Press Release
October 9, 2020

TRANSCRIPT OF SEN. PIA CAYETANO'S MANIFESTATION DURING THE SENATE BUDGET HEARING FOR DOH & ITS ATTACHED AGENCIES

I would just like to make a reaction... You know this talk on reenacted budget does not help any of us. It just fuels the fire in this political charade. His honor is privy to the fact, and I am privy to the fact that the Speaker of the House has committed that there would be no reenacted budget. And he has relayed this to the Senate President. So I hope that our media friends who are listening, and even our colleagues, would take cognizance of that. Because we are going through this knowing that we would push through with the budget. I think our leaders are responsible enough to know, and we don't even have to be reminded that no one here wants a reenacted budget. And there is no intention...

And although this is a Senate hearing, not a House hearing, we cannot deny the fact that my brother is the Speaker of the House, and so for those of you who have not heard me dsay it, and have not heard him say it, there is no reenacted budget that will happen. So let me put that on record, because this is interfering with the flow of this Committee hearing, when the reports will not be about how the Senate wants to prepare a stronger budget, how we have noticed that there is not enough capital outlay, that we do not have enough budget for our health facilities, how we are expressing that despite the low budget for the vaccine, there is already a clear path, which is through the loan program...

I wouldn't want this hearing that I am conducting on behalf of the Chairman of the Committee on Finance to be used to discuss this political charade. So I just want to put that on record, because nag-aabala tayo. I have had two sessions na inabot ng 8 hours to prepare for these hearings. And I am not intervening to give you all the time to ask your own questions. So kini-clear ko lang na huwag na sanang i-discuss yang reenacted budget na yan kasi hindi mangyayari ito. So let's proceed.

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Wala naman hong nagbago sa proseso natin. We have been conducting our hearings while the House is also conducting their hearings and it is on the floor. So we are on target, we are doing that. That is my job, I am doing it because the Chair of this Committee asked me to do it. So can we now proceed? Because there are so many agencies. I even took time to ensure that all the other attached agencies and specialized hospitals would get a chance to present, kasi kung hindi sila mag-present, hindi na ho niyo siguro malalaman ng iba sa inyo na na-cut ang budget ng PCMC. So I thank Senator Imee na pinoint out mo yun, pero ako, I am aware because of course, as chair of this Committee budget, I have been working with them. But I am not using this time, I am giving this time to you. So can we just move on and proceed with your questions on the budget because that is really what we are here for.

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