Budget as poll funds? Absurd, says Palace

MANILA, Philippines - Absurd was how Malacañang described claims that the proposed national budget for next year could be used for the 2016 elections in view of its numerous lump sums and automatic appropriations.

Deputy presidential spokesperson Abigail Valte yesterday said the public could easily check the budget proposal and scrutinize where the funds would go.

“This is where you should hold us accountable because all the agencies and all the departments have put targets,” she said over radio dzRB.

She said the budget proposal now has six books from the previous two because of the details.

“For example, the DENR (Department of Environment and Natural Resources), when they propose a program, it should be accompanied with a budget and indicate their targets and objectives in putting it there,” she said. “We hold ourselves accountable. That’s why we put out the information.”

University of the Philippines professor and former national treasure Leonor Magtolis-Briones said almost half of the budget were lump sums and automatic appropriations, and warned that might turn out to be the biggest election budget in history.

“This is similar to the 2012 budget that preceded the 2013 elections. The government cranks up spending for infrastructure and construction the year before elections. Concrete projects create the impression of growth, though it is a challenge to sustain this growth for the next years,” she said.

Valte denied claims half of the budget would be at the discretion of the President, citing the Contingency Fund under the Special Purpose Fund, which would be used for calamities and other unforeseen expenses.

“I think the use of these funds in the last few years will show you that the funds are being spent well and that they are being allocated for the purposes for which the law intends them to be spent. That is clear and we can look at the track record of President Aquino when it comes to that. Everything is clear after auditing,” she said.

“Let us not confuse the public by throwing such kind of statement that when you look at it, it’s a half truth or it’s just being crafted to deceive the public,” she added.

Unfair

Meanwhile, Senate committee on finance chairman Sen. Francis Escudero said it was unfair for the critics of the administration to describe the lump sum items as the pork barrel fund of the President or an election budget.

In an interview over radio dwIZ, he said part of the lump sum items is the automatic appropriations, such as the internal revenue allotment and debt service.

Escudero said the P14-billion calamity fund must also remain a lump sum since there is no way to itemize post-disaster relief, rehabilitation and repairs that have yet to take place.

He said lump sum items, classified as special purpose fund (SPF) of the President, are nowhere to be found in the proposed budget, he said.

He said the SPF could refer to assistance to government-owned and controlled corporations, contingency fund, National Disaster Risk Reduction Management Council fund, calamity fund, IRA and Miscellaneous Personnel Benefit Fund.

He said that the biggest item is the MPBF, which amounts to P180 billion. The MPBF represents funding for filling vacancies in government.

Escudero noted that the MPBF is itemized in the sense that all existing unfilled positions in the respective agencies are known.

The Department of Budget and Management releases funds from the MPBF when there are actual appointments or hiring.

Line budgeting

Escudero said around 74 percent of the national budget is also subject to line item budgeting.

“Our aim is to increase this further. Our target is to have 80 to 85 percent of the budget itemized,” he said.

However, he said a small percentage would remain lump sum items because there is no way to make an itemized list during the budgetary process. – Aurea Calica, Marvin Sy