House of Representatives. INQUIRER FILE PHOTO
Many congressmen are acting as “overlords” when it comes to the implementation of government projects, local officials told a Senate hearing on Monday.
“I came from Congress no, and I noticed that marami hong overlords sa DPWH (Department of Public Works and Highways) saka sa national agencies na congressmen. Kinokotahan nila talaga, I mean prangkahan na lang po, may quota po na ini-impose yung ibang congressmen (there are many congressmen who act as overlords in DPWH and national agencies. They are setting quotas, let’s be frank, some congressmen are imposing quotas)…” Cavite Governor Jesus Crispin Remulla said during the hearing of the Senate subcommittee on finance.
But Remulla, a former congressman, was cut by Senator Panfilo Lacson: “You don’t need to be frank because we all know that.”
It was Lacson who was presiding over the hearing of the committee on a bill that seeks to institute budget reform that will ensure the equitable distribution of funds for both the national and local government units.
“Kasi napakalupit po e (It’s too cruel),” Remulla went on as he lamented how the government spent millions of pesos on some projects that did not benefit the people.
“Meron pong flyover na wala namang gagamit, tulay na P300 million na wala namang dadaan pero para lang magawa yung project. Tapos dumating pa ho sa punto, tinatakot pa yung ilang contractor na kapag hindi ho makipag-ayos e aawatin daw ng congressman. Ganun na po yung tono na e, hindi na maganda,” the governor added.
(There is a flyover which no one uses, a P300-million bridge which no one passes on but still the projects were pushed through. It came to a point when some contractors were threatened if they won’t negotiate with the congressmen, they would be restrained. It’s not appropriate when it reaches that point.)
It was Mayor Cris Mahinac of Sinacaban, Misamis Occidental, who first told the committee how projects were blocked by congressmen if they were not on good terms with local officials.
“Totoo po na kami ang nakakaaalam sa aming nasasakupan kung ano ang kailangan, for example, pag galit sa’yo ang congressman mo, hindi ka na bibigyan (We know the needs of our constituents but, for example, if you are not on good terms with your congressman, your project will not be granted)…” Mahinac said, drawing laughter from the hearing room.
“Pag ang congressman galit na po talaga, kung galit na po hindi ka mabibigyan…talagang lahat ng papasok sa ating lugar na tulong ay talagang haharangin ng congressman pagka galit sayo. Yun po ang nangyayari ngayon (If the congressman is fuming mad, all the assistance that will enter your areas will be blocked by the congressman. It’s what happens),” he added.
But Lacson reiterated that the budget preparation is the sole function of the executive branch as well as the implementation of projects. He said that the only role of legislators is in the budget authorization.
“So congressmen have no business intervening in what is supposed to be an exclusive executive function, which is budget preparation,” he said.
“Ang role ng legislators sa budget authorization. Yung budget preparation, executive. E bakit sa budget preparation pa lamang nagsa-submit na ang mga congressmen ng projects para masama na sa NEP (National Expenditure Program)? Mali po yun (The role of legislators is in the budget authorization. The budget preparation lies in the executive. But why do the congressmen submit projects in the budget preparation to be included in the NEP? It’s wrong),” said the senator.
He said it would be a “clear conflict of interest” if congressmen would submit a list of projects in the NEP that they themselves approve when the budget proposal is submitted in Congress.
“Kasi kung naka-submit na yung congressman ng project nya sa NEP pa lang (If a congressman has submitted his project in the NEP), I can’t imagine how he can amend that. I can’t imagine how he can oppose that kasi sarili na nyang project yun. So itinatama lang natin yung matagal ng mali sa budget process (because it’s his own project. So we will correct the long-standing mistake in the budget process),” Lacson said.
The senator said the approval of the bill would correct this mistake in the budget process. RAM/rga
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