Makabayan bloc slams immediate termination of budget deliberations

MEMBERS of the Makabayan bloc have protested the immediate termination of the budget deliberations for the Office of the President (OP) and Office of the Vice President (OVP) as they were not allowed to ask questions.

In a statement on Thursday, Sept. 15, 2022, House Deputy Minority Leader and ACT Teachers Party-List Rep. France Castro said the Congress is allowing the proposed budget of the OP and OVP go without any questions especially on “so much lump sums.” The House Committee on Appropriations terminated the briefings on the OP budget two weeks ago and the OVP budget on Wednesday, Sept. 14, without allowing lawmakgovernment ers to ask questions and clarification, as a “sign of respect.” Scrutiny of the proposed budgets of the OP and OVP is allowed during the plenary session.

Castro said the Congress should do away with the practice of servility to the two top government officials of the country and instead perform its mandate of guarding public funds.

She cited the unprecedented P500 million in confidential funds under the OVP that “may pose as a national security risk as even the president is not privy on where and how it would be spent.” Castro expressed worry that such funds can be used for surveillance and finance a coup against the President because it is a highly secretive type of fund.

“Another issue is the burgeoning of operational funds supposedly for ‘Good Governance Engagements and Social Service Projects.’ [It] endangers civilian supremacy because such projects gives excessive entanglement of the military in civilian functions, civilian government,” said Castro.

“As it is, the funds for Good Governance Entanglements MOOE increased from P523.785 million to P2.069 billion, while its capital outlay (CO) increased from 0 to P32.5 million… Since 2013, only in GAA (General Appropriations Act) 2021 (P6 million) and NEP (National Expenditure Program) 2023 (P32.5 million) that its CO was funded,” she added.

The lawmakers said those matters needed to be clarified, noting that such funds can be better utilized if they are realigned to the Department of Education, Department of Health, or the Department of Social Welfare and Development. / TPM / SUNSTAR