CHR budget not enough: del Mar

Rep. Raul V. Del Mar (Cebu City North) yesterday said that he voted in favor of the P508 million 2018 annual budget of the Commission on Human Rights (CHR) as recommended by the Department of Budget and Management (DBM).

Del Mar said that the DBM-proposed CHR 2018 annual budget was lesser than the CHR 2017 annual budget of P678 million.

Del Mar believed that the P508 million proposed 2018 CHR budget is insufficient.

Del Mar said that it is unfortunate that the House of Representatives has not fully restored the allocation of adequate resources for CHR that it may fully perform its mandate.

“At least, this Chamber (House of Representatives) has been enlightened enough to reconsider the outrageous and preposterous motion to reduce the CHR budget to a pittance of just P1,000,” del Mar said.

Del Mar said the proposal is unconstitutional as it would effectively prevent a constitutional office such as CHR from performing its functions that have been provided for in the 1987 Constitution.

Del Mar said that if Congress takes the view that the CHR must do more, then the legislators should be prepared to give it more resources, not less.

“We should note that the proposed National Expenditure Plan submitted by DBM already reduced the CHR’s original request of P1.7 billion for 2018. The DBM only recommended P508 million,” del Mar said.

Del Mar said that for the House to further reduce the budget to P1,000 for 2018 sends the wrong signal about the importance of the human rights office.

“We must strengthen our institutions, not weaken them,” del Mar said.