Senate panel asked to justify additions, reductions in 2018 budget

By Azer Parrocha  

MANILA -- A day after the Senate approved on final reading its version of the 2018 national budget, a senator on Thursday asked the Senate Committee on Finance to justify the substantial additions and reductions that the committee proposed under the PHP3.767-trillion 2018 national budget.

"We cannot leave our people in the dark as it would only fuel speculations that pork barrel is still thriving despite the Supreme Court's decision declaring it unconstitutional," Senate Minority Leader Franklin Drilon said in a statement.

Drilon made this call after noticing that the budget of some agencies next year significantly increased while the others decreased.

He said that it would also help shed some light on the budget following concerns of the public regarding the alleged presence of pork barrel.

The Senate minority leader asked Senator Loren Legarda, chair of the Senate Committee on Finance, to submit in plenary the justifications for the amendments that are over PHP1 billion “in the spirit of transparency.”

Moreover, he also wanted that the proponents of the amendments to be specified and spread into the record.

Drilon particularly wanted to know the following:

• Why the Department of Interior and Local Government, where the Philippine National Police's budget is lodged, is proposed a substantial addition of PHP1.65 billion in next year's budget

• Why the Bureau of Customs budget was increased by PHP1.49 billion

• Why the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency, which was recently tasked to implement the administration's anti-drug campaign, is proposed to receive additional PHP1.21 in its budget

• Why the Department of Public Works and Highways budget decreased by PHP26.40 billion

• Why the budget of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources was also decreased by PHP1.84 billion.

• Why items in the budget decreased by billions of pesos including the Pension and Gratuity Fund, whose proposed budget under the Senate version decreased by PHP17.08 billion, and the National Disaster Risk Reduction Fund with PHP8.1 billion decrease, and the Miscellaneous Personnel Benefits Fund with PHP4.66 billion reduction.

The Senate and the House of Representatives convened in a bicameral conference committee on Thursday to discuss their disagreeing provisions. (PNA)