A TEACHERS’ group dared new Speaker Lord Allan Velasco to provide ample funds to ensure education continuity.

The Alliance of Concerned Teachers said Velasco must prove that his “never-say-die effort” to clinch the top post at the House of Representatives is more than a bid to corner budget spoils for his camp.

Velasco took the speakership post after he was elected on Monday by 186 lawmakers. Alan Peter Cayetano resigned as speaker on Tuesday.

“In the past days, we cannot but watch in disgust lawmakers bickering over lucrative positions, all while our teachers struggle with printers and internet connection, studying siblings compete for gadget use, and food and education compete in the family budget. It is now upon Speaker Velasco to prove that he has nobler intentions by relieving us of our current sufferings under a poorly-funded education program amid the pandemic,” Raymond Basilio, ACT secretary general, said.

Basilio called on the House to resume regular budget hearings which were cut short when Cayetano called for the sudden budget approval and declared a recess last week to prevent Velasco from taking his post.

“We expect no less than the proper and transparent conduct of budget deliberations, giving sufficient opportunity for public scrutiny, and adjustments based on the people’s concrete demands for a pandemic-responsive 2021 budget, which should carry in its priorities the delivery of accessible and quality education to our youth amid the pandemic,” Basilio said.

He explained that the proposed 2021 budget does not provide the needed funds for appropriate learning materials and devices, learning support programs, school safety measures and adequate benefits for education workers.

“DepEd’s distance learning hangs by a thread due to the government’s abandonment of its duty to provide sufficient subsidy to education and scant funding in 2021 is sure to be the final straw that will break the back of education continuity. Significant changes need to be done to the problematic 2021 proposed budget, which prioritizes war, corruption and foreign interests over health, economic recovery and social services. Is Speaker Velasco here to make things right or is he just here to be the man who will deliver President Duterte his budget wish? We will know in the coming days,” Basilio said.