Questions on proposed budget will be tackled in hearings, says Quimbo
Official seal of the House of Representatives
MANILA, Philippines — Questions and concerns about supposed budget cuts and increased budget for several government agencies will be addressed when the House of Representatives committee on appropriations deliberates the proposal, Marikina 2nd District Rep. Stella Quimbo assured the public on Tuesday.
During the Ugnayan sa Batasan briefing at the House complex, Quimbo was asked about the proposed 2023 national budget submitted by the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) on Monday, as several items have either higher or lower allocations.
In particular, the lawmaker was queried about the current administration’s slight increase in confidential and intelligence funds. However, Quimbo said that they have not yet browsed the whole National Expenditures Program as it was only handed over to them on Monday.
“Sorry, hindi ko pa talaga nakikilatis ang lahat, therefore, there are five books, so kahapon lang dumating ang books, dito tayo nag-umpisa sa BSF. But again, ‘yan ang dahilan kung bakit tayo merong budget hearing beginning Friday,” Quimbo said.
(I’m sorry, I have not gone through the budget; there are five books, so these only arrived yesterday, and we started with the BSF. But again, that’s why we have budget hearings beginning Friday.)
“Doon ipapaliwanag sa atin ng mga ahensya kung bakit tumaas ang kanilang proposed budget, kung bakit bumaba, ipapaliwanag rin ng DBM specifically kung bakit binawasan ang ibang mga ahensya. But in general, obviously kapag nagkakaroon ng mga bagong programa at bagong pangangailangan, obviously kinakailangan din ng dagdag na fund support,” she added.
(Agencies would explain during that time why their proposed budget increased and why it decreased, and the DBM would also explain specifically why some agencies’ budgets were reduced. But in general, if there are new programs and needs, we need to increase fund support.
Quimbo was asked how the government’s digitization efforts differ from the proposed National Broadband Plan. She suggested discussing these questions at the DICT budget hearing.
“Well again, hintayin natin ang paliwanag ng DICT sa kanilang budget hearing and that’s scheduled in two weeks,” she said.
(Well, again, we would wait for the explanation of the DICT during their budget hearing, and that’s scheduled in two weeks.)
“But in general just, top of mind lang no, alam naman natin na ang delivery ng telcos may first mile, may middle mile, may last mile. So obviously ‘yong broadband ito ‘yong first mile,” she added.
“But in general just, just my top of mind idea, we know that the delivery of telecommunication companies have a first mile, a middle mile, and the last mile. So obviously, the broadband program is the first mile.)
Since DBM and Secretary Amenah Pangandaman handed over the National Expenditures Program for 2023 to House leaders, there have been several concerns about budget slashes and supposedly unnecessary increases.
One of the proposed budget’s staunch critics is Minority member and Alliance of Concerned Teachers (ACT) Rep. France Castro, who said that even if the education sector’s allocation increased in 2023, it is still below standards.
The education cluster would get P852.8 billion in 2023, the biggest budget since 2022’s P788.5 billion. However, it also appeared that there were budget cuts for the University of the Philippines (UP) system — although DBM countered this by saying that the 2022 approved budget was only higher because Congress amended the previous proposal.
READ: Lawmaker: Marcos admin’s proposed 2023 budget shows misplaced priorities
Castro also called out the current administration for supposedly prioritizing infrastructure projects over the health sector even as the country is still reeling from the COVID-19 pandemic’s effects.
She also claimed that, contrary to reports, the budget for the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-ELCAC) increased as the funding system changed. In the proposed 2023 budget, funds for the NTF-ELCAC are readily available, unlike in 2022, when it was under unprogrammed appropriations.
READ: NTF-ELCAC budget for 2023 may be higher, not lower, says solon
On Monday, House officials led by House Speaker and Leyte 1st District Rep. Ferdinand Martin Romualdez formally received the budget from DBM and Pangandaman. This means the executive branch fulfilled its promise of handing over Congress the budget on August 22 — within the timeline set by the 1987 Constitution.
Quimbo and other leaders from the Majority, like Majority Floor Leader Rep. Manuel Jose Dalipe, have expressed confidence that with the system in place, the proposed budget would be passed by October, or before Congress goes into a recess.
