Velasco urges Senate to pass waste-to-energy bill

 

Speaker Lord Allan Velasco is urging the Senate to pass the bill allowing the use of waste-to-energy (WTE) technologies to help solve the country’s perennial garbage problem.

Velasco said it was high time for the government to consider the adoption of WTE technologies in the treatment and disposal of solid waste as many of the landfills in the country will soon be filled up.

“The huge amount of waste that we produce threatens to overwhelm our landfills and create worse garbage disposal problems,” Velasco pointed out. “Before this happens, we must now look for cleaner and more sustainable method to treat and dispose of solid waste, such as WTE.”

Last November 24, the House of Representatives approved on third and final reading House Bill (HB) 7829 or the proposed “Waste Treatment Technology Act” with close to 200 lawmakers, including Velasco, signing on as principal authors. The Senate version, which was authored and sponsored by Senator Sherwin Gatchalian, is pending on second reading.

The bill aims to allow the use of any WTE technology, including incineration, as long as it does not produce poisonous or toxic fumes.

It seeks to amend Republic Act 8749 or the Clean Air Act of 1999 by repealing Section 20 thereof to allow the use of incineration for WTE purposes.

According to Velasco, WTE technologies convert the waste into energy and thus minimize the amount of trash sent to landfills, which also reduces negative impacts on the surrounding environment.

“WTE facilities provide a safe, technologically advanced means of waste disposal that reduces greenhouse gases and generates clean energy,” said Velasco, who was previously the chair of the House Committee on Energy.

The House chief said WTE is widely recognized as a technology that can help mitigate climate change because the waste combusted at a WTE facility does not generate methane as it would at a landfill.

He said the electricity produced from a WTE facility offsets the greenhouse gases that would otherwise have been generated from coal and natural gas plants.

WTE is widely used in European countries, where there are limited space for landfills. It has also worked to keep trash off the streets and waters in Japan and Singapore.

In the Philippines, the only waste disposal method allowed under RA 9003 or the Ecological Solid Waste Management Act of 2000 is sanitary landfill, which is quite expensive and difficult to build, operate and maintain.

According to government data, only 30 percent of the country’s population has access to sanitary landfills, many of which are close to filling up. The country, meanwhile, generates an estimated 43,700 tons of garbage daily.

Under HB 7829, WTE facilities will be regulated to make sure they are fitted with equipment that will continuously monitor, record and make publicly available the reported data on their emissions or air pollutant concentrations.

Entities using WTE technologies will be required to incorporate in their facilities or operations appropriate material recovery program and their thermal units would only treat wastes at a temperature of not less than 850 degrees Celsius.

Once the bill is enacted into law, the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) shall be primarily responsible for its implementation and enforcement.

The DENR will be mandated to promote the use of state-of-the-art, environmentally sound and safe technologies for the handling, treatment, thermal or non-thermal destruction, utilization and disposal of residual wastes.

Pursuant to Section 15 of RA 8749, Pollution Research and Development Program shall include the continuous monitoring, evaluation and development of more appropriate air quality guideline values and standards for the treatment of municipal and hazardous wastes, or for the processing of any waste material for fuel. - House of Representatives of the Philippines

#RollyPH's trail of destruction in Marinduque; Inday Sara, Imee, others visit the province

 

Super Typhoon/Typhoon RollyPH (#Goni), made its exit outside the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR) at 8 pm on Tuesday, November 3.

It was described as the world’s strongest tropical cyclone to hit so far in 2020. First barreling through the Bicol region as a super typhoon last Sunday, November 1, first made landfall in the vicinity of Bato, Catanduanes, then Tiwi, Albay, and the third landfall in San Narciso, Quezon.

It was earlier expected to make landfall over Marinduque based on PAGASA announcements but Rolly changed his course after decreasing strength as no longer a super typhoon after the San Narciso landfall.

Gov. Presby Velasco leads inspection of a damaged site.

