Ombudsman wants P1.258-B additional budget after DBM cut

MANILA, Philippines — The Office of the Ombudsman on Monday asked lawmakers for an additional P1.258 billion to its 2021 budget after its proposed funding was cut by the Department of Budget and Management (DBM).

During the Senate deliberations on the budget of the Office of the Ombudsman, Assistant Ombudsman Weomark Layson presented to the chamber’s finance committee the office’s P3.36 billion proposed budget for 2021.

“The budget is P742 million or 22.07 percent lower than the current program of P4.105 billion,” Layson pointed out.

He added that the Office of the Ombudsman had initially proposed a P4.678-billion budget, which is 39.09 percent higher than what the DBM had actually recommended in the 2021 National Expenditure Program (NEP).

“We would like to request the restoration of the [Office of the Ombudsman’s] proposed budget of a total of an additional of P1.258 billion,” Layson went on.

Layson noted that under the Republic Act No. 6670, appropriations for the Office of the Ombudsman “may not be reduced below the amount appropriated for the previous years and, after approval, shall be automatically and regularly released.”

Layson also told senators that the DBM had left out the special provisions that would allow the Office of the Ombudsman to utilize its savings that were generated from previous appropriations to augment its expenses.

“We were already given the special provisions in previous years,” he said.

Senator Sonny Angara, chair of the Senate finance committee, said the panel will take note of the request of the Office of the Ombudsman.

Ombudsman Samuel Martires, who participated in the hearing online, also lamented the budget cut suffered by his office.

He said they are currently in the process of hiring additional lawyers and investigators.

“We are trying to add additional bureaus in the field investigation office as well as create another bureau that will hear purely administrative cases of government officials separate from the preliminary investigation on criminal cases,” the Ombudsman said.

“Sabi nila nung araw ang hindi pwedeng bawasan ay MOOE (maintenance and other operating expenses) at saka personal services, eh bakit ngayon ang binawasan nila ay ‘yung aming personal services?” he added.

Meanwhile, Martires said that if Congress would approve their request to revive the special provisions allowing them to use their savings from previous appropriations, it would be allocated for additional benefits granted to its employees and to fund the cost for training.

“We normally use savings for additional benefits to the employees. And especially for medical services, this is what we do and for some other programs, especially training programs…so dito namin kinukuha,” the Ombudsman said.

KGA