Pimentel bares P450-B hike in 2024 unprogrammed funds

Senate Minority Leader Aquilino “Koko” Pimentel III during the plenary session on Wednesday, November 29, 2023. Senate PRIB photo / Joseph Vidal

MANILA, Philippines — Senate Minority Leader  Aquilino “Koko” Pimentel III on Monday revealed the “close to tripling”  of the proposed unprogrammed funds in next year’s national budget.

From Malacanang’s original proposal of  P281.9 billion,  Pimentel said  the unprogrammed funds jumped to P731.4 billion after the bicameral conference committee meetings on the P5.768 trillion General Appropriation Bill  (GAB) for 2024.

This, he said, resulted in P450-billion increase in the unprogrammed funds.

“May we know what happened, Mr. President? How come it’s more than doubling. It’s actually close to tripling the the proposed unprogrammed operations by the executive, Mr. President?” Pimentel asked Senator Sonny  Angara on the Senate  floor.

As  chairman of the upper chamber’s finance committee, Angara headed the Senate contingent to the bicameral  committee.

Angara first confirmed the figures mentioned by the  Minority Leader.

“Yes, the gentleman is correct as to the figure and the reason is to carve out fiscal space in the programmed appropriations for other items that are proposed by our colleagues, both here and in the house, your honor,” he explained.

Pimentel then sought  to  clarify  if the P450 billion hike in the unprogrammed funds  was transferred from the  programmed  funds.

Angara  again confirmed this, explaining that the  transfer of funds was the result of the amendments made to various departments.

Pimentel, however, pointed out the  budgetary cuts in  the Miscellaneous Personnel Benefits Fund (MPBF),  the Pension and Gratuity Fund (PGF),and  even in the Philippine Health Insurance Corp. (Philhealth).

According to him, MPBF was slashed by P36 billion while PGF and Philhealth funds were both  cut by  P40 billion.

“I’m just worried with this practice, Mr. President because from P281.9 billion and the ending is  P731.4 billion, definitely that was not envisioned by the executive branch. Mr. President,”  Pimentel said.

“So  that’s just a concern that I am raising, Mr. President, because I also observed this last year, actually, Mr. President,” he added.

Despite these issues raised by the opposition senator,  the Senate went on to ratify  the   budget measure.

Once ratified by the Senate and the House of Representatives, the bill will be transmitted to Malacañang for the President’s signature.