Marinduquenos had earlier prepared for the worst after typhoon Quinta that preceded typhoon Rolly made landfall in Torrijos, Marinduque just days earlier on October 26 at 1:20 am leaving behind a trail of destruction.

Super typhoon Rolly was originally forecast to take a direct hit on Marinduque based on weather forecasts.

But later weather forecasters showed that Rolly was expected to continuously move west until it took a west southwestern dive which would put it a few hundred kilometers away from the Bicol Region. It was to make another turn pointing west northwest near the vicinity of Aurora, Northern Quezon or Central Luzon, to make landfall in any of those areas.

But the typhoon changed its path again and after battering Bicol Region, specifically Catanduanes and Albay and weakened after making landfall in San Narciso in southern Quezon.  Instead of making a landfall over Marinduque, by 2:00 pm it was seen over Mompong Pass north of the island-province then moved on to Tayabas Bay. It made its fourth landfall over Lobo, southwest of Batangas late Sunday afternoon, November 1.

Rolly’s wide diameter was estimated at 500 kilometers. This meant that areas not directly hit by the typhoon’s eye such as Marinduque would also experience similar conditions due to this wide reach.

On social media photos soon emerged of the devastation. The non-stop moderate or heavy rains over the already saturated mountains and lands around the island left more roads and bridges destroyed, more houses spared by Quinta are now destroyed or partially destroyed by Rolly. Clearly, flashfloods affecting rows of houses and buildings and landslides, damaged dikes are the most familiar sight.

Some initial reports on Typhoon Rolly in the province of Marinduque are the following:

32,620 individuals from 9,407 families were temporarily housed in evacuation centers.

There was a total of 709 partially destroyed houses and 93 were totally destroyed.

Damage to agricultural crops in the affected area of 3,142 has. is Php 41-million.

Damage to roads and bridges in all of the six towns and interior barangays is a common sight. Some schools and covered courts were not spared.

Inday Sara here

Meanwhile, presidential daughter and Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte revisited Marinduque today to provide relief goods for typhoon victims. She was in the company of Senator Imee Marcos, Deputy Speaker Mikee Romero and 1Pacman Party-list Rep. Wes Gatchalian, Rep. John Ray Tiangco. 

They were welcomed by Governor Presbitero Velasco, Jr. provincial administrator Mike Q. Velasco and House Speaker Lord Allan Velasco and wife Mme. Wen Velasco at the provincial capitol.

Photos not mine. Credit to the owners.

Tanda mo pa? Exactly 2 years ago, nasa Marinduque sina Tatay Digong, Inday Sara at mga kasamahan para makiisa sa birthday nina then Cong now Speaker at Mam Wen

Nov. 4, 2020: Davao City Mayor Inday Sara revisits Marinduque 

Nov. 3, 2018: Tatay Digong, Inday Sara in Marinduque for Cong. Lord Allan Velasco and wife Wen's birthday celebration

A quite relaxed Tatay Digong speaks to the people of Marinduque 'from the heart'.

So it was no less than the President of the Philippines who came to be one with the people of this island-province to grace the double birthday celebration of Cong. Lord Allan Velasco and his lovely wife, Wen.

Duterte was accompanied by Special Assistant to the President (SAP) Bong Go. No one knew if it's certain these two VIP's would come for it was already past six in the evening.

The program held at Marinduque State College (MSC) that police estimated to have swelled to about 8,000 started at 2:00 pm. By that time the president's popular daughter, Mayor Inday Sara Duterte was on stage with the birthday celebrators flanked by retired Justice Presby Velasco, Jr. and guests Secretary Francis Tolentino,  Senator JV Ejercito, Cong. Dong Mangudadatu.

Cong. Lord Allan Velasco, Davao CIty Mayor Inday Sara Duterte. Behind them: Retired Justice Presby Velasco Jr., Sec. Francis Tolentino, Madam Wen Velasco, Sen. JV Ejercito, 

It's Sara's second time in Marinduque she said, the first one was when she visited Bellarocca Resort Island during it's popularity years ago. It's her wish, she said for Marinduque to take care of its 'garbo ng Marinduque' stressing garbo is a word in Bisaya meaning 'pride'. 'Pride of Marinduque', she said referring to the Marinduque congressman celebrating his birthday. 

