We used to come out with a litany of events, achievers and non-performing assets, losers and winners, tragedy and success and ironies as a year-ended.
This year however the institution that made it on the headlines of the print and broadcast media is the House of Representatives. The year 2024 and what and how we are today are the making of HoR. They keep the purse of the government and control how the funds are allocated. The House of Romualdez invented tools like “ayuda”” where billions of people’s taxes are spent initially in an attempt to change or amend the constitution to advance the ambition of the Speaker closer to Malacanang.
The insidious plot however did not sit well with the people and the religious sector.
“Ayuda” moreover stayed on as strategy to win votes. The treasury was hemorrhaging. To replenish the government coffers, the government leadership transferred billions of pesos from GSIS, SSS, PhilHealth, Maharlika and of late the Philippine Deposit Insurance Corporation. Tons of gold bullions from the Bangko Sentral were surreptitiously sold.
The daylight heist has to be kept secret from the nation the House Leadership has to find a way to cover it up. Ergo the endless hearing on how the Vice President spent the OVP’s ₱125-million confidential intelligence fund and the later made their polluted output as basis to impeach her.
Three charges had been filed and one more to follow. Each of the same content and filed by the same crop of legislators not a few of whom were members and supporters of the outlawed CPP/NPA terrorists.
To call the House of Representative as the most corrupt institution is too kind for it has creatively came up with strategies that had made the Executive Department too puny. Meaning it does not only displayed its power on how the national budget is to be expended, in effect it does not need Malacanang Palace imprimatur where the money will go to. It silences the Upper Chamber a morsel with a few billions to keep quiet.
Speaker Martin Romualdez gave credence to former President Rodrigo Duterte’s description of Pres. Bongbong Marcos as a weak leader. Now It’s up for PBBM to negate that and show to his cousin who is the boss.
The nation of course is watching. You can give one prospective voter an “ayuda” in exchange for his vote, there will be dozens other who will be angry. Let’s watch what will happen on the 13th when Iglecia Ni Cristo will rally the nation to a massive protest.
