MANILA, Philippines – It is rare for members of the Makabayan bloc to abstain from voting and, although they are a minority, regularly make an effort for their votes.
“It is our duty to prioritize the interest and desire of the population for an effective and favorable reaction to the pandemic to ensure that they return to school, workplaces and livelihoods,” said Kabataan Elago’s representative.
The Republic of France Castro on the Concerned Teachers Alliance (ACT) party list had the same explanation as to why abstain.
“We abstained against the 2021 publication and red meat fights in house leadership, especially in the midst of the pandemic,” Castro said. “Solving the fitness crisis and fighting the economic crisis faced by Filipinos, other people deserve to be the camera’s most sensible priority, not strength and politics. “
Cayetano gave a long speech at the House session, revealing the main points of the assembly he had tuesday night with Marinduque’s representative, Lord Allan Velasco, his presidential rival, and other lawmakers before President Rodrigo Duterte.
The two parliamentary leaders sat in front of Duterte to discuss the mandate-sharing agreement they reached in the 2019 presidential election.
Under the agreement, Cayetano would serve as president for the first 15 months and Velasco would take on the task for the remaining 21 months.
In his speech, however, Cayetano preferred to extend his mandate to oversee discussions on the draft national budget 2021, which Duterte would have accepted.
Elago and Castro pressured that by refraining from voting on the factor their way of insisting on the presence of the legislative branch, since the selection of Cayetano and Velasco seemed to have the blessing of the president.
“As members of the minority, we will have to protect our independence. The president’s blessing deserves not who will sit in charge of the declining space of Congress. It doesn’t deserve to be a buffer of executive power,” Castro said.
[The prayer of the Filipino original: “Hindi rin dapat nanggaling to basbas ng presidente ang a umuupong pinuno with mababang kapulungan ng Kongreso. “]
“Today more than ever, we will have to protect the independence of the minority and hold force accountable. This is an issue that deserves to be through the members of the House, not through Malacañang,” Elago added.
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