Romualdez vows 'no backroom haggling' in budget
'The President's message was clear: make the government work better for the people. As Speaker, I am committed to making sure the budget reflects that – every centavo must go where it's needed most,' Romualdez said.
"The House leadership is prepared to act decisively on long-needed structural changes to the national budget process, and that these reforms must prioritize accountability, eliminate inefficiencies and ensure that spending directly addresses the needs of Filipino families," he added.
Romualdez then reiterated his call for opening the bicameral conference committee discussions, wherein the Senate and House versions of the national budget are reconciled, to the public to prevent money business.
'No backroom haggling. The people have every right to know how their money is being spent. If we want trust, we have to earn it, starting with an open bicam,' he stressed.
'We need to put food on the table, ensure no family is crushed by hospital bills, and create jobs that restore dignity and hope. The House will do its job with focus and compassion. Because at the end of the day, that budget isn't about institutions. It's about lives,' Speaker Romualdez added.
In his fourth State of the Nation Address, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. warned government personnel who steal public funds, such as those for flood control projects, that they will be dealt with under the law.
''Sa mga nakikipagsabwatan upang kunin ang pondo ng bayan at nakawin ang kinabukasan ng ating mga mamamayan, mahiya naman kayo sa inyong kapwa Pilipino,'' Marcos said.
''Mahiya naman kayo sa mga kabahayan nating naanod o nalubog sa pagbaha. Mahiya naman kayo lalo na sa mga anak natin na magmamana ng utang nung ibinulsa niyo ang pera,'' he added. —LDF, GMA Integrated News
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