IKINATUWA ng oposisyon ang ipinatawag ni Pangulong Rodrigo Duterte na special session sa susunod na linggo para maipasa ang 2021 national budget subalit magbabantay umano ang mga ito nang husto upang hindi makalusot ang pork barrel.

“We are prepared to buckle down to work again and carefully scrutinize the 2021 budget so that the needed funds to generate jobs, healthcare, agriculture and social aid are prioritized in this time of severe crisis aggravated by the corona virus pandemic,” reaksyon ni House deputy minority leader Carlos Zarate.

Bukod sa special session ay sinertipikahan ni Duterte bilang urgent bill ang House Bill (HB) 7727 o General Appropriation Bill (GAB) kaya magbabantay umano ang grupo ni Zarate upang masiguro na mai-realign ang mga itinuturing nilang pork barrel tulad ng P16 billion na pondo ng National Task Force-End Local Communist Armed Confict (NFT-ELCAC) sa sektor ng kalusugan at edukasyon.

“The special session called by President Rodrigo Duterte, together with his certification of the General Appropriations Bill as urgent, serves to emphasize the importance of passing the budget on time in order for the government to promptly carry out the programs and projects necessary to address the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on our economy and to provide aid for our people in these challenging times,” ayon naman kay House minority leader Bienvenido Abante.

Sa katunayan, plano ng minorya na magsagawa ng kanilang online session para busisiin ang mga budget ng malalaking ahensya ng gobyerno na hindi na natalakay matapos suspendehin ang sesyon noong Oktubre 6.

Maging si Marinduque Rep. Lord Allan Velasco ay natuwa sa naging aksyon ni Duterte upang masiguro na hindi made-delay ang pambansang pondo na mahalaga sa paglaban sa COVID-19 at para sa pagbangon ng bansa sa pandemya.

“This is what majority of us in the House of Representatives have been telling Speaker Cayetano and his small group of loyalists since the unceremonious termination of the budget plenary debates and the highly questionable and unconstitutional suspension of session,” ayon pa sa mambabatas.

Nagpasalamat naman si House Speaker Alan Peter Cayetano kay Duterte na namagitan para matiyak na hindi masasabotahe ang pagpapatibay sa pambansang pondo.

“We trust his wisdom on how to address issues concerning the budget, and thank him for his continued confidence by allowing Congress to pass the General Appropriations Bill (GAB) free from the specter of politicking and intrigues that we had originally sought to avoid,” ani Cayetano. (BERNARD TAGUINOD)