PAMPANGA Second District Representative and House Speaker Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo brought cheers Friday, January 11, by giving gifts to residents of a remote village in Sasmuan town.
Mrs. Arroyo, together with son returning Congressman Mikey Arroyo, this town’s Mayor Nardo Velasco, and other officials, braved the almost 30-minute boat ride to reach Barangay Batang 1st and meet their constituents.
Upon docking at the coastal village, the mother-and-son tandem held a “kumustahan” with their constituents, then distributed rice packs to some 100 families at the barangay covered court.
Mrs. Arroyo said that she always makes time to visit the Barangay Batang 1st to check on the situation and the needs of the community despite it being a far-flung island and only accessible by boat.
The former president also hosted a luncheon picnic for national and local mediamen where overflowing seafood, which the town is famous for, were served, followed by a press conference.
During the press conference, Mrs. Arroyo said that the House of Representatives has already shifted its focus to its oversight function after it already finished all the Palace-backed legislative agenda.
“We’ve already finished all the legislative agenda that President (Rodrigo) Duterte has asked for during his SONA (State of the Nation Address) so now, we are spending more time on our oversight function,” she said.
Mrs. Arroyo stressed that since there are already existing good laws, all they need is to implement them to ensure that they will serve their purpose in ensuring the orderliness of the system.
She said that she is putting more weight on the enactment of laws related to the campaign against illegal drugs and the ease of doing business which, she described, are the ways to bring about prosperity in the country.
“It will mostly be oversight works. If ever, there is still the bi-cameral ratification but that will also be dependent on the Senate, if they will be able to finish them. We are just waiting for anything that they will return to us,” she said.