MANILA, Philippines — The Senate is eyeing to slash the budgets of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH), the Department of Education (DepEd) and the Department of Transportation (DOTr) over its unused appropriations, Senator Panfilo “Ping” Lacson said Thursday.
Lacson said the DPWH, the DepEd and the DOTr are the top three agencies with the biggest unused appropriations, hence the need to realign some of its budget to other government programs that need prioritization.
“The top three na mga agencies na malalaki yung unused appropriations, the usual, the DPWH, DepEd, DOTr. Pag tinignan naman natin yung mga disbursement over obligations, nakakadismaya din kasi 36 percent, 39 percent, meaning yung nilalabas nilang pera na pambayad, ganon lang kaliit kumpara sa kanilang obligasyon,” Lacson said during the Kapihan sa Senado forum.
(The top three agencies that have the biggest unused appropriations are the usual, DPWH, DepEd, DOTr. When we look at their disbursement over obligations, 36 percent, 39 percent is dismaying because this means what they use is that small compared to their obligations.)
Lacson said senators have discussed that there are agencies whose budgets need to be cut and realigned other programs that the government has to fund.
“So tinanong din natin lahat yan at napapagusapan namin mga senador, may mga departamento, mga agencies na kailangan talagang kaltasan para mailipat doon sa mga mas mahahalaga na dapat pagkagastusan ng gobyerno,” he added.
(The senators have discussed that there are departments, agencies whose budgets need to be cut to realign to programs that are more important and need the government’s funding.)
Lacson reasoned the budget of these agencies will be realigned to fund health and education, specifically the Free Tuition Act, that need prioritization,
“Health, education, sinasabi natin lagi. Para naman lang may makita tayong bumalik sa atin doon sa pagtaas lagi ng buwis na binabayaran natin,” Lacson said when asked where the budget will be realigned.
(Health, education, that’s what we always say. So that we can see the result of the increasing taxes that we pay.)
“Pero naka specify yung item sa CHED. Pag sinabi nating education, hindi sa Deped. Pwede nating sabihing, yung hindi nagagastos sa DepEd, pwede nating ilagay na lang pangtulong sa Free Tuition Act,” he added.
(But the item specified is for CHED [Commission on Higher Education]. When we say education, it’s not for DepEd. We can say that what is not being appropriated by DepEd will be realigned to the Free Tuition Act.)