Latest news with #MartinRomualdez
GMA Network
13 hours ago
- Business
- GMA Network
Speaker says budget debates will be open to watchdogs, vows ghost projects probe
The presence of watchdogs and other civil society observers will be allowed at the proposed national budget deliberations, from the committee and plenary level to the bicameral conference committee, Speaker Martin Romualdez said on Tuesday. Romualdez made the call after President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos, Jr. said in his fourth State of the Nation Address (SONA) that he will veto any proposed budget bill by Congress that will not be in harmony with his administration's programs and priorities. 'Now, we turn to the cornerstone of governance: the national budget. The House of the People in the 20th Congress will not merely pass a budget. It will reshape how government spends, saves, and serves. We will open the bicameral conference to civil society observers—a historic first,' Romualdez said in a speech. 'Because transparency is not just a value; it is a weapon against corruption. We will allow the participation of watchdogs in all budget deliberations—from committee to plenary. Aside from opening the process to the watchdogs, the public can keep abreast of the budget process by watching it on television and other social media platforms,' he added. In addition, Romualdez vowed to strengthen the House's authority to investigate by conducting mid-year performance reviews of agencies and review of infrastructure projects. 'We heard the President's SONA. We take to heart his call—his frustration, even—about the lingering shadow of corruption in our institutions. As Speaker, I share his concern. And I accept his challenge — not with defensiveness, but with determination,' he said. 'That is why the House of Representatives will launch a comprehensive congressional review of infrastructure projects and fund implementation.' Those lined up for congressional investigation include: • ghost projects, • bloated contracts, • chronic underspending, and • abuse of discretion in fund realignment and procurement. In preventing these, the Speaker said the House will push for the passage of legislation that requires real-time public reporting of project progress and fund use, mandatory performance standards for contractors and agencies, and a national infrastructure audit framework. 'We are not here to cover up. We are here to clean up,' Romualdez added. — BM, GMA Integrated News
GMA Network
a day ago
- Business
- GMA Network
Romualdez vows 'no backroom haggling' in budget
Speaker Martin Romualdez vowed to heed President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr.'s call for a budget overhaul to ensure that flood control projects will be corruption-free. '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
Filipino Times
2 days ago
- Politics
- Filipino Times
Rep. Martin Romualdez reelected as House Speaker in 20th Congress
Leyte Representative Martin Romualdez was officially reelected as Speaker of the House of Representatives on Monday during the opening of the First Regular Session of the 20th Congress. Romualdez secured his second consecutive term as Speaker with an overwhelming 269 votes. His nomination was backed by several major political blocs, including: •Party-list Coalition, represented by TUCP Rep. Raymond Democrito Mendoza •Lakas-CMD, represented by Quezon Rep. Jayjay Suarez •Nationalist People's Coalition, represented by Quezon Rep. Mark Enverga •Nacionalista Party, represented by Misamis Oriental Rep. Yevgeny Emano •National Unity Party, represented by Antipolo Rep. Ronaldo Puno •Partido Federal ng Pilipinas, represented by Ilocos Norte Rep. Ferdinand Alexander Marcos In his nominating speech, Rep. Suarez praised Romualdez's performance during the 19th Congress, describing him as a results-oriented leader who embodies 'dignified, decisive, and compassionate leadership.' He emphasized that Romualdez worked not for the spotlight but for meaningful outcomes, leading one of the most productive legislative terms in recent years and pushing key measures aligned with the administration's Bagong Pilipinas agenda. Romualdez ran unopposed, and no other lawmaker was nominated for the speakership. Ahead of the vote, 291 House members signed a manifesto of support for Romualdez's reelection, including Pampanga Rep. and former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo and 4Ps Party-list Rep. Marcelino Libanan, who served as the House Minority Leader in the previous Congress. Lawmakers who did not vote for Romualdez are expected to elect their minority leader in a separate proceeding.
Filipino Times
5 days ago
- Politics
- Filipino Times
Lawmakers urge simplicity in SONA amid flood crisis
As severe flooding continues to affect thousands of Filipinos, lawmakers are urging for a simpler and more modest conduct of this year's State of the Nation Address (SONA). House Speaker Martin Romualdez has called for a no-frills SONA on July 28, urging organizers to forego the usual red carpet fanfare out of respect for Filipinos affected by recent storms and monsoon rains. 'Many of our fellow Filipinos are struggling to get back on their feet. It would be out of touch to maintain a show of pageantry while our people are still in recovery,' Romualdez said. He added that while formal protocols will remain, ceremonial aspects such as fashion coverage and extravagant staging should be set aside. 'I have requested the Office of the Secretary General, if possible, to retain formal protocols but forego red carpet fanfare, fashion coverage, and ceremonial staging. We will still observe decorum and tradition, but without the spectacle. The red carpet will be used for its functional purpose—not as a platform for display,' he explained. Romualdez noted that lawmakers may still entertain media interviews as they enter the venue, in keeping with tradition. The First Regular Session of the 20th Congress is set to open earlier in the day, before the President delivers his address at 4 p.m. on Sunday. In the Senate, Sentor Juan Miguel 'Migz' Zubiri said the usual pomp must be toned down, or even dropped completely, as many Filipinos remain affected by floods across the country. ''Wag tayong maging kapal mukha o manhid sa pangyayari sa ating mga kababayan. Tigilan na muna ang red carpet fashionista walk na may dyamante pa. Ang dapat natin intindihin ay 'yung mga naglalakad sa baha at exposed sa leptospirosis,' Zubiri said. Senator Loren Legarda echoed the sentiment, urging the government to focus on real issues and reflect the current situation in the country. 'Our people are suffering from the floods. We must use the occasion to address problems and be part of the solution. We should not be out of touch with the real state of the nation,' Legarda said.
GMA Network
7 days ago
- Politics
- GMA Network
Romualdez: Free college law should include stipend, address dropouts
The Universal Access to Quality Tertiary Education Act should be expanded to reduce, if not eradicate college dropouts, Leyte Representative Martin Romualdez on Wednesday. In a statement, Romualdez said that according to the latest report of Second Congressional Commission on Education, nearly four in 10 students still drop out despite the passage of the Free College Law. 'Free tuition was a landmark achievement, but the work is far from over. Nearly four out of 10 students in state universities and colleges are still dropping out. In some regions, the situation is even more alarming,' he said. 'These are not just statistics. They are shattered dreams and interrupted futures, often because students cannot afford transportation, food, rent, books or internet. We need to protect and build on the gains of the Free Higher Education Law by ensuring students have the means to actually finish school,' Romualdez added. He said the government must consider strategic interventions such as monthly stipends, transport subsidies, food allowances and digital access programs. 'These [additional support] are gaps we must urgently fill if we truly want free higher education to be a ladder out of poverty,' Romualdez said. Based on a Pulse Asia survey conducted in January 2024 and commissioned by Senate Committee on Basic Education chairperson Sherwin Gatchalian, 8 percent of Filipinos support free tuition in state-run colleges and universities. Romualdez then said the expansion of the Free College law should start with the review of the measure as provided under House Resolution 61 filed by Bicol Saro party-list Representative Terry Ridon. 'We owe it to our students to fund this law properly. We owe it to every Filipino family to give their children a real chance at a better future, and we owe it to the nation to make education a powerful equalizer, not an unfinished promise,' Romualdez said. — BM, GMA Integrated News
