Some senators not in favor of reenacted budget for 2019

PHOTO Courtesy of Sen. Joel Villanueva

“We don’t want a reenacted budget,” Senator Joel Villanueva said on Monday.

This sentiment, he said, was shared by many senators when they met in a caucus attended by 17 members of the majority bloc led by Senate President Vicente “Tito” Sotto III.

“I think malinaw kanina, we all don’t want a re-enacted budget,” Villanueva added.

He pointed out that a re-enacted budget would not only mean having lump sumps as it would also affect the government’s “Build, Build, Build” program.

Senator Sherwin Gatchalian, in an interview at the Senate, also expressed hopes there will be no reenacted budget next year.

“Ang capital outlay comes from the budget and kung ma re-enact yan hindi magkakaroon ng capital expenditure,” Gatchalian said.

Cash-based budget for 2019

It was Budget Secretary Benjamin Diokno who earlier raised the possibility of having a reenacted budget next year after the House of Representatives rejected the proposed cash-based P3.757-trillon national budget for 2019.

“We are studying all the options, including the reenacted budget of 2018,” Diokno said.

READ: Executive eyes reenacted budget as an option for 2019 – Diokno

A case-based budget means that agencies would have to use their approved budgets within the fiscal year while the traditional obligation-based system allows budget spending within a two-year period.

Sotto said the Senate has decided during a caucus not get a stand on the proposed cash-based system.

“After some debates, we decided not to get a position for the Senate whether it should be cash-based or not,” he told reporters.

“We will follow the constitutional route. We’ll wait for the General Appropriations Bill from the House,” the Senate leader said in a separate text message.

However, both Villanueva and Gatchalian have openly expressed their support for the cash-based budget.

“I am for the cash-based budget because it is a way to improve the utilization of funds by government agencies which has long been a problem of our bureaucracy,” Villanueva said.

The senator said he hopes the House and the Department of Budget and Management would continue to talk to address any “misunderstanding” and “confusion” about the cash-based budget.

“Ako I am for cash-based system,” Gatchalian said, adding that this would solve underspending especially for projects.   /vvp