Lawmakers now scrutinizing lump-sum appropriations

Sen. Ralph Recto: Scrutinizing. INQUIRER FILE PHOTO

MANILA, Philippines–Egged on by a vigilant public, senators are now sitting through long budget presentations by Cabinet secretaries to question lump-sum appropriations.

On Wednesday, during the Department of Health’s presentation of its proposed P102.1 billion for 2015, Sen. Ralph Recto asked for details of the huge P5.5-billion health facilities enhancement program.

“I notice in the budget you still have lump-sum funds. They’re not detailed,” Recto told Health Secretary Enrique Ona. “Can you provide the committee of who will be the recipients?”

Ona promised to furnish the senators a detailed report of the beneficiaries down to the grassroots level.

Recto likewise demanded a list of projects implemented under the same program in the 2014 budget.

“You asked us for money, we gave you money. Can you give us an update of how the lump sum was spent? It’s like a receipt because now you’re asking P5.5 billion. Give us a list so we can check if indeed such projects were implemented,” he said.

Ona said a good number of the projects had just started or were now being implemented.

In Monday’s rally and kickoff of the campaign for a people’s initiative against pork barrel in Manila, protesters said many lump-sum appropriations remained accessible to lawmakers in the budget.

The protesters said that President Aquino continued to enjoy huge discretionary funds, including the P500-billion Special Purpose Fund (SPF), and that Congress could still refer beneficiaries of funds, as in the past.

The SPF shall be used for calamity funds, contingency funds, miscellaneous personnel benefit funds, pension and guarantee funds, the Internal Revenue Allotment, debt service or interest payments, among others.

Sen. Nancy Binay, for her part, raised questions on the P1.4-billion allocation for the implementation of bottom-up budgeting, an approach that is guided by needs in the grassroots level.

“Do you have guidelines which projects can be approved?” she asked.

After conferring with health officials, Ona promised to address the matter in the next hearing.