Sara also talked about her regional party Hugpong ng Pagbabago (HnP) and was elated to open its doors for the forming of an alliance with the local party Kapatirang Marinduqueno, chaired by Velasco. This is in the same manner that her party has formed an alliance for change with many national, regional and provincial alliances. 'Together we share the same beliefs, trust and vision". she said.

Sec. Francis Tolentino

Presidential political adviser Francis Tolentino reminisced his days as Tagaytay mayor when he became a close friend of Justice Velasco, then a Court Administrator and came to know the latter well. 'Marinduque is in good hands and could also become the next Tagaytay', said Tolentino.

The girl group, 4th Impact

4th Impact, a girl group that rose to popularity when they competed in the television show X Factor UK then rendered two songs to the delight of the crowd, "one of the best audiences we have ever encountered, pinaninindigan po kami ng balahibo", announced one of them. The audience clamored for more, that they had to ask the birthday celebrant if they could sing another song knowing 'we are under time pressure because of our panauhing pandangal'. The group then shared their X-Factor audition piece.

Homegrown talent Angel Penaflor

After 4th Impact was the turn of homegrown talent Angel Penaflor to wow the crowd with her singing prowess. Exuding great confidence, she spoke in her native dialect, no puntong Maynila, the girl coming from Matuyatuya, Torrijos. The proud audience went wild.

By 6:00 pm the show had to be cut short after performances from other guest talents. A podium with presidential seal was put in place on the left side of the stage. Technical people and the soldiers were in a hurry to keep things in order.

It was already dark, but a chopper hovered above the MSC event venue, decreased power and landed on the ground. It was 6:18 pm on my watch. The crowd cheered, they knew who were in that chopper. "Welcome President Rodrigo Roa Duterte" was projected on screen.

The rest is history.

Photo credit: Marinduque News

It was really like giving a first-hand report to the people of Marinduque on what had transpired since he was here during his presidential campaign. 

Part of the MSC ground to be used at that time for the purpose was decorated with red, white and blue colors, but less than a day before his arrival came the news: presidential candidate Duterte would not be allowed the use of MSC ground at all cost for his Marinduque campaign. The municipality of Gasan then welcomed candidate Digong with open arms. 

And the rest was simply just history. 

But now on this occasion today that materialized without any hitch, these pictures are enough to paint a thousand words.

Part of the historic mammoth crowd

Tatay Digong raises arm of Cong. Velasco and Justice 'Governor' Presby Velasco

Angel Penaflor coaches the President in singing "IKAW" which he changed at times with "Kayo"

LAV dancers with the Mobsters

That's LAV singing and dancing

Tatay Digong led the singing of Happy Birthday then went on to sing "Ikaw" for the people of Marinduque. What more could you ask?

Photos courtesy of John Mendoza, CTTO

Speaker Lord Allan Velasco's address before the adjournment of the Special Session

 

Speaker Lord Allan Velasco 

House of Representatives

Batasan Pambansa

16 October 2020

 

My esteemed colleagues, Honorable Members of the 18th Congress, let me at the onset express my gratitude for responding to the call of President Rodrigo Duterte to hold the Special Session for the purpose of ensuring the timely passage of the National Budget for Fiscal Year 2021. 

Mabigat ang ating pinagdaanan bago tayo nakarating dito. Magkahalong pagsisikap at pananampalataya, tiwala at suporta ng bawat isa ang nagdala sa atin sa hantungang ito.

I commend you, my fellow representatives, that despite differences in viewpoints, we have proven to the Filipino people that we can actually work together and get things done.  And that as a body, we recognize and uphold a common goal, which is the welfare of our country and people—and that we can set aside personal differences and be bound by shared and noble goals.

