The House leadership will await the proposal of the Department of Budget Management (DBM) regarding the supplemental budget proposed by the President and vowed to support its swift passage.
Speaker Alan Peter Cayetano said the House of Representatives is committed to work with the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) to pass the proposed supplemental budget and make sure that the execution will be done in an effective and responsive manner.
“We are coordinating with the concerned agencies and consult with the local government officials in the affected towns and provinces. The supplemental budget can help alleviate the conditions of our kababayan and enable them to recover from their economic losses. ” he added.
Cayetano urged members of the House of Representatives to “work harder, work faster and work smarter” to ensure that they respond to the needs of the disaster victims.
The House of Representatives is scheduled to hold its plenary session in Batangas City Convention Center on January 22.
Initial estimates from the National Economic Development Authority (NEDA) indicate that the economic losses as a result of the Taal volcanic eruption have reached P7.63 billion. The Department of Agriculture –CALABARZON reported that the total agricultural damage in Batangas, Cavite and some parts of Laguna has reached P3.06 billion.
