Sen. Ralph Recto (File photo by GRIG C. MONTEGRANDE / Philippine Daily Inquirer)
MANILA, Philippines— Like congressmen, senators have local constituencies to serve.
Senate President Pro Tempore Ralph Recto said this amid talks of huge “pork” insertions in the 2019 national budget.
The latest of which was Senator Panfilo Lacson’s allegations that congressmen have P160 million “pork” each and “billions more for a few others,” and P23 billion for some senators on the budget of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) alone.
READ: Ping: Pork per House member increased to P160 million
Recto admitted introducing own amendments to the budget, including P68 billion worth of “institutional” amendments that are not part of Malacanang’s submission to Congress.
“I did submit amendments. Most senators did,” Recto said in a text message Friday night.
“Most senators have hometowns and provinces. They are familiar with their constituents needs not to mention requests.”
He said they submit their amendments to the chair of the Senate committee on finance, and “if meritorious, maybe carried and if not at least we referred them to the appropriate officers.”
“Just like institutional amendments,” Recto pointed out.
“All senators or representatives have a duty to fulfill. To speak for their constituents and advocacies. And at the end of the day we all vote on it. That’s democracy.”
“Incidentally, I also have P68 billion worth of institutional amendments,” he said.
Of these amendments, P18 billion was allotted for Universal Health Care, P10 billion for Coco Levy and Coconut Modernization Law, P10 billion for Rice Tariffication Law, and P30 billion for Bangsamoro Organic Law.
“The executive did not include them in the NEP (National Expenditure Program),” Recto said.
NEP is Malacanang’s original proposal of the national budget submitted to Congress annually.
The Senate and the House of Representatives have yet to reconcile in a conference their versions of the 2019 national budget.