MANILA – The Senate is accused of “sabotaging” the Duterte administration after it allegedly decided to “unilaterally” cut down allocation for the Build, Build, Build Program and other priority projects.
Appropriations Committee chairman Rolando Andaya Jr. made the allegation after the Upper House said the amendments introduced by the House of Representatives during bicameral conference meeting were meant to “debilitate” the projects of the executive branch.
On Monday, Andaya emphasized that they did not reduced the budget allocation for infrastructure projects as proposed in the National Expenditure program.
“In fact, the House introduced amendments increasing the budget for infrastructure projects without breaching the total amount pegged by the National Expenditure Program,” he said.
According to him, it was the Senate who deleted some items from the proposed 2019 budget.
This include P5 billion for right-of-way projects under the Department of Transportation; P11 billion from the Department of Public Works and Highways also for the same project; and P2.5 billion under the same department of foreign-assisted projects.
“Depriving the government with funds for right-of-way and other infrastructure projects will surely hamper the implementation of the President’s Build, Build, Build Program,” the congressman said.
The Senate, he added, also took out the following from the General Appropriations Bill:
- P3 billion from the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority for scholarship of rebel returnees, out-of-school youths and rehabilitating drug dependents enrolled under the Universal Access to Tertiary Education;
- P2.254 billion from the Department of Environment and Natural Resources for its National Greening Program,which resulted in 50 percent budget cut for all PENROs except Antique;
- P7.5 billion budget of the Department of Foreign Affairs for SEA Games, but P5 billion transferred to Philippine Sports Commission and P2.5 billion cannot be found;
- P13.4 billion from the Miscellaneous Personnel Benefit Fund, which is one of three sources of money paid to government personnel;
- P39 billion from Pension and Gratuity Fund, which covers the payment for pension of AFP retirees; retirement benefits for optional retirees of the national government; separation benefits or incentives of personnel affected by restructuring, rightsizing, merger, streamlining, abolition or privatization of agencies; and monetization of leave credits of national government personnel.
Meanwhile, Andaya said he is confident that President Rodrigo Duterte restore these items through a veto message.
