Scramble for House minority leader? Follow the money

MANILA, Philippines — At the House of Representatives, why is there a continuing battle over the post of minority leader?

A glimpse into the fund allocations and other entitlements may help.

A minority leader – with two separate groups now trying to unseat incumbent Quezon Rep. Danilo Suarez – has monthly and quarterly allotments on top of the minimum P80 million in annual district funding set for his district in Quezon.

Reps. Miro Quimbo of Marikina and Eugene de Vera of party-list ABS are both laying claim to the minority leadership post. Suarez insists he remains so since his post was not declared vacant when Speaker Gloria Macapagal Arroyo was installed in chaotic House proceedings last July 23.

Quimbo’s 24-member wing from his opposition Liberal Party includes the seven-member Makabayan bloc and the so-called “Magnificent 7,” while De Vera’s camp counts among its members ousted speaker Pantaleon Alvarez, former majority leader Rodolfo Fariñas and their allies.

An insider explained to The STAR that the post of House minority leader is allotted P500,000 every month and another P500,000 on a “quarterly” basis, which was introduced only during the time of Alvarez, excluding other benefits and emoluments.

As a matter of entitlement, each House member in the minority receives additional P50,000 monthly, on top of his or her P200,000 monthly salary; and separate from the maintenance and other operating expenses that is allocated in his district or party-list office.

The opposition leader – or in this case what many describe as “company union” but which Suarez has repeatedly denied – gets the lump sum allocation on behalf of his colleagues and distributes them equally among them.

Another source also volunteered that the office of the minority leader “gets the same amount of MOOE” (maintenance and other operating expenses) that his counterpart in the majority gets, which is very substantial, owing to crucial job as House whip of the 292-man legislative chamber.

The minority leader and his members are also given allowances “automatically” every time Congress goes on a recess. He is also entitled to a “separate office space” from that of his district, complete with a separate set of 10 staff members from “plantilla” or career positions.

During this period, minority members are given P150,000 each during congressional breaks.

The leader of the duly-constituted and House leadership-acknowledged opposition bloc can also tap the services of so-called “consultants” whose fees can vary but can go as high as P50,000 monthly for each consultant, depending on expertise.

But unlike the Speaker and Senate president, minority leaders don’t get “intelligence funds.”

Travel perks have been tightened and limited during the six-year watch (2010-2016) of former speaker and now Quezon City Rep. Feliciano Belmonte Jr., but to which Alvarez and Fariñas became more lenient, most especially to their favored ones.

“There’s no limit as long as (former speaker) Alvarez allowed them to,” a source revealed.

The minority bloc’s lone representative in the 12-man House contingent in the bicameral body Commission on Appointments also has “his own entitlements,” along with all other minority members who sit in all House committees – which is mandatory under House rules.