MANILA – President Benigno Aquino signed on Tuesday the 2015 national budget amounting to P2.606 trillion and said this features the so-called Bottom-up Budgeting Program under which 1,590 cities and municipalities participated in drafting the controversial budget.
“Patuloy ang ating paninindigan: Wala na sa ating budget ang PDAF o Priority Development Assistance Fund, na naging instrumento ng pangungulimbat ng ilang mapagsamantala,” he said in his speech during the signing ceremony.
“Sa ikalimang pagkakataon, naipasa natin sa tamang oras ang budget para sa susunod na taon. Ibig sabihin, sa bawat taon ng ating paninilbihan, ginawa natin ang ating tungkulin, at malinaw nga po ang mensahe: Talagang malaki na nga ang ipinagbago ng ibig sabihin ng ‘normal’ sa ating pamahalaan,” he said, recalling that in the past, budget reenactment has become a tradition that has given leeway for corruption.
He said the new national budget shows clear budgetary targets.
“Ngayon (sa ilalim ng Bottom-up Budgeting Program), kung ano ang kailangan ng komunidad, sila mismo ang magsasabi, sila mismo ang magdidisenyo ng inisyatiba para dito, at siya naman din pong pinaglalaanan ng pondo ng ating pamahalaan,” he said, adding that some P20.9 billion has been allotted under the program.
With the new budget, Aquino said the Department of Public Works and Highways now aims to complete the construction and repair of 4,219 kilometers of national roads next year.
And so is the Department of Social Welfare and Development for its support to 4.3 million families through the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program, while the Department of Tourism aims to increase international tourist arrivals by 20%.
“Sa ganitong sistema na tinatawag nating Performance Informed Budgeting, may batayan tayo kung natutupad ng mga ahensiya ang kanilang mga ipinangako; nakikita natin kung saan napupunta ang kaban ng bayan. Higit sa lahat, malinaw ang ating batayan sa pagpapanagot sa mga opisyal na babagal-bagal sa pagkakaloob ng serbisyo, at nakikita natin kung sino ang nagpapakitang-gilas,” Aquino said.
He also noted that the release of funds has been streamlined.
“Pinabilis na natin ang proseso ng pagba-budget. Nabawasan na natin ang pangangailangan sa SARO (Special Allotment Release Order); sa pagpirma natin, good as released na ang mga budget ng ahensiya. Gayundin, nililinis at nililinaw natin ang proseso para higit pang mabawasan ang espasyo sa katiwalian,” he said.
Aquino similarly signed the Supplemental Budget for 2014, which included more than P10 billion for the Typhoon Haiyan reconstruction project. Of the amount, P7.99 billion has been allocated for the construction of permanent housing for the victims of the super typhoon.
Opposition politicians said the national budget still contains “pork barrel” and other funding intended to pay off Aquino allies who supported the huge budget.
Former lawmker Augusto Syjuco also has filed a petition before the Supreme Court, claiming the national budget is unconstitutional due to the inclusion of lump sum allocations.
Syjuco said the legislative and executive departments have managed to appropriate lump sum funds “similar to pork barrel allocations”, which had been struck down as unconstitutional by the Supreme Court in its rulings against the Priority Development Assistance Fund and Disbursement Acceleration Program. (Mindanao Examiner)
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