CEBU, Philippines - Former senator and Yolanda rehabilitation czar Panfilo Lacson urged local government units in Cebu yesterday to lobby for an “equitable” budget allocation.
Speaking at the League of Municipalities of the Philippines – Cebu Chapter gathering, Lacson said mayors and other local government officials should not hesitate to ask for funds for development projects from the national government.
This is because there is an allocation of not less than P500 billion for LGUs, which is on top of the 20 percent Internal Revenue Allotment that the law mandates to be allocated to the Local Development Fund for socio-economic development and environmental projects.
He said the projected IRA this year is about P389 billion, a bit higher than last year’s P341 billion and 2013’s P302 billion in totaled taxes collections.
“Mayroon hindi bababa sa P500 bilyon ang maiipon mula sa rasyunal na pagbabawas ng regular nabadyet ng mga ahensya, Special Purpose Funds ng Malacañang at Automatic Appropriations na maaring ipamahagi sa iba’t ibang lokal na pamahalaan sa bansa. Ito ay base sa Pambansang Budget noong 2013 na pumapalo sa dalawang trilyong piso,” Lacson said.
He said that from the P500 billion, LGUs would get a “fair” share. Each of the 81 provinces may get P1 billion – P300 million each for 144 cities, P100 million each for 1490 towns, and P6 million each for 42,026 barangays.
He claimed that there is also around P424 billion lump sum appropriations from at least 11 out of the 21 major government agencies that are prone to “corruption, misuse and abuse.”
Among these agencies are DepEd, P80.7 billion; DENR, P6 billion; DOH, P75.4 billion; PNP, P6.7 billion; DILG, P80. 7 billion; DOTC, P11.4 billion; DPWH, P11.4 billion; DSWD, P102.6 billion; DA, P29.9 billion; among others.
Lacson said there are other “available” funds since 2013 totaling P571.4 billion, including government savings worth P68.2 billion, unprogrammed fund of P10.9 billion, continuing appropriations of P188.1 billion, and unused appropriations amounting to P203.4 billion.
He further said “bottom-up budgeting” is another failure program to address budget equitability. A chunk of the government budget reportedly went to BUB with P20.9 billion this year, P20 billion in 2014, and P8.3 billion in 2013.
This year’s General Appropriations Act is at P2.6 trillion, which is 18percent higher than last year’s P2.2 trillion and 30-percent higher than 2013’s P2 trillion.
“Ang perang ito ay dapat ibaba sa LGU for them to undertake developments. Ang laking sobrang budget dapat ang LGU knows how to fight, argue and ask the government for their respective budget kasi hindi kaayonakakaramdam ng benepisyo from the national,” Lacson said.
“The LMP should come together and air your voices over budget equitability. It’s about time that your voices should be heard that’s why I am transmitting to you the figure,” he added. — (FREEMAN)