House minority pushes for bigger budget for PDEA, NTC

House Minority Leader Danilo Suarez. INQUIRER FILE PHOTO

MANILA, Philippines—House minority leader Danilo Suarez on Wednesday said they would submit their proposed amendments to the P2.006 trillion national budget for 2013 which is set for approval on third reading next week.

Suarez told reporters during a media forum that the minority bloc has prepared a list of changes to next year’s budget and would submit it to a special panel created to accept and study the proposed amendments.

One of the amendments the minority bloc is seeking is the provision of appropriate funding for the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency and the Dangerous Drugs Board to stamp out the proliferation of illegal drugs in the country, he said.

The National Telecommunications Commission should also get higher funding for it to effectively monitor telecommunications services in the country, said Suarez. He earlier lambasted the quality of services provided by telecommunications firms in the country, saying that dropped calls and bad services continued to plague mobile subscribers.

“We ask the administration, do your bosses really deserve bad services from these companies?” he asked.