Dela Rosa chides DBM for not giving DDB its nearly P127 million fund

FOLLOW THE LAW: Sen. Ronald “Bato” Dela Rosa urges the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) to release the total fund for the Dangerous Drugs Board (DDB) amounting to P126.9-million as mandatory contribution remittances from various government agencies. (Senate Public Relations and Information Bureau)

MANILA, Philippines — Sen. Ronald dela Rosa scolded the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) for failing to transmit in full the nearly P127-million fund to the Dangerous Drugs Board (DDB) for the establishment and maintenance of treatment and rehabilitation facilities nationwide.

Dela Rosa’s action followed the revelation of DDB Undersecretary Earl Saavedra that the DBM only allocated to them part of the money remitted to the Bureau of Treasury (BoT) to support the drug rehabilitation centers.

Saavedra said the Philippine Racing Club, Manila Jockey Club, Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation, Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office, and Metro Manila Turf Club have the “mandatory obligation” to remit funds to the DDB via the BoT to back the set-up and maintenance of drug treatment and rehabilitation hubs.

The DDB is likewise transmitting money it earned from licenses, certifications, exemptions, fines, and penalties through frontline services it executes with the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) to the BoT for the same purpose, he added.

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According to the DDB official, the report of collection from remittances covering the fiscal year 2023 reached P126,937,103.53.

“Ito po ‘yung parati naming mina-manifest every budget briefing na since marami pong pangangailangan para sa establishment, maintenance, and operations of treatment and rehabilitation facilities nationwide, ‘yun amin pong humble manifestation is to allow DDB to use its collections,” said Saavedra.

(This is what we’ve been manifesting in every budget briefing since we need much to support the establishment, maintenance, and operations of treatment and rehabilitation facilities nationwide. Our  humble manifestation is to allow DDB to use its collections.)

He then confessed that the DDB asked for certifications from the BoT to determine the full amount of remittances from agencies with mandatory contributions to the bureau. Saavedra said they consequently found out that the total remittance amounted to P90 million in 2023, and later requested DBM to transfer the whole amount to the DDB for the drug rehabilitation center operations.

“For 2023, dalawa po ang inissue na certifications ni Bureau of Treasury. In totality, meron po silang recorded around P90 million. Ni-request po namin ito sa DBM using ‘yung certifications po namin from the Bureau of Treasury.”

(For 2023, the Bureau of Treasury issued two certifications. In totality, they have recorded around P90 million. We’ve requested this to the DBM using the certifications from the Bureau of Treasury.)

However, Saavedra said that contrary to what was expected, the DBM disbursed only P77 million to the DDB, prompting him to write and ask DBM if it can release the entire amount remitted to the BoT for the bureau.

“Ang sabi po sa amin ay ire-release ang P77 [million], then kung magkano pa ‘yung merong butal out of the collection [ay] ie-earmark na po ‘yun na P77 [million] for this year,” said Saavedra.

(What they told us was that they will only release P77 million then whatever is left out of the collection will be earmarked for the P77 million for this year.)

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At this point, dela Rosa lost his composure and said the DBM’s decision violated existing laws.

“Sabihan mo lang ‘yung DBM na bina-violate ‘nyo ang batas. Violator kayo, nakalagay na nga sa batas, ayaw pa ninyong sundin,” said dela Rosa.

(Tell DBM that they’re violating the law. You are a violator, it’s already written in our law, and yet you don’t want to adhere.)

“Napakaliit na halaga niyan eh. Bakit ba ipagkait sa inyo ‘yan, magkano lang ‘yung sobra n’yan — butal. Para tayong gago rito, gawa tayo nang gawa ng batas, ayaw sundin ng DBM. Diba? Sabihin ninyo, kayo ang nagba-violate DBM ng batas. Otherwise, ‘wag na tayong mag-budget hearing dito, kayo na lang gumawa ng sarili niyong batas doon para kayo mag-implement, kayo [na rin] gumawa ng batas,” he added.

(That’s a small amount. Why are you holding it back? We’re like fools here, we keep on making laws, and yet DBM does not want to adhere.  Just tell them that DBM is violating laws. Otherwise, let’s not conduct a budget hearing anymore. Let’s just let DBM do their own laws and let them implement them on their own.)

The senator then asked if a representative from DBM was present in the hearing. Learning that no one from DBM was physically present during the proceeding, dela Rosa became angrier.

“Bakit kasi naka online itong DBM? [Mas] priority ang House, mas takot sila sa House kesa sa Senado? Ayaw nilang magpadala ng tao rito? Tapos doon sila sa House naka focus? Para tayong ginagago nitong mga taga DBM oh, magpa online-online tapos hindi makinig,” he said.

(Why is DBM only present online? Are they prioritizing the House? Are they more afraid of the House than the Senate? Is that where their focus is? They are treating us as if we’re fools, they’ll attend online and yet they won’t listen.)