Lacson to House: Bridge LGU needs, 2019 budget
Credit to Author: Bernadette Tamayo| Date: Sun, 29 Dec 2019 17:03:52 +0000
SEN. Panfilo Lacson has urged members of the House of Representatives to attend meetings of local development councils in crafting projects to end the “big disconnect” between the needs of local government units (LGUs) and the national budget.
The senator expressed hope that the coming year “may finally mark the beginning of the end for the ‘disconnect’ that has shut out far-flung towns and provinces from much-needed funding for their development programs.”
“So long as this disconnect exists, poor provinces will get poorer because they cannot get the funding for the projects that will address their needs and priorities,” Lacson said.
The senator has been advocating for empowering LGUs to pursue key development projects, by providing them with much-needed funding. His proposed bill, the Budget Reform for Village Empowerment Act of 2019, underscores his commitment.
He said for the P4.1-trillion budget for 2020, projects initiated by the regional development councils accounted for only 25 percent of development projects in President Rodrigo Duterte’s budget. “Yet, LGUs, especially those in far-flung areas, are in the best position to know their constituents’ needs and priorities.”
He also hopes that 2020 will finally “mark the beginning of the end as well of attempts to manipulate the budget to accommodate the interest of the chosen few.”
Lacson has reiterated his appeal to Filipinos to remain vigilant against abuses in the budget and report them to the authorities concerned.