LINGAYEN, Pangasinan, Oct. 14 (PNA) — Refuting allegations he was among legislators who disapproved the salary increase sought by teachers, second district Rep. Leopoldo Bataoil assured his support to the mentors.
“I’ve been very supportive of the welfare of the teachers,” he said, adding that he came from a family of teachers.
The congressman is also a co-sponsor of the proposal for Magna Carta for day care teachers around the country.
“We will do everything we can to have the bill approved in the 16th Congress, Bataoil said.
Meanwhile, Bataoil also responded to the alleged claim of former congressman Mark Cojuangco that his vice-chairmanships in certain House committees and the projects being awarded to his district were given to him because of his affiliation with the Nationalist People’s Coalition (NPC).
Bataoil is with NPC but since there is a falling out between Cojuangco, the party provincial chairman, and Gov. Amado Espino Jr., he (Bataoil) is likely to side with Espino.
He remarked, “It’s because we deserve the projects and because of the recommendations of line agencies, not because of party affiliations.”
He underscored that the new system of budget allocation for projects, following the scrapping of priority development assistance fund (PDAF), is largely up to the evaluation of the line agencies.
Asked of his political plan for 2016, Bataoil maintained that his focus is on work.
He quipped, “I am focused on my job in the district…I believe that’s how it should be to focus our energies to our mandate, to our job to our people.”
However, he also mentioned, “Our constituents are clamoring for continuous development and various projects.”
He said that the Lingayen Baywalk is expected to be expanded all the way towards the east in San Isidro Norte, Binmaley national road and to the west toward El Puerto Marina resort by next year.
Bataoil is a vice chairman of the House Committees on Appropriations, Veterans Affair, Public Information and members other committees such as public order and safety and good governance. (PNA)