More funds sought for state universities in 2016 budget

A PARTYLIST lawmaker on Wednesday proposed several amendments to the proposed P3-trillion budget for 2016 to realign more funding to state universities and to “excise provisions that transform several agency budgets into pork.”

In a 17-page letter to the head of the House appropriations committee, Kabataan Partylist Rep. Terry Ridon asked that certain funds allotted to questionable items be re-channeled to augment the budget of state universities and colleges (SUCs).

In particular, the lawmaker sought the restoration of the P477.8 million slashed from the 2016 budget for maintenance and other operating expenses of 59 SUCs.

Last Friday, the 291-member House of Representatives approved the General Appropriations Bill on third reading by a vote of 230-20, complying with President Aquino’s request certifying its passage as urgent.

But since the bill was passed on the second and third reading on the same day, it was thus subject to amendments upon approval by a small committee headed by the appropriations panel.

House members were given until Oct. 14 to file amendments.

In his letter, Ridon also proposed several amendments to certain special provisions, including a proposal “to strengthen congressional oversight” in provisions governing the Bottom-up Budgeting Program of the Department of the Interior and Local Government.

He also sought changes to the provision on “project modification” to ensure that agencies would not adjust details of approved projects without the knowledge of Congress.

Ridon proposed  that the restoration of funding for SUCs be taken out of the P3.4-billion budget for the compensation and separation benefits of the Citizen Armed Forces Geographical Units (Cafgus).

He noted that even President Aquino, in his veto message for the 2015 national budget, called on the Armed Forces of the Philippines to gradually reduce funding for Cafgus.

Ridon also asked for additional P4.1 billion capital outlay budget for 27 SUCs, including the University of the Philippines, for the construction of student dormitories, faculty housing and school buildings, especially in remote areas.

The additional funding requirement, he proposed, may be sourced from the item “Budgetary Support to Government Corporations – Others,” an item he described as “vague and only repeats the function of the line item named ‘Budgetary Support to Government Corporations.’”

Ridon sought the deletion of a special provision in the budget of SUCs authorizing school administrators to tap students for construction work.

“There is no need for us to include such provision in the national budget. Congress should let schools practice academic freedom and let them prepare appropriate practicum programs for students,” he said.