The Palace is open to submitting a supplemental budget to offset budget cuts for several government agencies in the 2019 spending plan, as long as Congress passes the remaining tax reform packages this year, Budget Secretary Benjamin Diokno said Wednesday.
“As you know it’s difficult to pass and initiate a supplemental budget, since it requires the executive to identify source[s] of funding,” Diokno said during a breakfast forum.
“If Congress agrees to pass all our tax measures then there’s a possibility. That’s the requirement we need, the tax measures,” he added.
If the 2018 supplemental appropriations push through, the funds would be released next year.
Diokno acknowledged the clamor in Congress to restore the budgets of some agencies, which could affect education and health programs.
“There is a talk of a supplemental budget because there is pressure from lawmakers to add funds to offset what we cut from inefficient government agencies in the 2019 budget,” Diokno said.
Diokno said the department and Congress agreed to have a cash-based transitory program for the 2019 national budget. Under this, payment terms will be extended up to six months instead of three months after the fiscal year, but only on selected projects.
The House committee on appropriations on Wednesday approved the allocations for the Office of the President and the Office of the Vice President under the P3.757-trillion spending plan for 2019, sidestepping a plea from Vice President Leni Robredo to spare her office from a P95-million budget cut.
The committee, chaired by Davao City Rep. Karlo Nograles, approved the proposed P6.773-billion OP budget in less than 10 minutes after Executive Secretary Salvador Medialdea made his budget presentation before the panel in the presence of Speaker Gloria Macapagal Arroyo.
Opposition Rep. Edcel Lagman made the motion to approve the proposed budget while Surigao del Sur Rep. Prospero Pichay Jr. seconded the motion.
Under next year’s General Appropriations Bill, the allocation of the OP is 12.3 percent higher than this year’s P6.03-billion budget.
Similarly, the Nograles panel approved in 15 minutes the proposed P447.6-million budget of the OVP, which is P945 million lower than this year’s P543-million allocation.
On the sidelines of the budget deliberations, Robredo said the budget cut of her office, saying its livelihood programs for the poor will be affected.
“The almost P100-million cuts will have an adverse effect on the programs we give to the poor or we extend in those areas we provide livelihood subsidies,” Robredo said.
Robredo said the OVP has been heavily dependent on the private sector to help them in their projects.
“[But] it is very difficult if we are entirely dependent on private sector support because our private partners have their own advocacies and sometimes, they are not really aligned with the results of our needs assessment with the communities,” Robredo said.
Nograles, in response, said his panel has committed to the restoration of the budget cuts.
“If it is any consolation, most of the departments also experienced the same. Which is why we try to resolve all these things. Do not worry, we will find a way to address this problem,” said Nograles.
