00:00Ako Bicol Rep. Zaldico resigned as chairman of the House Committee on Appropriations
00:05due to a health problem.
00:08Daniel Manalastas has the details.
00:13Ako Bicol Rep. Ely Zaldico resigned as chairperson of the House Committee on Appropriations.
00:20In the session of the House yesterday,
00:22Senior Deputy Majority Leader Sandro Marcos took a motion.
00:26Mr. Speaker, I move to declare vacant the position of chairperson of the Committee on Appropriations.
00:34There's a motion.
00:36The chair hears no objection.
00:38Said motion is carried.
00:41In a statement, Ako Bicol Rep. Ely Zaldico thanked his fellow mayors
00:45for accepting his decision to resign as chairman of the Committee on Appropriations.
00:51It's a heavy decision for him,
00:54but he also needs to focus on his health.
00:56It's said that being a chairperson of the Committee is demanding.
01:01In the past three years,
01:03he has been proud of his accomplishments in his leadership,
01:07such as helping the Kapos Angkita Program or AKAP.
01:11Nothing has been mentioned that will replace Ako in this position.
01:16House Speaker Martin Romualdez stood up in the plenary
01:19and gave a speech in front of fellow congressmen.
01:22Romualdez insisted that in the coming weeks,
01:26they will hold oversight hearings
01:29to ensure that the country's funds will meet the needs of the people.
01:34To those who attacked us to stop our investigations,
01:39we have a message for them.
01:43We will continue the work that the government has entrusted to us.
01:48We will not back down in any battle for the country.
01:56Romualdez also praised the success of the economy
01:59under Marcos' administration in 2024.
02:04This growth is the fruit of visionary leadership
02:08under President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.
02:11and his transformative Build Better, More Infrastructure Program,
02:16which injected over 1.2 trillion pesos
02:21into projects that now connect dreams
02:24to opportunities across the archipelago.
02:27Daniel Manalastas for Pambansang TV in Bagong, Philippines.