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MANILA, Philippines – The President of the Republic, Lord Allan Velasco, denied on Friday the alleged participation “behind the scenes” of former Representative Rolando Andaya in the deliberations of the national budget project for 2021.
Velasco made the denial in response to claims by former Vice President Luis Raymund Villafuerte that Andaya has been attending deliberations on the proposed 2021 budget and has even been “dictating” on the House appropriations chairman, Rep. Eric Yap. .
“I have not seen Congressman Andaya actively participating behind the scenes,” Velasco told reporters after the approval of the proposed 2021 budget in the House.
“Honorable LRay, I can still understand why you don’t want to stop from the beginning of the fight, talak na talak, until now e talak pa talak,” he added.
Velasco said he is just trying not to listen to the accusations anymore, adding that the House is united now after the speaker dispute that led to the removal of former President Alan Peter Cayetano, an ally of Villafuerte.
Andaya has also denied Villafuerte’s claims.
Please stop dragging me with your misfortune or bad karma. I have nothing to do with the way Congress is budgeting. I’m busy finishing my Christmas list, ”Andaya said.
“Because of the unpleasant comments of your colleagues, it was actually you who brought down President Cayetano. I am confident that Congress will pass the budget as requested by the President. As for its final form, you decide. I’m just a spectator, ”he added.
Meanwhile, Velasco also assured that there will be no illegal insertions in the budget project.
“We make sure this is a constitutional budget based on the Supreme Court decision. We are all lawyers here; actually, I’m a lawyer and we are making sure there is no pork in that budget, ”Velasco said.
After weeks of briefings and days of marathon sessions, the House approved Friday night the third and final reading of the proposed $ 4.5 trillion national budget for 2021.
Budget Secretary Wendel Avisado previously said that the proposed national budget for 2021 is P4.506 trillion, which is 9.9 percent higher than the 2020 budget and is 21.8 percent of domestic product. gross (GDP).
Avisado said the proposed budget for 2021 focuses on improving the country’s health systems, ensuring food security, creating more jobs by investing in labor-intensive projects, enabling a government and a digital economy and helping communities cope with the COVID-19 pandemic.
JE
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