During this Special Session, we have reopened the plenary debates over the National Budget to further scrutinize the agency budgets and to thresh out issues relevant to each department and concerned sector.  Within the four-day Special Session, we tackled the budget of major departments such as the Departments of Education (DepED), Health (DOH), Public Works and Highways (DPWH), National Defense (DND), Transportation (DOTr), Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), and the Interior and Local Government (DILG).  We have provided every representative the opportunity to raise issues, clarify any misconceptions, and recommend how we can make the Budget truly responsive to our current and pressing needs and conditions. 

Annually, we go through this process of deliberating and passing the National Budget.  But this expenditure program is no ordinary one. It is an extraordinary budget for extraordinary times. There is so much at stake here: our health, the economy, jobs and livelihood, food security, the education of our children, and much more. And we thank President Rodrigo Roa Duterte for taking a principled, decisive leadership in calling this special session so that the budget would get the complete attention that it deserves.

Mr. President, Mayor Sir, we present to you a budget for lives and livelihood. ITO ANG TUNAY NA BUDGET NG BAYAN.

We have to make hard choices.  We work on limited resources when our needs appear to be limitless.  Next year's budget of P4.5 trillion requires us to carefully strike a balance in providing the fiscal stimulus for economic recovery while containing the spread and mitigating the effects of COVID-19.  

This pandemic has revealed to us the gaps and weaknesses in the way we do things in the public sector.  It has highlighted the urgency of implementing long-postponed reforms such as the National ID System necessary for targeting public services, and the IT-support necessary to make government services fast and efficient through electronic and digital means.  We realize that we need to appropriate funds to make our processes in delivering public services more effective and efficient.

I congratulate all House Members for their active involvement in the timely passage on Third and Final Reading of the General Appropriations Bill.  But I assure you and the President that we will not have a re-enacted budget by January of next year.  We will transmit without delay the approved Bill to the Senate and give our counterparts sufficient time to likewise examine the national budget.

Our task over the budget does not end with its passage.  We will have to make sure that the programs are properly implemented, that public funds as appropriated do not go to waste.

At this juncture let me thank each and every one of you who has toiled long and hard for the successful passage of our budget – all the hardworking members of our very able Secretariat who ensured that Congress continued to function seamlessly despite the challenges that we successfully hurdled this week; our congressional staff who are behind us 24/7; the Members and staff of the Committee on  Appropriations who know all the intricacies of every budget that this House has passed, and their Chair Eric Yap and all our Vice Chairs; our deputies and leaders in the Majority and the Minority who have steered the Committee on Rules and the proceedings here in plenary, headed by our Majority Leader Martin Romualdez and Minority Leader Benny Abante, and the captain of the night shift, Rimpy “PUYAT” Bondoc na totoo namang puyat na puyat. And of course, our Deputy Speakers for presiding over four historical days and nights of this special session. Thank you to all of you.

I am proud and humbled by what I have experienced and witnessed this very eventful week. I may not be an extraordinary congressman, but I am a humble recipient of your overwhelming mandate and support.

I am proud of this General Appropriations Bill that we have passed on third reading today, which is truly reflective and responsive to the needs of our people. We have proven that playing by the rules, without resorting to shortcuts, and keeping our time-honored traditions and values, we can produce better and superior outputs.

I AM HUMBLED AND HEARTENED BY THE REALIZATION THAT NO ONE OR ANY GROUP HAS THE MONOPOLY OF KNOWLEDGE AND COMPETENCE. EVERY MEMBER OF THIS INSTITUTION HAS SOMETHING TO CONTRIBUTE AND DESERVES TO BE HEARD. THAT WE CAN DO BETTER BY LISTENING TO ONE ANOTHER AND WORKING TOGETHER, FOR OUR PEOPLE DESERVE NOTHING LESS.

Together, we can rise up again and build a better future for all Filipinos.

God bless us all at maraming, maraming Salamat sa inyong lahat. LAV ko kayo.

House passes P4.5-T national budget for 2021. "LAV ko kayo!"

 The House of Representatives passed the P4.5-trillion national budget for next year on final reading, paving the way for the Senate to tackle the spending bill in the plenary.

