Lawmaker slams House leadership for not allowing objections in budget deliberations

MANILA, Philippines — Alliance of Concerned Teachers (ACT) party-list Rep. Antonio Tinio slammed the House leadership after his objection was not allowed to be heard during the ratification of the 2019 budget on Friday.

According to Tinio, the move to deny the hearing of objections and the voting method used —  viva voce — are proof that the ratification of the 2019 General Appropriations Act (GAA) was a sham.

“Yet again, the ratification of the 2019 GAA has been exposed as a sham. Bawal mag-object (You cannot object),” he said in a message to reporters.

“Ayaw nilang malagay sa record na may pagtutol sa dambuhalang pork barrel insertions na sinalaksak nila sa budget (They do not want to put on record the objections to the huge pork barrel insertions in the budget),” he added.

Had the House voted to ratify the P3.757 budget nominally, votes against it would be placed on record. Viva voce voting, however, means that members decide just by saying “ayes” and “nays.”

Earlier in the day, both chambers of Congress ratified the budget despite the presence of “pork” in the budget.

READ: Senate ratifies P3.757-T national budget for 2019

READ: House ratifies P3.8-T proposed 2019 budget

House committee on appropriations chair Camarines Sur 1st District Rep. Rolando Andaya Jr. previously said that P75 billion worth of funds were inserted in the budget, with P70 billion going to senators.

The remaining P5 billion was divided among 292 House members, with each member getting a guaranteed P160 million for their pet projects./ee

READ: Reenacted budget looms over pork