It is boring how the Philippines’ House of Representatives play the numbers game

smileredunhappyThe past week, the Philippine’s House of Representatives, tackled the budget of select government agencies before our eyes.

They spent hours on the deliberation, thanks to Youtube coverage, but no thanks to all those display of annoying pomp and grace from the honorable ladies complete with faked cheeky kissings and hugs and pats and whatever.

In that session, Sagip Partylist representative Rodante Marcoleta moved to give the embattled Human Rights Commission a measly budget of P1,000. Marcoleta was actually, and only, echoing the known wishes of President Rodrigo Duterte who has ax to grind on the commission chairman Chito Gascon.

But of course, the house speaker, a partymate of the president pushed the members to support Duterte’s wish. Of the total number of 236 members present, 119 voted for the proposal while some 85 others abstained. Only thirty two congressmen voted to approve the original budget asked by the commission led by Buhay Partylist member Lito Atienza, Albay 1st district representative Lagman and the budget sponsor Raul del Mar of the first district of Cebu.

The house action gathered so much criticism and enough noise on the social media on the speaker and some members who voted to diminish the HRC budget.

Even Leyte 4rth district congresswoman Lucy Torres, who represents the city of Ormoc and a few other towns of Leyte province, was not spared the flak. Her husband, actor Richard Gomez, now mayor of Ormoc city came to her rescue, justifying her vote was a way of protecting the interest of her constituency. Definitely, it was a lame reason. Everybody knows.

Lipa City representative Vilma Santos-Recto wanted to gain some media mileage after the votes by saying she opposed the actions of her colleagues. But checking on the names of those who voted “NO” her name was nowhere to be found. Either she was with the 119 or with the 85 who abstained. You know what we said of the 85 on a previous post. Even his son came to her rescue and clarified her stand. Already, crap of nonsense. a review of the attendance video, confirmed Santos-Recto was not even present during the deliberations. How can she oppose a measure when you was not even present?

It is common knowledge that members under the political party of PDP-Laban, the party of the speaker and the president, including those opportunist-turncoats that affiliated with the party or joined in the coalition umbrella know the ramification of not casting their support.

Having attained his wish, the president on several occasion of his roadshow, continued to mince words against the HRC chairman. During his press conference at Matina, DavaoCity. And another at the National convention of public attorneys at the tent city, Bonifacio Global city in Taguig.

After all the cussing and colorful words from the president, which all the more gave drive to the Speaker Pantaleon Albarez asking Gascon to resign from his post, something expected happened.

The House appropriations panel said it has received the “green light” to restore the budget of the Commission on Human Rights, Energy Regulatory Commission and the National Commission on Indigenous People.

Duterte must have given the go signal to approve the budget of the CHR, including two other agencies- the Energy Regulatory Commission and the National Commission on Indigenous People.

All three by the way, suffered the same ridiculous appropriation of P1,000.

The house appropriations panel while confirming about that green light for the restoration of the budget of the three agencies, did not specify from whom the green light came.

So all those showmanship by Marcoleta were just, for the show and nothing more. It was like threatening a child to behave or else no chocolate is coming.

And the minions of PDP-Laban obligingly folded their arms on their chest, bowed and howled the howl of an obedient dog.

This action only shows how members of the house of representatives, and elected officials generally, spent people’s money in non-productive processes.

So the drama, so much ado for nothing.

Watch the video version on NOAH- News One And Half Youtube channel on this link: React: Philippine’s House of Representatives Play Rubber stamp of the President

Or, watch it here, below:


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