Pasig Rep. Roman Romulo today said the SSS pension fiasco could have been avoided if the administration had made use of the Legislative-Executive Advisory Council (LEDAC) to iron out differences on the proposed law.
“The Executive could have made its position clear earlier on, through the LEDAC, so the issues now being raised in defense of the President’s veto would have been threshed out and settled,” he said.
“The ruling majority have raised the expectations of our senior citizens and their families by passing this proposed law and will, as it is said, reap the whirlwind,” said Romulo.
The Pasig lawmaker said that he will back a motion to override the President’s veto but admitted that it may not pass because the ruling majority has bowed to the will of the Executive.
Romulo said this is the second time that Congress reversed its position on legislative measures that aim to expand the benefits arising from a strengthening of the economy to the toiling majority.
He cited the junking of the proposed income tax cuts by Congress after opposition of the Department of Finance and the Bureau of Internal Revenue.
“Our credibility as an institution, as one of the three pillars of government, has been eroded because we do not stand by our word. Congress proposes but the Executive disposes,” Romulo said
“The LEDAC is there precisely to make sure that we, who are sworn to serve the people, do not waste public funds by going through exercises in futility,” he stressed.
