Members of the House of Representatives on Monday formally installed Marinduque Rep. Lord Allan Velasco as the new Speaker, replacing Taguig-Pateros Rep. Alan Peter Cayetano.

In a remote plenary session at the Celebrity Sports Plaza in Quezon City, Velasco was elected House’s top leader by 186 House members.

Buhay Party-list Rep. Lito Atienza raised the motion to declare the speakership post vacant.

A total of 186 lawmakers voted to accept Atienza’s motion.

The lawmakers then swiftly proceeded to elect a new leader with 1-PACMAN party-list Rep. Mikee Romero nominating Velasco to become the next Speaker.

Other representatives also nominated Velasco for the speakership post, including Albay Rep. Joey Salceda, Oriental Mindoro Rep. Doy Leachon, Rizal Rep. Jack Duavit, Ilocos Sur Rep. Kristine Singson-Meehan, and Negros Occidental Rep. Francisco Benitez, among others.

During the same gathering, lawyer Jocelia Bighani-Sipin was elected as Secretary General and retired police Maj. Gen. Mao Aplasca was installed sergeant of arms of the House of Representatives.

Prior to this, a manifesto circulated to the media, wherein 187 lawmakers have called to assemble, declare the speakership post vacant, and elect Velasco as the House’s next top leader.

“In accordance with Section 13, Rule 3 of the Rules of the House of Representatives, of the 18th Congress, we call to assemble, move to and cast our vote to declare the position of Speaker VACANT on Monday, October 12, 2020,” the manifesto read.

“Further, also in accordance with the same section, we will move to and cast our vote to declare Representative Lord Allan Velasco of Marinduque as Speaker of the House of Representatives of the 18th Congress,” it added.

The lawmakers slammed the move of the House leadership to “unceremoniously” terminate the budget deliberations and approve the 2021 General Appropriations Bill on second reading on October 6.

“The current House leadership deprived the Filipino People of exercising, through their duly-elected Representatives, their right to participate in crafting a national budget that would best serve the country,” they said. “The House members were stripped of their legislative duty to scrutinize the spending plan of various important agencies.”

The lawmakers pointed out that the creation of a “small committee” that will accept alterations to the budget is an “invalid delegation” that effectively railroads and replaces the important budget process, which is comprised of sponsorship, debate, and amendments.

“This act runs contrary to Congress’ responsibility to craft an open, transparent, and meaningful budget that is beneficial to the Filipino people. The power of Congress is bastardized when it was divested from the plenary, in each and every individual legislator, and purposely let to be monopolized by a select few,” they said.

The lawmakers further argued that the act of suspending session from Oct. 6 to Nov. 16 is against the letter and intent of the Constitution and violates the House rules of the 18th Congress.

“As we remain steadfast in our duty, we believe that the House of Representatives needs a true leader who can inspire, and not discourage colleagues; a leader who can unite, and not divide the House; a leader with a heart of a public servant, and not with a heart of a tyrant; a leader who listens and empowers others, and not just to a clique who builds walls to shun others; and a leader who is committed to serving the people rather than serving his self-interest and personal ambition,” the lawmakers said.

Under the term-sharing deal brokered by President Rodrigo Duterte, Cayetano would serve as the House Speaker for the first 15 months, or until October 2020 while Velasco would take over and assume the position for the remaining 21 months or until 18th Congress ends in 2022. (PNA)

NBA Finals MVP LeBron James made sure his latest championship was never in doubt while leading the Lakers to a blowout win over the Miami Heat to secure the 2019-20 title.

Los Angeles defeated Miami 106-93 in Game 6 on Sunday, outlasting the plucky underdogs to claim their 17th championship in franchise history. James secured the fourth title of his illustrious career, leading a third different team to the crown after previously winning with the Heat in 2012 and 2013 and the Cleveland Cavaliers in 2016. The 35-year-old forward, who finished with 28 points, 14 rebounds and 10 assists.

Butler, so sensational in Games 3 and 5, couldn’t muster the same furious attacks that had keyed Miami’s wins and finished with 12 points and eight rebounds. After hitting all 12 of his free throws in Game 5, he missed two in the first half — a sure sign of his fatigue.

Adebayo, a major source of offense in the Eastern Conference finals, never got on track after sustaining a neck injury in Game 1. Duncan Robinson, who hit seven three-pointers in Game 5, was held to six points in the first half as the Lakers tightened up their perimeter defense.

The Heat activated Goran Dragic for the first time since he left Game 1 with a plantar tear. The 34-year-old point guard had tested his foot earlier in the series but hadn’t been cleared medically until Sunday. While his return seemed bound to provide a morale boost, he scored just two points in six minutes off the bench in the first half.

