Duterte warned vs signing 2019 budget as Senate’s P83-B ‘Build’ cuts bared
Credit to Author: The Manila Times| Date: Mon, 01 Apr 2019 05:49:49 +0000
THE Senate should be held accountable for “cutting down unilaterally” P83 billion worth of projects under President Rodrigo Duterte’s Build, Build, Build Program from the 2019 national budget, a leader of the House of Representatives said on Monday, as he urged the Chief Executive to look into the items that were taken out before signing the measure.
“It is the Senate that may find itself liable to accusation of sabotage when it decided, unilaterally, to cut down the allocation for the President’s Build, Build, Build Program and other priority projects,” said Andaya in a statement.
According to the chairman of the House appropriations committee, the P83 billion worth of items taken out of the 2019 General Appropriations Bill (GAB) by the Senate included, but were not limited to:
- P5 billion for right-of-way projects for the Department of Transportation (DOTr)
- P11 billion for right-of-way projects for the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH)
- P2.5 billion for foreign assisted projects under the DPWH
- P3 billion for scholarship funds under the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority allotted for rebel returnees, out-of-school youths, and rehabilitating drug dependents
- P2.25 billion for the National Greening Program of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR)
- P7.5 billion for the Southeast Asian Games budget (P5 billion of which allegedly transferred to the Philippine Sports Commission and P2.5 billion missing)
- P13.4 billion for the Miscellaneous Personnel Benefit Fund, one of sources of salary of government personnel
- P39 billion for the Pension and Gratuity Fund which would supposedly cover the pension of military personnel and retirees from national and local government units
When asked by The Manila Times why the disclosure was made only now, Andaya’s camp reiterated that “the Senate budget cuts should be considered in review” in the spirit of fairness.
“We wish to emphasize that the details of these budget cuts were not fully discussed in the bicameral conference committee. The senators unilaterally decided on the budget cuts and realigned them to other items based on request of individual proponents,” said Andaya, reiterating that the Senate has yet to reveal who recommended the individual realignments.
Last week, Senate President Vicente “Tito” Sotto 3rd signed “with reservations” the printed copy of the measure, allowing the House to retain its version of P75 billion in itemized funds, which were inserted after the bicameral conference committee report was ratified last February 8. GLEE JALEA
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