A RANKING member of the House of Representatives has expressed full support to the House of Representatives under the leadership of Speaker Martin G. Romualdez in light of recent attacks hurled by former president Rodrigo Roa Duterte on the realignment of confidential funds of his daughter, Vice President Sara Duterte-Carpio.

Davao de Oro Rep. Maricar Zamora, vice chair of the House committee on appropriations, expressed her full support in a Facebook post on her official page last Sunday, where she complimented the chamber for its dedication to the needs and welfare of the people.

“I stand with the House of Representatives. Sa lahat ng mga isyu na ipinupukol ngayon sa House of Representatives, nais ko lamang ipaabot ang aking buong suporta at patuloy na pagtitiwala sa aking mga kasamahan sa Kongreso, sa pamumuno ni Speaker Martin Romualdez, at sa lahat ng mga empleyado na patuloy na nagtatrabaho, may session man o wala, para maipaabot ang iba’t-ibang serbisyo ng gobyerno sa bawat Pilipino,” Zamora said in her post.

The Davao de Oro lawmaker is also a member of the political party Lakas–CMD, as well as the local party Hugpong ng Pagbabago (HNP), which is the party of Vice President Duterte.

She also defended the budget of the Department of Education (DepEd) and Office of the Vice President during House deliberations on the 2024 national budget.

“Hindi man tayo perpekto bilang institusyon, ngunit batid ko ang dedikasyon ng 19th Congress na: 1) mapabilis ang pagpasa ng mga prayoridad na batas, at 2) mapadali ang proseso ng paglapit ng mga serbisyo ng gobyerno upang mas maraming Pilipino ang makinabang,” Zamora expressed.

“Ang institusyong patuloy na binabatikos ay siya ring institusyon na nangunguna sa pagsiguro na maipatayo ang mga kinakailangan nating imprastraktura, mga paaralan, mga ospital, mga kalsada, tulay, paglaan ng pondo para sa iba’t-ibang social services, scholarship, medical assistance, at kung anu-ano pa,” she added.

The House of Representatives recently realigned some P1.23 billion in confidential funds, including that of the Office of the Vice President (OVP) and DepEd, which prompted ex-president Duterte to retaliate by saying the chamber has hidden “pork barrel” and the most rotten institution in the country.

“Sa ilang taon akong nanilbihan sa Kongreso, naramdaman ko ang pagiging mas-accessible ng Kongreso para sa mga ordinaryong mamamayan. Mas makatarungan ang pamimigay ng mga alokasyong nararapat sa bawat distrito,” Zamora explained.

“Ngayon mas napahalagahan ang Congressman na masipag sa kanyang trabaho sa Kongreso at distrito, at makakasungkit ng pondo para sa kanyang mga nasasakupan,” she continued.

Zamora is on her fourth term as representative after serving for three consecutive terms from 2010 to 2019.

“Kaya naman nais kong ipaunawa sa aking mga kababayan sa unang distrito ng Davao de Oro, na sa gitna ng mga isyung ito, patuloy kami sa House of Representatives na magtatrabaho ng naaayon sa aming mga katungkulan at patuloy na pagsisikapang maisakatuparan ang ipinangakong kaginhawaan,” she said.

“Kaya ang aking panawagan, sa halip na magbangayan at mag-away-away, ay magka-isa na tayo, sama-sama na tayo patungo sa Bagong Pilipinas.”

Recently, political leaders of the House of Representatives defended the institution from attacks from former president Duterte, saying the realignment of confidential funds was made for the benefit of the nation.

“It is essential to understand that this decision was made for the benefit of the nation and not as a personal affront to any individual, including Vice-President Sara Duterte-Carpio,” they said in a statement released by House Secretary General Reginald Velasco.

They added that the decision to realign confidential funds was not even limited to the OVP and DepEd alone, but also the Department of Agriculture (DA), Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA), and Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT).