Hindi raw maaring itanggi ng Senado na binawasan nito ang alokasyon ng ilan sa priority programs at projects ng Duterte administration sa ilalim ng 2019 proposed national budget.
Sa isang statement, sinabi ni House Appropriations Committee chairman Rolando Andaya Jr. na malinaw na nakasaad sa enrolled copy ng proposed budget ang P83.9 billion na realignment ng Senado para sa kanilang pet programs at projects sa iba’t ibang ahensya ng pamahalaan.
“These figures are official records beyond approach” ani Andaya.
Ginawa aniya ng Senado ang adjustments na ito pagkatapos na ratipikahan ang Bicameral Conference Report ng proposed budget, at isinumite sa Kamara paisa-isa hanggang noong Marso 8, 2019.
“These adjustments were submitted to the House appropriations committe by members of the Senate’s Legislative Budget Research and Monitoring Office begining February 11, or three days after Congress ratified the 2019 budget on February 8,” giit ng kongresista.
Sinabi ni Andaya na ang pinakamalaking realignment ay ginawa sa Department of Public Works and Highways sa halagang P26 billon para pondohan ang infrastructure projects ng Senado, sunod ang Department of Health na nabigyan ng dagdag na P17 billion na alokasyon.
Bukod dito, nakatanggap din ang Mataas na Kapulungan ng dagdag na alokasyon (P1.7 billion0, gayundin ang Office of the Vice President (P215 million), Department of Agriculture (P597 million), Department of Education (P2.5 billion), Department of Energy (P110 million), State Universities and Colleges (P2.5 billion), Department of Environment and Natural Resources (P289 million), Department of Information and Communication Technology (P2 billion), Department of Interior and Local Government (P1.2 billion), Department of Justice (P1.3 million), Department of Labor and Employment (P2.1 million), at Assistance to Local Government Units (P997 million).
Sinabi ni Andaya na “fully documented” ang mga realignment na ito kaya hindi raw maaring itanggi ng ilang mga senador ang kanilang ginawa.
