NAGBITIW si Camarines Sur Rep. Rolando Andaya Jr., bilang House majority leader at ibinigay ito kay House Deputy Speaker Fredenil Castro.
Si Andaya naman ay lumipat bilang chairman ng House committee on appropriations na nabakante matapos na italaga si Davao City Rep. Karlo Nograles bilang Cabinet Secretary.
Sinabi ni Andaya na nagawa na ng Kamara de Representantes ang prayoridad ng Duterte administration at ang nalalabing dapat na gawin ay ipasa ang 2019 national budget.
“The House leadership under Speaker Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo has accepted my offer to relinquish my post and lead the contingent tasked to complete one major unfinished business left in our legislative calendar: the passage of the 2019 national budget,” ani Andaya.
Sasalang sa bicameral conference committee ang P3.757 trilyong budget para ngayong taon kapag naipasa na ito ng Senado sa ikatlong pagbasa.
“I am leading the House team that will meet with our Senate counterparts in the bicameral conference committee to wrap up the fine print of the 2019 General Appropriations Bill.”
Sinabi ni Andaya na magiging iba ngayon ang pagdinig ng bicam.
“I will push for full transparency in the bicam deliberations. If need be, I will propose televised proceedings of the bicameral conference. Let those who propose funds for projects and programs come out in the open to defend their positions. Kung may itutulak kang proyekto o programa, tindigan mo at ipaglaban mo. The time for finger-pointing is over.”
Inilipat na rin sa House appropriations committee ang pagdinig sa mga iregularidad umano sa budget gaya ng flood control fund scam at bidding na ginawa ng Department of Budget and Management sa mga Build, Build, Build projects.
“I must admit this is no easy task. The House Rules Committee, which I used to head, has uncovered anomalous allocations and questionable practices that marred the preparation of the 2019 National Expenditure Program by the Department of Budget and Management.”
Sa ilalim ni Andaya, naiproseso ng Kamara ang 1,361 panukala at 492 dito ang naaprubahan at 95 ang naging batas.