THE members of the Visayas Bloc in the House of Representatives vowed to lobby for more funds and resources for the Visayas.
Bacolod City Lone District Representative Alfredo Abelardo Benitez, lead convenor of the group, said he convened the bloc last week and briefed its new members on how it was created, along with its goals and direction.
“It’s our goal to provide more allocations and resources for the Visayas,” he said.
He added that the group, formed in 2012, includes all congressmen in the Negros Island Region, and that House Speaker Faustino Dy III is aware of their activities.
The Visayas Bloc, composed of at least 50 lawmakers from the region, will meet with Dy within the week.
Benitez said the bloc aims to strengthen collaboration toward meaningful reforms and progress for the Visayas.
On issues requiring a vote, he said members agreed to respect the unanimous decision of the bloc and vote as one.
“This is one of our internal agreements,” he said.
The group also discussed realigning all 2026 flood control projects to other agencies to give the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) time to validate, review and audit its programs.
Benitez said he is considering a full overhaul of government departments, including renaming the DPWH to show that reforms have been initiated.
“When you say flood control projects, corruption — the stigma is there (with the DPWH). So, we need to overhaul all the departments, including the DPWH’s name,” he said.
He added that the P255 billion allotted for DPWH’s 2026 flood control projects has been realigned to the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), Department of Health (DOH), and housing programs.
The lawmaker also disclosed that he is proposing to integrate technology or artificial intelligence (AI) into the budget process to ensure it cannot be easily manipulated. (MAP)