Recto: Senate to cut down budget

MANILA, Philippines - Apparently stung by criticisms over recent reports on the misuse of pork barrel and the re-alignment of their savings, the Senate will be recommending the streamlining of the 35 oversight congressional committees, Senate President Pro-Tempore Ralph Recto revealed Wednesday.

Out of the 35 oversight committees, Recto said majority of the senators have agreed to provide a uniform budget each for oversight committees.

There are currently 39 regular committees, which is different from the 35 oversight Senate committees.

The chamber's leadership also plan to reduce the number to 20 up to 24, depending on the ongoing review by an adhoc committee created by Senate president Franklin Drilon.

“In general terms… I can tell you this, we will cut down the budget of the Senate in terms of expenses. We will reduce it,” Recto said.

In an interview, Recto said the senators have agreed to be “more prudent in spending people’s money.”

“We have to show the way as well through streamlining,” Recto said.

“We might fund only 20 or 24 of them so that one senator will just have one oversight committee. In principle that is what we are discussing so that every member will be given a committee with uniform budget,”  Recto said.

Recto explained that the senators “have to be sensitive to public sentiment.”  “…That is basically it. We are representative of the people right?”

He said that senators will continue to liquidate funds using the guidelines from the Commission on Audit (COA).