More than a year after they assembled for media day and more than three months after they arrived at the Disney World bubble, the Lakers finished the job. (Washingtonpost.com)

KAMARA nag-caucus nang i-certify na URGENT ni Duterte ang 2021 Nat’l Budget

Isang araw matapos magtawag si Pangulong Rodrigo Duterte ng isang special session at sertipikahan ang 2021 pambansang budget bilang URGENT, kaagad na nagsagawa ang Kamara ng isang weekend caucus upang matiyak na maipasa sa tamang oras ang panukalang pambansang pondo.

Sa isang online caucus na tinawag ni Speaker Alan Peter Cayetano sa mga miyembro ng mababang kapulungan ng kongreso, ipinangako niya na magiging maganda ang resulta ng special session na hiniling ni Pang. Duterte.

Ayon kay Cayetano, makasisiguro ang publiko na maingat na kikilatisin ng mga mambabatas ang bawat detalye na nilalaman ng panukalang pambansang pondo para sa susunod na taon.

Dagdag pa niya, nirerespeto niya ang desisyon ng chief executive na magkaroon ng isang espesyal na sesyon para sa kongreso, lalo na’t mas alam niya ang kalagayan ng bansa.

Sinabi ni Presidential Spokesperson Atty. Harry Roque na ayaw ni Pang. Si Duterte upang maantala ang pagpasa ng panukala sa badyet sapagkat ayaw niyang magkaroon ng isang reenacted na budget sa 2021.

Dagdag pa ng kalihim, mahalagang maipasa ang 2021 budget dahil naglalaman din ito ng pondo na gagamitin para sa patuloy na paglaban ng bansa sa COVID-19.

Natuklasan ang planong panggugulo ng kampo ni Lord Alan Velasco sa gagawing Special Session patungkol sa pagpasa ng 2021 Budget sa Monday na gustong ipagpilitan ang sarili na maging House Speaker.

Kumakalat ang text messages na nasa ibaba, na idinadawit pa ang pangalan ni Mayor Sara Duterte.

Plano ng mga tagasuporta ni Marinduque Rep. Lord Allan Velasco sa Kamara na italaga ang mambabatas bilang Speaker, bukas ng umaga.

Batay sa isang source, ang kampo ni Velasco ay suportado ni presidential daughter, Davao City Mayor Sara, kung saan tumawag umano ito sa mga miyembro ng House nitong weekend.

Kaugnay nito magsasama-sama papuntang Batasang Pambansa sa Quezon City ang mga mambabatas at idedeklara ang Speaker’s seat bilang bakante, para maisakatuparan ang term-sharing deal sa pagitan ni Velasco at ni incumbent Speaker Alan Peter Cayetano.

Inaasahang isasara ang plenaryo bukas, at muli lang itong bubuksan simula Martes.

Dagdag pa ng source, na plano ng mga pro-Velasco solons na ulitin ang 2018 scenario nang patalsikin ang noo’y Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez ng mayora ng umuopong House members, kung saan si dating pangulo at noo’y Pampanga Rep. Gloria M. Arroyo ang inihalal.

At tulad noong 2018 incident, hinihikayat ni Mayor Duterte ang mga mambabatas na magkaisa, bukas.

Source: https://www.brigadanews.ph/

Israeli firm Ratio Petroleum Ltd. is looking for the endorsement of the Department of Energy (DOE) for a development of the expansion that it will investigate for oil and gas in East Palawan basin.

For the organization’s petroleum service contract (PSC) that was marked by President Rodrigo Duterte in October 2018, Energy Secretary Alfonso G. Cusi told correspondents that Ratio needs the size of its exploration block to be doubled.

“For the specified area, they (Ratio Petroleum) want to double it. That’s still under discussion and they are proceeding with their project,” the energy chief said.

He qualified that conversations are being decelerated by the hit of the Covid pandemic, that even the Ratio Petroleum chiefs can’t venture out to the nation presently to solidify their application for a greater investigation land.

The Israeli firm won Area 4 in the Philippine Energy Contracting Round (PECR) in 2015 – and that secured 416,000 hectares for its investigation and focused on drilling activities.

In view of starting information, that area has potential for 1.2 million barrels of oil; and a potential yield of 2.062 billion cubic feet of gas once it is demonstrated to be of commercial scale.

For its submitted work program with the DOE at the marking of its PSC two years prior, Ratio Petroleum promised to invest $34.35 million (generally P1.72 billion) for expanded seismic survey, data gathering and drilling activities under the underlying seven-year term of its agreement.

With the proposed multiplying of its service area, the energy office said it doesn’t have explicit details yet regarding the extra capital spending that the company will pipe in.

Aside from its awarded service contract, the Israeli firm was among the gatherings that presented a proposal to one of the pre-determined areas (PDAs) sold by the DOE a year ago through its Philippine Conventional Energy Contracting Program (PCECP), an adjusted type of the nation’s oil contracting plan.

Ratio Petroleum posted a delicate for Area 3, which is additionally in East Palawan basin. The honor of this pre-decided area presently can’t seem to be culminated – and all offers are as yet experiencing last assessments by the energy department.

