Abaya all set to leave Congress for DOTC

INCOMING Transportation and Communications chief Joseph Emilio Abaya is all set to leave the House of Representatives after the third reading approval of the proposed 2013 national budget in Monday's plenary session.

"All my bags are packed, I am ready to go," Abaya, the incumbent first district representative of Cavite, said. 

As the chairman of the House committee on appropriations, the three-term lawmaker defends the proposed P2.006-trillion budget before the 286-member House of Representatives. 

After the third-reading approval of the budget in the House of Representatives and Senate, a bicameral conference committee (bicam) will be created to reconcile the conflicting provisions in their version of the budget bill.
 
After the bicam report is ratified in both chambers, the proposed General Appropriations Act will be sent to Malacanang for President Benigno Aquino III's signature. 

Abaya was appointed as secretary of the Department of Transportation and Communications replacing Secretary Mar Roxas who transferred to the Department of Interior and Local Government after the tragic plane crash of the late Interior Secretary Jesse Robredo.

"I'm just waiting for my oath-taking, still looking for a slot with the President’s schedule," Abaya said. (Kathrina Alvarez/Sunnex)