By Xave Gregorio (Philstar):

MANILA, Philippines — The House of Representatives passed Friday the P4.5-trillion national budget for next year on final reading, paving the way for the Senate to tackle the spending bill in the plenary.

Voting 257-6, the lower chamber approved the fiscal plan on third reading after months of deliberations.

Senators are now calling on House lawmakers to send the budget bill to the upper chamber as soon as possible to allow them more time to deliberate on the fiscal plan.

“If they will pass on third reading tomorrow, I cannot understand why they would transmit the GAB (General Appropriations Bill) to us November 5, unless they again plan to amend after third reading,” Sen. Panfilo Lacson said in a mix of English and Filipino on Thursday.

House appropriations committee chair Rep. Eric Yap (ACT-CIS party-list) says they will be able to transmit copies of the proposed budget to senators by October 28, but it would not yet be official copies encoded and printed by the National Printing Office (NPO).

"I cannot let my speaker down. It will be on October 28," Yap said in a mix of English and Filipino. "But it won't be the hard copy. Whatever we submit to the NPO, that's what we will give the Senate."

Senate Finance committee chair Juan Edgardo "Sonny" Angara told Philstar.com in an online exchange that they can start debates on the proposed budget by the week of November 9.

“We moved the calendar back a week to give more time for Senate debate and for the bicameral conferences," Angara said.

The Senate cut its break short by a week and will resume session on November 9 instead of November 16. The House concurred with this move.

The fiscal plan was passed after months of deliberations in the lower house, which were abruptly halted for four days by the previous leadership and only resumed when President Rodrigo Duterte called for a special session of Congress from October 13 to 16.

Despite this, the House leadership is confident that the spending bill will be passed on time, while Malacañang sees Duterte signing it into law by the end of the year, preventing the government from operating on a reenacted budget by 2021.

Operating on a reenacted budget would mean using the spending plan for 2020, which does not take into account the coronavirus pandemic.

This article first appeared on Philstar

Speech delivered by Rep. Lord Allan Velasco as new Speaker of the House of the 18th Congress

 

Speaker Lord Allan Jay Q. Velasco

House of Representatives

Batasan Pambansa

13 October 2020

"To the Filipino people, my dear colleagues, I am humbled from your support and trust for electing me as your Speaker of the House of the 18th Congress. I have three main considerations why we stood our ground and fought the battle.

First and most importantly, this is for the Filipino people, the present leadership has been accused of putting political expediency above public service. This perception has scandalized the nation to a point where no less than President Rodrigo Duterte himself was prompted to deliver a wake-up call for this august body to shape up or ship out.

In his proclamation, our President ordered Congress to resume the congressional deliberations on the proposed 2021 national budget and to avoid any further delays on the prompt passage thereof, in accordance with the Constitution and applicable laws, rules and regulations.

As the head of a nation comprised of 109 million people, our President is voicing out the widespread sentiment that the interest of our people, especially at this time of COVID-19 pandemic and the concomitant crisis it has spawned, is being sacrificed before the altar of personal greed and political ambition.

Our countrymen need no further proof of this than the whimsical, illogical, irregular and immoral attempt to suspend Lower House deliberations until November 16 2020, for no apparent reason other than to perpetuate the holding of the ruling clique.

It did not matter to them that by doing so, the rights and needs of a suffering people were trampled and disregarded ironically by the very people who are supposed to represent and safeguard their interest.

Our people cannot wait and they do not deserve to wait even more. Simply because someone’s political plans are in peril.

The second reason is to restore a sense of statesmanship to this august body. To this day, there is that sense of reverence to the memory and the legacy of the men and women who once lit up its hallowed halls. It is incumbent to each and every one of us who follow in their steps to respect their memory by living up to the code of honor to which they swore and lived by.

Recent days, the collective integrity of this body has been subjected to a nationwide uproar, sadly affecting many of its members who have no fault or participation. The proceedings and conducts of the present leadership is such that the 18th Congress has become an object of derision and contempt by people disillusioned with the workings of ambitious politicians.

