday's session which was ongoing as of this posting. 

In recent weeks, Co has zealously defended the Ayuda para sa Kapos ang Kita Program (AKAP), a program of the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD).

That President Marcos' eldest son moved to declare the appropriations panel chairmanship vacant was not lost on observers in the House.