By Azer Parrocha
MANILA, (PNA) — No issues were raised when the Office of the President presented its 2014 budget proposal worth P2.8 billion to the Senate Committee on Finance, Tuesday — facilitating its quick approval.
The budget proposal is composed of personal Services worth P 641.132 million, maintenance and other operating expenses worth P 1.998.435 billion and capital outlay worth P 183.400 million.
According to the Chairman of the Finance Committee Francis Escudero, the OP budget for 2014 is three percent higher than its 2013 budget which was P2.73 billion.
Escudero meanwhile explained that no concerns had been brought up probably because no other member attended the hearing.
“There was no reason to stall the approval for plenary of the OP budget. Congress regularly gives courtesies to the office of the OP during budget deliberations,” Escudero said.
He further explained that if there were any issues in their respective administrations and offices, they can be directed to the departments and not to the office proper itself.
As for the lump sum amounts which has been critiqued as of late, Escudero said that they belong to the special purpose funds which lie on the Dept. of Budget and Management’s responsibility to defend.
“Even the social fund is not in the president’s budget. The DBM will defend the special purpose funds to include calamity fund, contingency fund, and feasibility studies fund,” Escudero said.
“All the lump sums that are being questioned by the public and the media or even the lawmakers fall under the DBM. They will address these issues during the plenary come November” he added.
Despite the fact that the president’s social fund does not go through congress, Escudero said that it is still subject to Commission on Audit’s rules and regulations and guidelines.