DOTC’s proposed budget slashed by P800M

THE proposed  budget of the Department of Transportation and Communications (DOTC)  next year has been slashed  by  P800 million at the Senate.

Senate President Franklin Drilon took note of the  cut during plenary  debates on the proposed budget of DOTC  on  Tuesday.

From  P43.4 billion  as approved by  the House of Representatives,  the Senate committee on finance being chaired by Senator Loren Legarda presented  on the floor a lower  budget for the  DOTC  with  only P42.6  billion.

“The chair notes that the budget of the DOTC was  reduced  by  P800 million? May we know  which agencies , budgets were augmented by the reduction of the  budget of the DOTC?”  Drilon asked  Legarda, who was defending the  agency’s budget.

Legarda explained  that the P1 billion  quick response fund (DRF)  of  the DOTC was not utilized  in 2014 and in 2015 so they decided to put the budget in agencies that  are  in the frontline in times of disasters.

“We therefore left a portion and  this is upon the agreement  of the Secretary,”  she said, referring to DOTC Secretary  Joseph  Abaya , who was also  at the plenary.

Legarda said they  allocated  the fund to the Department of Agriculture, which received  P100 million,  P250 million to the Department of Health, another P250 million to the Department of National Defense,  P100 million  each to the Bureau of Fire and the Philippine National Police,  and P75 million  to the  Philippine Coast Guard.

“I wish I could give more for the Coast Guard. In fact, I’m contemplating where to cut to give more to the Coast Guard because  we are a maritime nation and in times of disasters, we need to empower the Coast Guard so they can respond quickly,”  she further said.