Escudero hits P23-billion supplemental budget for Yolanda rehab

A VIEW of one part of the Tacloban City port days after Supertyphoon “Yolanda” struck last year. MARK ALVIC ESPLANA/INQUIRER SOUTHERN LUZON

MANILA, Philippines—Senator Francis “Chiz” Escudero on Thursday questioned Malacañang’s request for a P23-billion supplemental budget for the rehabilitation of areas affected by Supertyphoon “Yolanda.”

“Naubos na ba nila ‘yung P137 billion? Ganun na ba kalaki ang nagastos natin sa Yolanda-affected areas?” Escudero said in a press conference at the Senate.

“Quite frankly, I don’t see it, I don’t feel it. And certainly, the people in Region 8 don’t see and don’t feel it either,” Escudero said.

Escudero, chair of the Senate finance committee, said that out of the P137 billion, P37 billion was allocated for Yolanda recovery and rehabilitation while P100 billion was included in the 2014 national budget.

Escudero said he had not seen a copy of the request for supplemental budget which was submitted to the House of Representatives.

“Why didn’t they just include it in the 2015 budget? Why resort to a supplemental budget? That also I do not understand,” he said.

The senator said he would ask the Department of Budget and Management to justify the request.

“I can’t agree unless they’ve justified the request,” Escudero said.

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