Rep. Rolando Andaya Jr. INQUIRER.net file photo / Noy Morcoso
MANILA, Philippines — Senate’s move to stand pat on their decision to go back to lump-sum budgeting rather than adopt line-item budgeting for the 2019 national budget would restore “huge” allocations in districts of former House leaders, appropriations panel chair Rolando Andaya Jr. said Thursday.
In a statement, the Camarines Sur congressman said they had previously released the list of congressmen who were allotted with projects ranging from P2 billion to P8 billion per district.
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“Is this equitable? Is this conscionable?” he asked. “If the senators will remain steadfast in defending the lump-sum funds, this practice will remain and only the favored districts will get their share of the taxpayers’ money.”
“While we aim for equitable distribution among districts, the Senate obviously wants to restore a budget that is unfair and lopsided,” Andaya added.
The passage of the proposed P3.8 trillion 2019 General Appropriations Bill remains in limbo as Senate has yet to approve the budget bill that the House transmitted. Senators have been pushing to retain the ratified version of the spending bill with lump-sum appropriations, while the House contingent wants the budget that they itemized after both chambers ratified it.
‘Senate did the same’
The district lawmaker further explained that the bicameral conference report the Senate and the House approved contained lump-sum funds, which they agreed to itemize after ratification.
“Our last day for itemization: March 3. The Senate did the same and sent their ‘realignments’ to the chairman of the House Appropriations Committee beginning February 11, three days after it was ratified in the plenary,” Andaya noted.
“The last day that the Senate wrapped up the realignments: March 7. Nauna pang natapos ang House of Representatives. Still, nothing unconstitutional, illegal or irregular,” he added.
Andaya then argued that since both chambers adopted the same procedure, “if what the House did was illegal, then the Senate is equally guilty.”
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Senate President Vicente Sotto III again said earlier that they wanted the House to recall the budget bill it sent to the Senate and amend it, or let the President veto it. He also suggested that they could convene a one-day special session to “pass a joint resolution approving a supplemental budget for that particular portion of the budget.”
In response to this, Andaya said they “welcome any effort to break the budget impasse,” but maintained their earlier position.
“Our lines remain open for a dialogue with the Senate. Set the date and place, we will be there,” he added. /jpv
READ: Sotto: Senate open to special session to break budget impasse
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