CAPAS, Tarlac – Former Sen. Panfilo “Ping” M. Lacson on Wednesday helped local officials of this municipality to boost access to education by doing their part in the process of crafting the national budget.
Lacson said that local officials should include the establishment of schools – including the Lyceum of Capas – in their local development plans, so this will be considered in the proposed national budget for next year.
“It would be better that they include the schools in their local development plans, since the crafting of the national budget starts with the local government units. The consolidated local development plans will then be sent eventually to the national government level,” he advised Mayor Roseller “Boots” Rodriguez and Vice Mayor Alex Espinosa in Filipino, during a program here.
Related: Ping Lacson, Tinulungan ang Capas na Palawakin ang Access sa Edukasyon
He noted this will be considered by the Development Budget Coordination Committee (DBCC), which will prepare the National Expenditure Program (NEP) or President’s budget to be submitted to the House of Representatives for deliberation.
Lacson also advised the local officials to make sure the project has a complete program of work, so he can help ensure its funding in the national budget.
Should he earn a Senate seat this May, he said he will make sure the project is not excluded from the budget bill before it is sent to the President for signing into law. This is part of his continued passion to scrutinize the national budget, he stressed.
“We will coordinate with the national government agencies concerned, in this case the Department of Education and Department of Public Works and Highways. We will make sure the funding sought by the Regional Development Council will be retained or even augmented,” he said.
Lacson said this is part of his advocacy to ensure Filipino youths’ access to education. In 2016, Lacson triggered the funding for what would become the Free Tertiary Education Act when he blew the whistle on P8.3 billion in funds parked with the DPWH in the proposed budget for 2017.
The P8.3 billion was for public works projects in the then Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) – which had its own public works department.
Following Lacson’s discovery, senators eventually decided to turn the amount into the initial fund for what would become the Free Tertiary Education Act of 2017 (RA 10931).
“Before the measure became a law, it had an initial fund of P8.3 billion from pork barrel that I discovered while scrutinizing the budget bill, Lacson noted.
Lacson received a rousing welcome from local officials and residents here. With him was former Commission on Filipinos Overseas Sec. Leo Arugay.
Meanwhile, Lacson also assured Mayor Rodriguez and Vice Mayor Espinosa of his support for the town’s bid to become a city. The push for cityhood is included in a bill now pending before the House of Representatives.
“If a town becomes a city, it will get higher internal revenue allotment, which will mean more assistance for constituents,” he said.
“If I earn a Senate seat, I will surely do my part to help Capas attain cityhood,” he added.
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Ping Lacson, Tinulungan ang Capas na Palawakin ang Access sa Edukasyon
CAPAS, Tarlac – Tinulungan ni dating Sen. Panfilo “Ping” M. Lacson nitong Miyerkules ang mga lokal na opisyal dito para palawakin ang access sa edukasyon sa pamamagitan ng pagsunod sa proseso ng pagbalangkas ng pambansang budget.
Ayon kay Lacson, maaaring tiyakin ng lokal na pamahalaan ang pagpondo ng mga paaralan tulad ng Lyceum of Capas kung isali nila ito sa kanilang local development plans, para mapagaralan ito sa paggawa ng budget para sa susunod na taon.
“Mas mainam sa pagbalangkas nila ng local development plan ng Capas, kasi nagsisimula ang pagbalangkas ng ating national budget, nagmumula ito sa LGU… At ang consolidated na mga local development plans na binalangkas sa mga LGU, ito yung papadala sa mga national agencies,” payo ni Lacson kay Mayor Roseller “Boots” Rodriguez at Vice Mayor Alex Espinosa sa isang programa dito.
Ipinaliwanag ni Lacson na ito ay dadalhin sa Development Budget Coordination Committee (DBCC), na magbabalangkas ng National Expenditure Program (NEP) o President’s budget na isusumite sa Kamara.
Pinayuhan din ni Lacson ang mga lokal na opisyal na tiyaking may kumpletong program of work ang proyekto para makatulong siya sa pagtiyak ng pagpondo dito sa pambansang budget.
Kung palarin si Lacson sa Senado sa Mayo, titiyakin niya na hindi matatanggal ang proyekto sa budget bill bago ito dalhin sa Pangulo para sa kanyang lagda. Aniya, kabilang ito ng kanyang adbokasiya na suriin ang pambansang budget.
“Iko-coordinate natin sa national agency, in this case DepEd at DPWH. At sisiguraduhin doon kung ano may pondo na ilalaan nyo doon galing sa inyo sa Regional Development Council ay mananatiling doon at kung pwede madagdagan pa yung pondo,” aniya.
Dagdag ni Lacson, kasama din ito sa adbokasiya niya na tiyakin na may access sa edukasyon ang kabataang Pilipino.
Noong 2016, si Lacson ang nagsimula ng pagpondo para sa ngayo’y Free Tertiary Education Act, nang binuking niya ang P8.3 bilyon na naka-park sa DPWH sa panukalang budget para 2017.
Ang P8.3 bilyon ay para sa public works projects sa noo’y Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) – na may sariling public works department.
Matapos isiniwalat ni Lacson ang P8.3 bilyon, pinagpasya ng mga senador na gawing initial fund para sa Free Tertiary Education Act of 2017 (RA 10931) ang P8.3 bilyon.
“So wala pa ang batas, meron nang initial fund na P8.3B na pinanggalingan ng pork barrel na aking na-check sa aking pag-scrutinize ng budget, ani Lacson.
Tumanggap ng mainit na salubong si Lacson mula sa lokal na opisyal at residente dito. Kasama niya si dating Commission on Filipinos Overseas Sec. Leo Arugay.
Samantala, tiniyak ni Lacson ang suporta kay Mayor Rodriguez at Vice Mayor Espinosa para sa pagsisikap nito na maging siyudad. Ang panukalang batas para sa cityhood ng Capas ay nasa Kamara.
“Pag isang munisipyo naging city, malaking tulong hindi lamang sa local officials kundi sa mismong constituents. Kasi tataas po ang inyong IRA, mas maraming matutulungan si Mayor pag naging siyudad ang bayan ng Capas,” aniya.
“Siguradong sigurado tutulungan kong maging siyudad ang bayan ng Capas,” dagdag niya.
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