The upstream oil and gas sectoris a center zone of speculation temptations by the DOE, in spite of the fact that it recognizes a few obstacles given the waiting scourge of the pandemic and the vulnerabilities actually torturing oil markets.

Past that, the nation’s investment climate is affected by exhibit of issues going from the political line at the West Philippine Sea, tax treatment concerns on the royalty sharing arrangement , and also low prospectivity of the oil blocks being advertised.

We lost a superman without a cape. I am really sorry for being emotional but in this time of pandemic. If he was here, this would not have happened. Isa lang po ito sa pinatay ng mga pekeng eksperto.

I am a politician, I am a doctor, I can take it. But, please stop maligning and demonizing our experts at our RITM, the people in the FDA and the DOH family.

Nakakalungkot po nito, panahon ng pandemya, walang katapusang autopsy ang ginagawa and I am standing up not because I am an accused in this case but moreover because somebody has to stand up and stop these autopsies in the middle of the pandemic.”

Filming these autopsies is highly irregular among us doctors. Second, we have to respect the mortal remains of the patient. Third, we cannot parade organs with dripping blood because COVID is here and when the vaccine comes next year and people will not have themselves vaccinated then all the efforts of our government will be put to waste simply because the PAO has a consultant that they are painting as an expert, when in fact he is a fake expert and all over the world, that institution is a fly by night institution.

~ Janette Garin, Iloilo 1st District Representative

“Sa akin, ang alam ko, tuloy pa rin. An agreement is an agreement. A gentleman’s agreement is a gentleman’s agreement.  Based on the gentleman’s agreement, I will see you next year as the next Speaker of the House.”

“I really don’t want to comment talaga, but that’s still so early. It’s only November. Next year pa naman ‘to sa October. So right now, we’re just focused on working, especially me as being the energy chairman again, focusing lang po on passing laws that I believe makakatulong po na maibaba yung kuryente natin at makatulong sa ating kababayan.” ~ Allan Velasco

Tinawag na desperado ni Deputy Speaker at Camarines Rep. Lray Villafuerte ang mga kaalyado ni Marinduque Rep. Lord Allan Jay Velasco napinalalabas na may maraming supporters si Velaco para makaupong speaker.

Ayon kay Villafuerte, nililinlang Lito Atienza at Oriental Mindoro Rep. Doy Leachon si Pangulong Duterte sa kanilang pahayag na maraming kaalyado si Velasco.

Para naman kay Laguna 1st District Rep. Dan Fernandez, nagdo-double talk ang mga kaalyado ni Velasco partikular si Atienza, matapos nitong sabihin na insulto sa pangulo ang hindi pagbototo sa Marinduque solon bilang speaker pero dati ay tinawag nitong mga tuta ng pangulo ang mga bumoto upang hindi mare-new ang prangkisa ng broadcast giant na ABS-CBN.

Nagpapasalamat po kami sa taumbayan dahil sa pinakabagong survey ng Pulse Asia, binigyan po ng 91% trust rating si Pangulong Rodrigo Roa Duterte, at 91% din po sa performance rating ang ating Presidente Rodrigo Roa Duterte.

Pagdating po sa trust rating, pangalawa po si Senate President Vicente Sotto, 79%; tapos po, pumangatlo po si House Speaker Alan Cayetano at 67%. Ang ating VP Leni po ay nasa malayong pang-apat, 50%.

Pagdating po sa performance, pumapangalawa po ang ating Senate President, 84%; si Speaker Cayetano po, 70%; at ang ating VP Leni, 57%.

Naku, Madam VP, mukhang tama ang aking sinabi – ayaw yata ng Pilipino ang namumulitika sa panahon ng pandemya. Subukan po nating itigil ang pulitika baka po tumaas nang mas mataas sa 50% ang trust rating at mas mataas pa po sa 57% ang performance rating.

~SPOX Harry Roque

Binalatan ni Fredenil Castro si Allan Velasco sa patuloy na ginagawang paninira sa liderato ng kamara sa pangunguna ni Alan Peter Cayetano.

Si Marinduque Representative Lord Allan Velasco ang Chairman ng committee on energy, at iba niyang kaalyado ay hinamon ni Fredenil Castro na magbitiw na sa kanilang mga pwesto.

“Dahil mahilig din naman sila manawagan sa palabra de honor, panindigan nila itoResign your leadership positions and let those who are willing to help and cooperate take over.” 

“There is no shame in admitting defeat at the hands of the better foe. But it is not fitting to pretend to be part of the team while betraying your colleagues and undermining the efforts of Congress.”

“Opo, kung si Speaker Cayetano nag-offer to resign his officer position para lang maisakatuparan ang napag-usapan na term-sharing, dapat ‘yung mga nasa majority na ‘di na naniniwala sa kanya, mag-offer din ng resignation sa officer post nila at magpakatotoo.”