For sure, any level of redemption will require the collective commitment of every member of this august body. However, such a resolve has to start at the top and it is to this end that this humble representation has committed to uphold and work for.

Lastly, the third reason is for the time-honored and yet increasingly-challenged virtue called word of honor. When President Rodrigo Duterte brokered a term-sharing agreement last year, there were no conditions attached to it. The gentlemen’s agreement for two parties to serve alternately was sealed by a handshake, witnessed by the President himself.

This was a bond of honor stronger than any written contract. There is no need to open fresh wounds at this point, as there will come a right time for that. However, there is no denying that all these unnecessary turmoil we’re currently experiencing resulted from the abject refusal to honor that agreement.

There is no other way to look at it. In the increasingly futile machinations to reject that covenant, there is one principle that was ignored and silenced – the virtue we call word of honor. While we quote verses from the Holy Book and mesmerize with elegant passage of scriptures, the blatant irony is that the good book itself is a testament to God, honoring His promise to mankind and honoring His word.

This humble representation apologizes to Mayor President Rodrigo Roa Duterte, the undisputed leader of this nation who now stands assailed by the perceived rejection by this august body, not only of the agreement which he personally established, but this very person upon which that agreement was anchored.

The rejection of the agreement is a rejection of palabra de honor and likewise, a rejection of Mayor President Rodrigo Roa Duterte himself. If this agreement is honored and breached, what future agreement will not be subjected to doubt and disbelief owing to our failure to honor it?

Let us show our countrymen that loyalty and fidelity to the promises we make are not mere conveniences for us. Let us be good examples of palabra de honor and demonstrate that our word is our bond.

There comes a time in life that marks the destiny of an individual. This is such time for this humble representation. There is a choice between simply coasting along the shoreline within one’s comfort zone and launching into the deep to face uncertainty and dangers.

Very often, the latter represents the fulfilment of a higher calling. For me, these verses from American poet Robert Frost sum up the sense of triumph that awaits one who chooses the road not taken.

“I shall be telling this with a sigh, somewhere ages and ages hence, two roads diverged in a wood, and I, I took the one less traveled by, and that has made all the difference.”

This is for our people, for this august body and this institution we call Congress, for the word of honor of our beloved President Rodrigo Roa Duterte, and for God, who makes all these happen.

To the Filipino people, we will not let you down. For God and country. Maraming, maraming salamat po, mabuhay po ang Kongreso, mabuhay po ang sambayanang Pilipino."

House ratifies election of Velasco as Speaker

 

The House of Representatives on Tuesday ratified the election of Marinduque Representative Lord Allan Velasco as Speaker of the House.

 

A total of 186 House members voted to ratify the election of Velasco, which was held first at Celebrity Sports Plaza in Quezon City.

 

The ratification was held at the House Plenary Hall ahead of the expected resumption of the session at 3 p.m. to tackle the 2021 national budget.

 

Bagong Henerasyon party-list Representative Bernadette Herrera-Dy earlier said they wanted to settle the speakership issue before the special session so that they can focus on the budget. 

 

"Ang sabi naman nila 3 p.m. pa ang simula ng budget kaya gusto namin ngayong umaga, tapusin na natin 'yung labanan sa Speaker para once and for all we can continue and concentrate on the budget as requested by the President and our job to the Filipino people," she added.

This article first appeared on GMA News Online

Kabanata ngayong araw!: Majority to reclaim Batasan

 

NEWLY-INSTALLED House Speaker Lord Allan Velasco bangs the gavel in his first session with the majority of the lawmakers at Celebrity Sports Plaza in Quezon City.

Majority to reclaim Batasan

by Aldrin Cardona (Daily Tribune)

Majority of the members of the House of Representatives on Tuesday elected Marinduque Rep. Lord Allan Velasco as Speaker and will take back the Batasang Pambansa today to prevent a rump session to be presided by the ousted Alan Peter Cayetano. 

