Pimentel questions House huge budget hike during bicam meetings

BUDGETING PROCESS: Senate Minority Leader Aquilino “Koko” Pimentel III raises his concern on the budgeting process of the legislative branch following the bicameral conference committee (bicam) report on the P5.768-trillion national budget for 2024 Monday, December 11, 2023. (Bibo Nueva España/Senate PRIB)

MANILA,  Philippines — Senate Minority Leader Aquilino “Koko” Pimentel III on Monday questioned the alleged practice of  raising the budgets of the House of Representatives during the bicameral conference committee meetings.

This time,  Pimentel said,  the budget  of House was raised  by  P12.5 billion  in the bicameral committee.

“Pagkatapos ng bicam, ang laki ng increase  ng budget ng House of Representatives, Mr. President. Another increase of P12.5 billion,” he said when the bicameral report was presented on the Senate floor by Senator Sonny Angara.

“If this is the actual need of the of the House, P28.6 billion, sana from the very start, sa GAB (General Appropriation Bill) pa lang na-reflect na po yun, Mr. President, so that when we discussed the budget amounts, iyon na ang amount na nasa isip natin,” Pimentel added.

Angara, chairman of  the Senate committee on finance, recognized the points raised by the opposition senator but suggested that the matter be discussed with the Department of Budget and Management (DBM)

“Because it’s between the Congress and the DBM,  kasi mayroon daw na budget ng 29 congressmen na hindi naisama daw dun sa budget ng House,”  he said.

Pimentel argued that  the same  budget increase  for the House happened last year.

“Sana, we learn  from past experiences,”  he said.

The proposed P5.768 trillion national budget for 2024  is now up for President Ferdinand  “Bongbong” Marcos’s signature after it was ratified this Monday by both the Senate and the House.