• GILBERT P. BAYORAN
As the people have spoken against corruption, Bacolod Lone District Rep. Alfredo Abelardo Benitez disclosed on Sunday that it is now the turn of Congress to do its part in ensuring transparency and real reforms in the budget.
The rallies we saw today and in previous days show our people’s deep and growing frustration with corruption. They are a loud call for honesty, accountability and reform, said Benitez, who recently joined the majority bloc, following the resignation of Speaker Martin Romualdez.
As the Congress begins deliberations on the national budget today (Sept. 22), we must take that message to the heart, he added.
As an independent voice of the House, I will continue to scrutinize this budget with a “critical eye”, the Bacolod solon said.
We cannot allow insertions and questionable projects to pass unnoticed. We must make sure that what the House approves will serve the public good, and not private interests, Benitez further said.
Our people have already done their part by taking to the parliament of the streets. Now, it is our turn to do our part inside the halls of Congress, he stressed.
Transparency in the budget process ensures that every peso goes where it truly matters, free from hidden anomalies or questionable practices, Benitez added.*
