Top candidate lor Speak-

er and Leyle (lst District)

Tuesday, July 2,2019
Fep. Martin Romual-
dez (2nd lett) enioys a
ore-SONA momenl wilh
Transoortation Secre-
tary Aithur Tugade (lefl),
Finance Secretary Car-
los "Sonny" Dominguez
(2nd riqht) and Albay
Rep. Joey salceda (right)
durino the 2019 Pre-
sona Economic and ln-
frastructure Forum at lhe
Philippine lnternational
on Center in
Lower photo
ualdez shak-
Philip-
io lhe
fPl

LEYTE Rep.
MartinRo-
mualdez yes-
terday welcorned the
in tbL;2O2O allocation for infrastructure and human capital investment, saying such a move will help sustain
thecountrv'shieh-leveleeo('nicgrowthandcrrtdownpoverty._/Page12
"Our economic man-
agers are on the rieht
track. If we support Ihe
roadmap that they had
presented, reducing pov-
erty bv almost a half in
2022 is doable," said Ro-
mualdez, who is one of
the top contenders for
Speaker in the 18th
Congress.
"Definitely, I support
the economic team's
road maD. Much has
been doie, but more
challenges remain. I will
ask our Congress lead-
ers to immediatelv buck-
Ie down to woik and
discuss this roadmaD in
our next multi-p6rtv
of President Rodrigo l)uterte's econolic team on the
caucus,'aaid Romual- economic manaeers. to transport economic P3.757-tdllion budeet. ture before the end of the President's oriorif.v
dez, president of the This will help us,"con- goods. They need a "We expect the iame the year. said Romual- economic bills '
Lakas-Christian Muslim gressmen, in our quest "
competent work-force priorities in the 2020 dez. Romualdez
Democrats (CMD). to help frnd solutions to to ensure world-class NEP so we now have noted
Romualdez, president the challenges that we "With the presenta- the Presidentrs eco-
of the Philippine Con- Iace in the economic .products and services." an idea on what to work tion of our economic n-omic bills were among
Romualdez exnlained on in the next series of managers, we expect in- the measures included
stitution Association front," Romualdez said. The Leyte iolon said our multi-party caucus- creased allocation for in the prioritv list
(Philconsa). made the What struck him this is the reason whv
es in the 18th hunan capital such as which was aereed
remark shortly after he during thc Cabinet offi-
attended this vear's Dre- ciais' presentation. Ro-
the 18th Congresi We have to Congress. hit the education. health a n.l upon by the multi-par-
needs to pass the 2020 ground running and social protection. We
SONA Economic and'In- mualdez said, was the proposed national bud- ap out strategies on
ty caucus of House
need to address the leaders in Seda Hotel
frastructure Forum at urgent need for Con- get on time and make how to fast-track the also funding
Bure public infrastruc- president's priori tv bills," fbr the President's in- Vertis
the PICC Reception Hall gress to allocate more requirements North last
in Pasav Citv budget for public infra- ture and human devel- Romualdez explained. Wednesday.
Rom"uald6z eraced structure and humrn opment get the bisqest
frastructure Droiects- The caucus drew the
the event upon tFe per- capital development "In our first caucus includins the'"Build. attendance of 40 House
allocation ne{t "vpa; last week, we all agreed Build, Build" Program,' leaders from various
Bonal i nvitation of Fi- Romualdez notecl to pass the 2020 Gerrer- he added-
nance Sec, Carlos "T[e economic man- that in the 2019 Nation- al Appropriations Bill bv political parties and in-
In attending the pre-
Dominguez III. agers were
"I am thankful for in telling us unanimous al Expenditure Pro- October. This self-im- SONA presentttion. -Ro- fluential blocs in the
18th Congress includins
that public gramr the President's posed deadline will sive mualdez said he took the PDP-Laban. Lakasi
Sec. Sonny's invitation expenditures on ihese econonric team listed in- the Senate more sess-ion the opportunitv to talk CMD.
as this event Drovided majoi items are the frastructure and human days for plenary debates to the economii manao- Nacionalista Par-
me with the c;mplete keys to attractins more de-velopment as the toD on the budset. Honefi'l- ers and relaved to thp; {LP), ty (NP). Liberal Partv
picture of tbe countrv s foreign direct invest- recipients with P1.2I5 ly, Presiddnt Duierte the commitment of Party National Unit;
economic situation fr;m ments. Investors need trillion, (NUP), and th;
the viewpoint of our reliable road networks or about 33.3 will have a national Houee leaderB in shen- Party-List Coalition.
percent of the proposed budget ready his signa- herding the approval bf Pagc-t>