Office of the Ombudsman. (Photo from the website of the Office of the Ombudsman)
MANILA, Philippines — With no questions asked, the Senate finance committee on Tuesday swiftly approved the proposed P3.967-billion 2022 budget of the Office of the Ombudsman.
This, even as the Ombudsman appealed for additional funding – either to add P813 million to restore the 2022 budget it originally proposed to the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) or add P710.8 million to at least retain the same funding it has for 2021.
During the budget hearing, Assistant Ombudsman Weomark Layson told senators that the Office of the Ombudsman originally asked for P4.798 billion for its 2022 budget but the DBM only recommended P3.976 billion to Congress.
Layson also mentioned that to at least comply with the Constitution and Republic Act (RA) 6770 or the Ombudsman Act, which states that “the appropriations of the Office of the Ombudsman may not be reduced below the amount appropriated from the previous years,” an additional P710.8 million is needed.
This year’s budget of the Office of the Ombudsman is P4.678 billion.
“We’re not asking too much. If it would be hard for the Senate to give us [our original] proposed budget for 2022 then we just would like to request that at least the budget that was given to us for 2021 be retained. That is all,” Ombudsman Samuel Martires said.
Finance committee chairman Senator Sonny Angara nevertheless assured the Ombudsman that the chamber would try to provide more funding for the office.
“We pledge to work very hard to augment some of the items on your wishlist, I think we’ve also done that in the last two years, at least during this representation’s tenure as chair of the committee,” Angara said.
Senator Lito Lapid moved to have the Ombudsman’s budget approved at the committee level.
“The budget of the Office of the Ombudsman is approved favorably without prejudice to any recommended increases by the committee,” Angara then said.