SENIOR Deputy Speaker and Pampanga 3rd District Rep. Aurelio “Dong” Gonzales Jr. thanked Filipinos for continuing to show trust satisfaction for the performance of the House of Representatives this 19th Congress, saying their veritable vote of approval further galvanizes the solons to work hard.

“To know that more than half of our countrymen trust us and approve of what we have been doing in this chamber galvanizes us to push forward. If they like what they see, then more of it they will see,” Gonzales said.

Results of an OCTA survey released late last month showed that 54 percent of Filipinos were satisfied with performance of the House of Representatives under Speaker Ferdinand Martin G. Romualdez. Only nine percent were dissatisfied, while 36 percent were undecided.

Meanwhile, the House garnered a trust rating of 55 percent, while distrust was at seven percent.

“This high satisfaction, high trust rating of the House also reflects the public’s view of the administration of President Ferdinand ‘Bongbong’ Marcos Jr., who we can see is a hardworking Chief Executive. The House under Speaker Romualdez, merely follows his lead,” Gonzales said.

“Knowing the Speaker, he will most likely endeavor to convince upon those unsatisfied, distrustful, or undecided sectors of society that the House is a genuine partner of Malacañang in attaining a better life for Filipinos. Nakikita naman ‘yan, puro lang kami trabaho, walang masyadong satsat,” the Senior Deputy Speaker said.

The House, through the Committee on Appropriations chaired by Ako Bicol Party-list Rep. Zaldy Co, is currently scrutinizing the P5.768-trillion National Expenditure Program (NEP) or the proposed national budget, for 2024.

As such, House members have been participating in marathon hearings–sometimes reaching in excess of 13 hours–for the purpose of perusing the individual government agencies’ budgets for next year.

AUTHOR PROFILE

Ryan Ponce Pacpaco