Highlights of the continuation of Sen. Lacson’s interpellation of the DPWH’s budget:
* Tracing a big chunk of the P75B ‘insertion’ in the DPWH’s 2019 budget
* Proposal to reallocate a part of the P75B to slope protection
* Plea to DPWH to ‘walk the extra mile’ in helping landowners affected by right-of-way issues
* Push to restore a provision in the 2019 budget not to start implementation of projects without settling ROW first
In an interview, Sen. Lacson answered questions on:
– what to do with the P75B removed from the DPWH’s budget
– justice for landowners affected by RROW projects
During the interpellation of the DPWH’s budget for 2019, Sen. Lacson raised the following issues: * the addition of P75 billion in the DPWH’s budget in the National Expenditure Program, without the DPWH’s knowledge
* woes of landowners whose lots were affected by DPWH projects with right-of-way components
* some data of the DPWH website being inaccessible when the DPWH’s budget is up for deliberation
Sen. Lacson sponsored the 2019 budgets of the following agencies during the Senate’s deliberation of the P3.7-trillion budget for 2019:
* Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao: P31.117 billion
* Commission on Human Rights: P826.196 million; including P31.498 million for the CHR’s Human Rights Violations Victims’ Memorial Commission
* Mindanao Development Authority: P159.25 million
* Southern Philippines Development Authority: P265.468 million
* National Commission on Muslim Filipinos: P793.457 million
* Office of the Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process: P688.659 million; funding request for the PAMANA infrastructure project was disapproved at the committee level
Mr. President, I’m not interpellating on the budget of the Offce of the President. This is just a very quick manifestation and I’d like to take advantage of the presence of Executive Secretary Medialdea. I would like to issue an appeal to him not to endorse the anticipated recommendation of Secretary of DBM Ben Diokno to call for a special session.
Because looking at the schedule, Mr. President, after this agency, the Office of the President, we still have to tackle some big ones. Department of Tourism, Department of Public Works and Highways, Department of Justice – at least the Bureau of Immigration, Commission on Audit, Comelec, Ombudsman, DOH, DND, DILG. And even if the President calls for a special session, even if we extend our session for another five days, for another week, it is impossible, Mr. President, for us to enact the budget bill before the year ends.
So I’d like to again reiterate of course with the concurrence of this body, I’d like to make that appeal. Quoting Jesus Christ: ‘the Spirit is willing but the flesh is weak,’ Mr. President.
Thank you Mr. President, and may we have the commitment of the Executive Secretary… that he will not endorse and he will block, as a matter of fact, Mr. President?
Some P16 billion in “pork” lump sums will now be available for “urgent” items in the proposed P3.7-trillion budget for 2019, after Sen. Lacson moved for this Tuesday evening.
At least P9 billion in “pork” lump sums will now be available for “urgent” items in the proposed P3.7-trillion budget for 2019, after Sen. Panfilo M. Lacson moved for this Tuesday evening.
The P9 billion represents the increase in the Assistance to Local Government Unit (ALGU), after the proposed national budget went through the House of Representatives.
“Yung P9 billion, baka pwede ma-realign natin to other items in the budget,” Lacson said during his interpellation of the budget of the Department of Interior and Local Government for the coming year.
During the interpellation of the 2019 national budget at the Senate, Sen. Lacson sought the restoration of P4.8 billion in the budget of the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority for 2019.
In his interpellation of the 2019 budget’s general principles, Sen. Lacson raised the issue of pork in the P3.7-trillion budget for 2019:
* Tulong Dunong
* P60 million per House member
* P1.54 billion for one House member; P1.69 billion for another