They will troop to the Batasang Pambansa as a collective after a 7 a.m. meeting at the Celebrity Sports Plaza, also in Quezon City, where they held a pre-special session election of the Speaker, the House Secretary General and the Sergeant-at-Arms. 

The majority of 187 lawmakers, 186 of which voted for Velasco as Speaker to succeed Cayetano, will then attempt to hold the first day of the special sessions called by President Rodrigo Duterte. 

All of them assured their physical presence at the Batasan as a showdown is expected between the new House leader and the ousted Cayetano who reiterated that he will not step down despite the overwhelming call for a leadership change. 

Cayetano, meanwhile, plans to hold a session at 3 p.m. It is not clear whether he can still muster a decent number after he had lost his count following the declaration of support by Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte — the President’s daughter — to Velasco. 

The Batasang Pambansa was ordered closed by Cayetano to lawmakers who are not his allies. He only allowed 25 allies at a time to attend sessions. 

Majority of the lawmakers who support Velasco assembled in the venue a day after subjecting themselves to COVID-19 tests in two areas designated for the purpose.

Cayetano rejected it as a “fake session,” a claim refuted by many lawmakers who willed the majority as a voice stronger than the ousted former leader. 

Duterte asked the House to hasten the passage of the 2021 national budget on third and final reading. It will be submitted to the Senate after that. 

Cayetano, however, deliberately placed the budget hanging when on 6 October, Cayetano unilaterally suspended the sessions until 16 November. 

Troubled by the possibility of having a reenacted budget caused by Cayetano’s delay of the budget proceedings, the President ordered the House to conduct special sessions starting today. 

On Monday, Cayetano used the budget as reason for his stay as Speaker. He was supposed to transfer House power to Velasco on Wednesday, 14 October. He turned his back on that agreement, too. 

Their earlier pact was for Cayetano to serve as Speaker for only 15 months. Velasco was to have his turn for 21 months until the next elections in 2022. 

In electing Velasco as new Speaker, majority of the congressmen said they did so to “bring honor back in the House.” 

“The majority has spoken. The plenary of the House of the people — not the house of Cayetano — will be physically present (on Tuesday),” 1-Pacman Partylist Rep. Mikee Romero said. 

“We assure the President that this House of the people will pass the national budget on third and final reading,” newly-installed Speaker Velasco said after expressing his gratitude to the President and his daughter, Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte and Senator Christopher Lawrence “Bong” Go. 

“Thank you for your trust and moral support,” he said. 

The young Duterte declared her support to Velasco, emphasizing that her political party Hugpong ng Pagbabago (HnP) backed the term-sharing agreement Velasco and Cayetano made with President Duterte. 

In a statement the younger Duterte sent to Daily Tribune, the President’s daughter confirmed her meeting with Velasco in Davao City on Friday. 

As the chairperson of HnP — Davao region’s political party — Duterte said Velasco “sought help” in securing the votes of three congressmen from the Davao region. 

“He intimated that there will be a Speakership vote and he sought for my help, as the Chairperson of HnP, with regard to the votes of the three HnP congressmen from Davao Region,” she said. 

The Davao City mayor reiterated that HnP will back the administration of President Duterte and will rally behind his recent order to convene sessions to pass the bill on the 2021 national budget. 

“I also emphasized that HnP will respect the term-sharing agreement as ordered by the President last year and reiterated that the party fully supports Presidential Proclamation 1027,” Duterte said. 

Reports also claimed that she had called House members to eject Cayetano. It was reminiscent of her role in the July 2018 House coup that installed former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo as speaker vice Pantaleon Alvarez. 

Aside from HnP, Velasco was elected by the majority membership of the PDP, Nationalist People’s Coalition, Northern Luzon Alliance, National Unity Party, Nacionalista Party, the Partylists Coalition, the minority, and the Metro Manila, Visayas, Mindanao, Bicolandia and BARMM blocs. 

