BATANGAS CITY – A proposed resolution proclaiming the House of Representatives’ commitment to the passage of a supplemental budget for victims of the Taal Volcano eruption was expected to be taken up and was expected to be adopted by congressmen who held a historic regular session outside the usual Batasang Pambansa venue in Quezon City.
Another legislative measure calls for the immediate release of funds for aid relief, resettlement, rehabilitation, livelihood, development, and social programs and services to communities hit by the destructive eruption was filed by Batangas solons but was nowhere to be found in yesterday’s agenda.
House Speaker Alan Peter Cayetano opened the the first out-of-town regular session at the Batangas City Convention Center here at 1:30 p.m.
Holding a regular session outside the august halls of the Batasan session hall is not prohibited as the House rules are silent on the mandatory venue for regular sessions.
Cayetano admitted that the session is unprecedented not only due to the choice of venue but also to the fact that House members have thrown caution to the wind by being at the province that could be at the center of another volcanic eruption.
Meanwhile, at least P100 million per day is being spent for the food and water of the evacuees displaced by the eruption of the Taal Volcano, Batangas Gov. Hermilando Mandanas said.
Mandanas said the figure was based on the assessment and computation conducted a few days ago for the more or less 200,000 evacuees staying in evacuation centers and approximately 800,000 others who have been staying with their relatives.
“We are spending P100 a day for each of the evacuee, that includes the food and water,” said Mandanas. “But that is for the food alone, it does not include other basic needs like soap, toohpaste and others,” he added. (Ben Rosario and Aaron Recuenco)