House panel to look into nat’l budget, Bayanihan funds spending

MANILA, Philippines — A House of Representatives committee will look into the spending of the national budget as well as the funds allocated under the two Bayanihan laws created to cushion the impact of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic.

House appropriations committee chair Eric Yap said the panel will exercise its oversight function to look into how the national budget for 2021 will be spent throughout the year.

Aside from this, the committee will also look into the spending of funds under the Bayanihan to Heal as One Act (Bayanihan 1) and Bayanihan to Recover as One Act (Bayanihan 2).

“Our responsibility as the Appropriations Chair does not end once the budget is enacted… Sisiguruhin natin na ang bawat piso na galing sa buwis ng mamayang Pilipino ay diretso sa kapakinabangan nila,” Yap said in a statement.

(We will make sure that each peso coming from the public should go straight to the programs that will benefit them.)

“Isa rin sa bubusisiin natin ay kung paano ginastos ang Bayanihan 1 at 2, lalo na sa mga ahensya na kung saan marami tayong natanggap na reports ng irregularidad,” he added.

(We will also scrutinize how the funds for Bayanihan 1 and 2 were spent, especially in the agencies where there were reports of irregularity.)

Yap said should irregularities and corruption be found in the spending of the Bayanihan funds, “heads should roll.”

“This is in consistent with the President’s directive to further intensify the anti-corruption efforts in the government. No one is untouchable. Susuriin natin kung paano ginastos ng bawat ahensiya ang pera ng taumbayan,” Yap said.

(We will look into how each agency spent public funds.)

President Rodrigo Duterte earlier extended the validity of appropriations under the country’s 2020 national budget and Bayanihan 2.

Appropriations under the Bayanihan 2 are available for release, obligation, and disbursement until June 30, 2021, while the availability of appropriations under the 2020 budget is extended until December 31, 2021.

/MUF