Pimentel, Belmonte: May 14 elections to push through

Leaders of Congress assured the nation yesterday that the May 14 combined congressional and local elections will be held as scheduled.

Guesting in the Balitaan forum at the Rembrandt Hotel in Quezon City, Senate President Aquilino Pimentel Jr. and Speaker Feliciano Belmonte Jr. said the needed P2.4 billion funding for the elections is already in place.

Pimentel said the Senate has approved without amendment a House-passed bill appropriating such amount for the May polls.

Belmonte said a clean copy of the bill will now be printed and sent to Malacañang for President Arroyo’s signature.

The two leaders said with the funding now assured, people should no longer entertain fears that the elections might be canceled.

Pimentel said Mrs. Arroyo should fill the vacancies in the Commission on Elections so that the poll body could prepare for the congressional and local polls.

He also said the Senate will not have enough time to tackle the proposed P715 billion 2001 national budget which the House had approved last month.

"With five session days to go before we adjourn for the election campaign, we can no longer take it up," he said.

Lawmakers are going on a four-month break beginning next Thursday. They will resume session on June 4.

Pimentel said they will try to approve the budget in June.

He said he has suggested to Mrs. Arroyo that her administration could perhaps try to refocus the outlay and submit proposed changes to Congress.

"This budget is an Estrada initiative. I am sure President Arroyo has her own priorities for which she may want to realign some funds," he added.

Belmonte said even if the budget is passed in June, no harm would be done to the bureaucracy and government functions.

Last year’s budget was automatically reenacted last Jan. 1 and it would take care of salaries and the operation of government, he said.

For his part, Rep. Prospero Pichay (Lakas, Surigao del Sur) said the present Congress has to pass the 2001 budget before June even if it means holding a special session for such purpose.

He said the present set of lawmakers would be abdicating an important duty if it leaves the task of approving the budget to the next Congress.

Pimentel and Belmonte urged the people to support the Arroyo administration.

"I ask businessmen in particular not to lay off workers and labor not to go on strikes, lockouts or similar mass actions," said the Senate leader.

Belmonte said at this time when the economy is fragile, all sectors should support the present administration "for the sake of every Filipino."