By BEN ROSARIO
AFTER two weeks of extended plenary deliberations, the House of Representatives ended Wednesday night debates on the proposed P3.757 trillion national budget, unanimously passing the measure on second reading.
Budgetary controversies that included the so-called P51.79 billion “parked pork barrel”, the assailed cash-based budgeting and the deferment of budget deliberations for the P1.41 billion allocation for the Presidential Communications Operations Office, were raised and resolved throughout the budget process that started July 23.
The approval is first under the leadership of former president and Speaker Gloria Macapagal Arroyo who took over the reins of the Lower House in July.
The proposed budget is higher by P439.4 billion or 13.2 percent than the current national allocation of P3.38 trillion.
In his turno-en-contra speech, Minority Leader and Quezon Rep. Danilo Suarez aired strong misgivings over the the disappointing absorptive capacity of various agencies that are unable to spend the allocations granted by government, thereby, slowing down the country’s progress.
“Why do we need to raise more money and burden our taxpayers when government agencies and departments are unable to make full use of the monies given them?” he asked.
Suarez also lamented that the armed services and protection agencies, referring to the Department of National Defense and the Department of Interior and Local Government, received P250 billion and P232 billion each, there remains strong doubts over the continued killings under the Duterte government’s war on drugs.
Nevertheless, Suarez lauded Arroyo for her “admirable work ethic”, pointing out that she spent long hours with House members to ensure the passage on time of the proposed General Appropriations Act.
As usual, both the House majority and minority groups agreed to create a small committee that will accept, study and recommend amendments to the proposed budget.
The proposed budget retained priority expenditures for education, infrastructure, and interior government departments.
The education sector education will get the biggest slice of P659.3 billion, about P72.2 billion more than what it received this year.
Successful infrastructure projects implemented by Secretary Mark Villar inspired the Department of Budget and Management to allocate P555.7 billion for the Department of Public Works and Highways.
The amount marks a 68.29 percent or P225.5 billion increase from the current year, thus, giving a strong financial backing to the Duterte government’s “build, build, build program.”
Peace and order also ranked high in the Duterte government’s priorities as the Lower House approved a P225.6 billion allocation for the Department of Interior and Local Government.