Cayetano countered that he has 205 of the 299 lawmakers who signed their manifesto of support before their 29 September meeting with the President in Malacañang. Mr. Duterte rejected Cayetano’s attempt to submit the papers to him as he wanted the term-sharing agreement honored by the speakership rivals. 

It was said that the President questioned the manner of collection of the signatures for Cayetano. 

Some say Cayetano only had 199 signatories then. Others claim he had even less. 

But they no longer matter now as the 186 votes for Velasco are the latest count which he will tow with him to the House, a senior lawmaker said.

This article first appeared on Daily Tribune

Velasco bagong House Speaker; Cayetano kinudeta

 

Mula sa Daily Tribune:

Tinanghal si Marinduque Rep. Lord Allan Velasco bilang bagong Speaker ng House of Representatives sa isang makulay at makasaysayang sesyon ng mayorya na isinagawa sa Celebrity Sports Plaza  ngayong Lunes sa Quezon City.

 

Tagumpay ang pagsibak na nangyari kay Taguig Rep. Alan Peter Cayetano bilang Speaker matapos na ideklara ng mga mambabatas na bakante ang naturang posisyon alinsunod sa mosyon ni Buhay Rep. Lito Atienza.

 

Matapos masegundahan ang mosyon ni Atienza na walang tumutol ay nagsagawa ng roll call ang sesyon na umabot sa 186 miyembro kumpara sa 151 majority count na kailangan.

 

Ang abogadong si Velasco, 42,  ay inihalal na bagong Speaker sa mga sumunod na pangyayari matapos na siya ay inomina ni 1-Pacman party-list Rep. Michael Romero at ng iba pang mga mambabatas. Tulad ng naunang bilangan sa pagdeklara na bakante ang posisyon ng Speaker, walang tumutol sa pagluklok kay Velasco bilang bagong pinuno ng House.

 

Oath-taking ni Speaker Velasco

ANG plenary session na ginanap sa Celebrity Sports Plaza.

Bago ang pagpupulong, nagpahayag si Pangulong Rodrigo Duterte at ang anak niyang si Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte ng suporta sa pagtupad sa term-sharing agreement sa pagitan nina Cayetano at Velasco. 

Sa ilalim ng agreement na tinalikuran ni Cayetano, tatanganan niya ang speakership sa loob ng 15 buwan at ito ay itutuloy naman ni Velasco bilang bagong Speaker pagpatak ng ika-14 ng October ngayong taon.

 

Nauna rito ay itinalaga ng mga kongresista si Jocelia Bighani Sipin bilang bagong House secretary-general at si Maj. Gen. Mao Aplasca bilang bagong Sergeant at Arms. 

Idineklara sa sesyon na ang mace na ginagamit nila ang siyang magiging opisyal na mace ng House of Representatives oras na mag-resume ang sesyon sa Batasang Pambansa Complex. 

Sa kanyang mga pahayag sa media, siniguro ni Velasco ang maayos na pagtupad ng House sa tungkulin nito sa ilalim ng kanyang liderato, kabilang ang pagpasa ng 2021 national budget. 

Habang isinasagawa ang kudeta laban sa kanya ay nag-Facebook line naman si Cayetano para igiit na illegal ang sesyon sa Celebrity Sports Plaza. 

Kapansin-pansin sa FB live ni Cayetano ang kakaunting natira sa mga kapanalig niya. 

 Bago ang sesyon na nagluklok kay Velasco ay isang manifesto ang inilabas ng mayorya na nagsabing lubha nilang ikinagalit ang mala-diktador na pagtigil ni Cayetano sa deliberations ng national budget upang mapigilan ang pagtanggal sa kanya. 

Anang manifesto: “In accordance with Section 13, Rule 3 of the Rules of the House of Representatives, of the 18th Congress, we call to assemble, move to and cast our vote to declare the position of Speaker VACANT on Monday, October 12, 2020. Further, also in accordance with the same section, we will move to and cast our vote to declare Representative Lord Allan Velasco of Marinduque as Speaker of the House of Representatives of the 18th Congress.