Lawmaker wants Congress, president recognized for program approvals 

MANILA, Philippines — The national government, as well as members of Congress, who support and approve the budget for agencies, should be recognized in programs and projects in local communities, a lawmaker urged Monday.

Deputy Speaker and Ilocos Sur 1st District Rep. Deogracias Victor Savellno issued this call after noting that projects of the Philippine Rice Research Institute (PhilRice) do  not recognize the Duterte government and members of Congress.

He claimed that local government units (LGUs) take the credit for the projects of PhilRice.

“Ang nakakainis lang dito, since you mentioned you get your budget approved by Congress, ‘pag nagbigay ng mga rice, hindi na mine-mention ang pangalan ng Pangulong Duterte,” Savellano said in a House hearing.

(What is annoying here is that the projects do not mention the name of President Duterte even though your budget is approved by Congress.)

“LGU na lang ang nagpapabida doon, na nagsasabi sila na mamimigay kami but they never mention the President. They never mention na ito ay nangagagaling sa probinsya, approved by members of Congress,” he added.

(The LGUs take the credit. They never mention the President. They never mention that this is from the provincial government approved by members of Congress.)

He proposed that PhilRice, along with other government agencies, establish a “very simple” program to inform the people that projects down to the local communities stem from the initiative of the national government headed by the President.

“All government agencies, sabihin naman natin saan nanggagaling yan, especially na nandyan ‘yung Pangulo natin. Pagbaba kasi sa LGU, naeetsepwera na ‘yung national government na nagbigay ng mga ito,” Savellano said.

(All government agencies should tell the people where the funds of the projects came from.)

Agencies should also inform lawmakers of such projects since they are the ones who approve the budgets of government agencies, Savellano said.

Pangasinan 6th District Rep. Tyrone Agabas and Nueva Vizcaya Rep. Luisa Cuaresma supported the proposal of Savellano.

“Ang nangyayari na kami na sumusupport sa inyo, binabalewala niyo naman kami,” Cuaresma said.

(We support you but you ignore us.)

“May mga sumupport din sa budget ninyo dapat lagi sabihin din that the funds, pag binigay sa LGU, inform the LGU na itong mga ito ay funded by the national government approved in Congress,” she added.

(The LGU should be informed that such projects are funded by the national government and approved by Congress.)

For its part, PhilRice said it will direct its regional directors to inform lawmakers of such projects.

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