Opposition solons lament short budget plenary debates

Rep. Edcel Lagman. INQUIRER FILE PHOTO/EDWIN BACASMAS

Opposition lawmakers from the independent minority bloc in the House of Representatives lamented the short period allotted for the plenary debates on the proposed 2018 budget.

In a press briefing on Tuesday, Albay Rep. Edcel Lagman said the lower House was only given five days for plenary debates after finishing the budget committee deliberations for three weeks.

Lagman said it seems the lower House is sacrificing its power of the purse just to fulfill the whims of the executive in passing without much amendment or debate the National Expenditure Program as submitted by the Department of Budget and Management.

“You would recall that during previous Congresses, the plenary debates span a period of virtually two weeks, to give sufficient time for Congress to deliberate and debate on this very important measure,” Lagman said.

“Now, coupled with a super majority which invariably and inordinately accedes to the demands of the executive, what we have now is that the power of the House over the appropriations measure, the supremacy of the House in appropriations, has been a lost prerogative,” he added.

Akbayan Rep. Tom Villarin lamented the speed by which the budget is intended to be transmitted to the Senate for its own deliberations, despite burning questions on lump sum funds and major budget realignments.

“There are major issues and concern about the agencies’ budget, but now they want to rush it, na kumbaga, huwag na i-challenge… ‘Yung advice to the House leadership, huwag naman masyadong bilisan. The objective is to beat the timetable of last year’s approval,” Villarin said.

For his part, appropriations panel chairperson Davao City Rep. Karlo Nograles denied that the lower House is giving up its power of the purse to set a new record in passing the budget.

“We’ve had extensive deliberations at the committee level, and we have also scheduled pre-plenary discussions for members of the House to further engage the heads of offices in debate of their respective budgets. The heads of departments and agencies are also committed to continue discussions about their budget with members of the House on the day of their scheduled budget defense, while the Committee on Appropriations will be defending the budget on the floor,” Nograles said in a statement.

Nograles said the lower House last year finished plenary debates on the budget for seven days, and is now eyeing to finish plenary debates on the proposed 2018 budget for five days.

“Given these three layers of budget discussions, I believe we are adequately exercising our power of the purse. Last year, we were able to complete plenary debates in seven days, considering that it was the new President’s maiden budget. This year, this being President Duterte’s second budget perhaps we can finish this in five days,” Nograles said. JE