Monday, December 22, 2014

Palace refutes watchdog's claim that 2015 budget is still filled with pork barrel funds



MalacaƱang has refuted claims of Social Watch Philippines that the 2015 General Appropriations Act (GAA), which President Benigno S. Aquino III will sign before the end of the year, is still loaded with pork barrel funds.

The budget watchdog said in a report that vulnerabilities in the 2015 national budget remain apparent despite a Supreme Court declaration outlawing the Priority Development Assistance Fund as well as the Disbursement Acceleration Fund.

Presidential Communications Operations Office Secretary Herminio Coloma, Jr. said that such concerns have already been incorporated by the legislators while deliberating on the proposed GAA.

“Pansinin po natin na ang gumagawa po nito (budget) ay ating mga mambabatas na halal ng ating mga mamamayan. Ang tungkulin po nila ay gumawa ng batas. Ang batas po ay kinakailangang tumalima sa mga prinsipyo ng Konstitusyon at hindi naman po makatuwiran na sabihin na mismong mga mambabatas ang magsasabatas ng labag sa Konstitusyon at ito naman ay ang prinsipyong gumabay sa paghubog at pagbuo ng ating pambansang budget,” Coloma explained.

“Kaya sa bawat pagkakataon po na sila ay gumagawa ng paratang na ‘yan, sinasagot naman po natin sa kongkretong batayan na sinikap ng administrasyon, sa pakikipag-ugnayan sa ating mga mambabatas, na makabuo ng isang pambansang budget na sumusunod sa prinsipyo ng Konstitusyon at ayon na rin sa mga pinakahuling pagpasya ng ating Korte Suprema,” he added.

Coloma said signing the national budget has already been scheduled by President Aquino in the coming days in keeping with his administration’s practice to make public funds operational beginning a new fiscal year.

The P2.606-trillion proposed national budget for 2015 is intended for inclusive and sustained development, built around the administration’s idea that no one, especially the poor, should be left behind. (PCOO News Release)

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