"In 2022, shortly after I assumed the post of House committee on appropriations chairman, Speaker Romualdez immediately instructed me that I needed to deliver P2 billion per month," he said in Filipino.

“Counting on our people’s resilience is no longer an option,” Belmonte said. “They deserve long-term solutions. We must therefore intensify our efforts and strengthen our systems so they can better support our communities in the years ahead.”