House panel clears Office of the President budget

THE P6.773-billion budget of the Office of the President (OP) was approved on Wednesday by the House Appropriations Committee after less than 10 minutes of deliberation with no interpellation.

The Committee also approved in a succeeding hearing the P447.68 million budget of the Office of the Vice-President (OVP), about P100 million less than the previous allocation, with an unresolved appeal from Vice-President Maria Leonor G. Robredo for additional funds.

The OP budget, according to Executive Secretary Salvador C. Medialdea, is 12.32% higher than the P6.03 billion granted under the General Appropriations Act of 2018.

“The increase takes into account the inflation rate, the implementation of the Salary Standardization Law, retrofitting of old buildings, and replacement of worn-out equipment,” Mr. Medialdea said during the hearing.

Of the total, P1.078 billion is intended for personnel services, P5.184 billion for maintenance and other operating expenses (MOOE), and P511.66 million for capital outlays.

Meanwhile, Ms. Robredo said the OVP proposed a small increase from 2018 but instead saw major cuts.

“If you look at this, our budget for 2018 was P543.95 million. We proposed P549 million for 2019. That is just an additional 6 million, but what was recommended by DBM (Department of Budget and Management) is about P100 million less from last year,” Ms. Robredo said during the hearing.

The approved OVP budget includes P94.56 million for personnel services, P350.12 million for MOOE, and P3 million for capital outlays.

Ms. Robredo said the reduction in the budget will affect the OVP’s livelihood assistance program, and asked for at least the restoration of funding to 2018 levels.

“So, we would like to make this appeal… I hope the old budget can be restored. The office has been used to working within our means,” she said, addressing Appropriations Committee chair Karlo Alexei B. Nograles. She also suggested that the extent of the 2019 reduction is unprecedented, and added that the funding she is seeking is “not for operations but for livelihood assistance.”

The OVP, through its Angat Buhay initiative, assists 176 local government units in providing livelihoods, jobs, education, housing, food security and nutrition, universal health care as well as empowerment programs for women.

Mr. Nograles responded: “We’re trying to resolve all these things within our means as well,” and assured the vice-president that the committee will find ways to resolve her funding issues.

Asked to comment on whether the budget cuts are politically motivated, Ms. Robredo declined to speculate, noting that many other government agencies also had their budgets cut.

“It’s hard to speculate because as you know it’s not just the OVP. Many other agencies experienced cuts,” she said.

“Whatever the reason, we are appealing for more funds. If you look at out funding utilization, everything is above board,” she added, claiming a 95% fund utilization level for 2017.

“For 2017, our utilization was 95% so fund usage is not an issue,” she said, adding that the OVP budget is less than the funding allocated for (Congressional) districts. We really plan to appeal the cuts,” she said. —