Minority Leader and Manila 6th District Rep. Benny Abante Jr. on Thursday said members of the Minority will thoroughly scrutinize the National Expenditure Plan (NEP) submitted by the Executive Department while balancing the need to pass the General Appropriations Act (GAA) on time to ensure the prompt delivery of services to the people.
This as budget deliberations at the House of Representatives (HOR) kicked off with the Development Budget Coordination Committee meeting involving members of the President’s economic team and the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP).
“We will endeavor to work with our colleagues from the Majority to pass the National Budget at the right time.”
Abante said that after the country experienced the detrimental effects of delays in the passage of the General Appropriations Act (GAA), those in the Minority “are committed to doing what is in the best interests of our people, and that includes passing the National Budget on time.”
“It is with this in mind that the Minority will thoroughly scrutinize the NEP while balancing the need to pass the GAA promptly in order not to delay the delivery of services to the people—because we in the Minority recognize that fulfilling our duties to properly examine and thoroughly comb through the items of the proposed NEP is just as important as the timely passage of the GAA,” explained the solon.
According to Abante, “sa tamang panahon, sa tamang pamamaraan, at para sa tamang prayoridad: ito po ang mga gabay ng myembro ng Minority sa pagtalakay ng 2020 National Budget. (The right time, the right way, the right priorities: this is the Minority’s guide when we tackle the 2020 National Budget.)”
“We will endeavor to work with our colleagues from the Majority to pass the National Budget at the right time, commit to do it the right way, and work to ensure that our financial resources are allocated for the right priorities,” the legislator said.
“If appropriately prioritized, the GAA can be an instrument that can literally transform the lives of our people.”
Abante said that the Minority bloc had agreed with their counterparts in the Majority that grandstanding would be discouraged, “so that more time can be committed to addressing legitimate, relevant budget allocation and implementation issues.”
“The formula, in our minds, is simple: quality deliberations plus quality time is equal to a quality GAA.”
Abante noted that the proposed National Budget is the largest in history, with P4.1 trillion allotted for programs and projects meant to benefit 104.9 million Filipinos.
Around P3.36 trillion, explained Abante, “have been allotted for Social Services and Economic Services combined, and this reflects an investment not only in our people’s welfare, but an investment in their future.”
“If properly allocated, if appropriately prioritized, the GAA can be an instrument that can literally transform the lives of our people by providing them with more economic opportunities and equipping them with more tools by which to improve their lives,” he said.
“Kaya napakahalaga po ng trabaho natin sa Kongreso na suriin at siyasatin ng masinsinan ang NEP, para matiyak natin na mapopondohan ng maayos ang mga programa at proyekto na pakikinabangan ng ating mga kababayan,” added the lawmaker.
(This is why we in Congress have a very important obligation to seriously examine and vet the NEP so we can ensure that there is sufficient funding for the programs and projects that will benefit our countrymen.”)
“Kaya ito po ang mensahe namin mula sa Minorya: magtulungan po tayo; magdebate po tayo kung kailangan (so this is the Minority’s message: let us help each other, let us debate with each other, if necessary); but let us never forget that at the end of the long days we will commit to this process we are all here for one purpose and to serve one master: the Filipino People.”