The continued absence of Vice President Sara Duterte in the House budget hearing has led to the snubbed lawmakers proposing either a cut or transfer of the funds she requested for her office, and at the same time led to discussions of her alleged misuse of nearly a third of the Department of Education allocation in 2013, her last full year at its helm.
Duterte missed her last chance to defend her office’s proposed P2 billion budget at the committee level, which was previously unnecessary under the auspices of so-called “unity”, when approving ostentatious amounts to an ally was considered by lawmakers as a courtesy accorded to the two highest offices in the country.
Budget discussions would now move to the plenary, where the House of Representatives could move to slash the OVP’s social services budget and transfer it to line agencies, which is what appropriations panel chair and Ako Bicol Rep. Elizaldy Co vowed to recommend, pointing out that the Vice President could no longer be trusted with public funds.
This comes after panel members pointed out several irregularities in the OVP’s 2023 budget as flagged by the Commission on Audit, including “overpriced” rentals for satellite offices and the dismally low disbursement of funds for its flagship livelihood project.
The satellite offices were criticized as a duplication of services already offered by the Department of Labor and Employment and the Technical Education Skills Development Authority, while the OVP’s livelihood program that was allotted P150 million, used only P600,000, or a mere 0.4 percent, as of 2023.
While it is refreshing to see our lawmakers finally being so concerned with the proper use of government funds, it would be better to see them do it consistently, without fear or favor, and not just suddenly become strict only when they are dealing with perceived threats or former allies.
Moreover, it would also be beneficial to the nation’s coffers if they can also be as judicious and meticulous when it comes to all sorts of pork barrels, including their own, as most of it are ironically also spent on duplications of services that are offered by other government agencies.
Can the Filipino people be hopeful that our government officials, from this point forward, will put more effort into scrutinizing the national budget, whether or not it is going to be spent by their friends or foes?*
