House Approves P2.268-Trillion 2014 National Budget on 3rd Reading

The House of Representatives, voting 219-22, on Tuesday approved the P2.268-trillion proposed national budget for 2014 without the controversial lump-sum Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF) allocation.

The lower chamber has approved House Bill 2630, or the 2014 General Appropriations Act, after nearly two months of committee hearings and plenary debates, Gma news online said.

Chairman on house committee on appropriations, Davao Rep. Isidro Ungab said “There is a total scrapping of yung PDAF as lumpsum. Nandun na siya sa six agencies. And then dun kami tumagal sa submission ng sa DPWH (Department of Public Works and Highways).”

The Tuesday’s approval was caused by delay in the printing of budget materials. Reports said the bill was meant to be approved on Monday but the House finally approved the measure late Tuesday afternoon. “If you will look at the budget, mahaba talaga,” Ungab said.

Reports stated that House members voted nominally with three minutes each to explain his or her vote after all the votes have been counted.

The 2014 General Appropriations bill, as approved by the House, features the re-channelled PDAF of lawmakers into six social service agencies, following the alleged misuse of the funds through bogus non-government organizations associated with trader Janet Lim-Napoles, Gma news online report said.

The bill, however, allows lawmakers to recommend projects to the six government agencies. Representative Ungab said nearly all congressman submitted proposals for hard projects for 2014.

“Almost all ay nagpasa, kaunti lang ang hindi nag-submit,” he said, adding that the projects are limited to the guidelines set by the Department of Public Works and Highways.

“Merong limitations, roads and bridges, school buildings, water systems, multipurpose buildings, yun yung mga major infrastructure na pwede,” Ungab said.

Ungab also added the measure was certified as urgent by President Benigno Aquino III, prompting the chamber to pass the bill quickly. “It was certified as urgent. Si Speaker (Sonny Belmonte) yung nagbigay ng idea na dapat i-certify,” he said.

Reports said prior to the voting, Navotas Rep. Toby Tiancgo moved to suspend the voting for three days, noting that lawmakers only received a copy of the bill Tuesday afternoon.

However, House Majority Leader Neptali Gonzales II, said it had been the practice of Congress to pass the budget as soon as lawmakers received a copy of the bill.

Ungab said the House is set to forward the budget bill to the Senate Wednesday morning. Once the Senate passes the budget, a bicameral conference will be convened to reconcile differences in the two versions, Gma news online reported.

Reports said the 22 no votes came from the minority bloc headed by Majority Leader Ronaldo Zamora and the independent bloc led by Leyte Rep. Ferdinand Martin Romualdez. Romualdez’ group earlier stated that they opposed the lump-sum funds of the chief executive itemized in the budget.

Gabriela party-list Rep. Luz Ilagan expressed dismay over the Aquino administration’s failure to abolish presidential and lawmakers’ pork barrel in the 2014 national budget, Gma news online said. “We oppose the lump-sum appropriations or the pork barrel of the president. Aquino is not exempted from the evils of the pork barrel system,” said Ilagan.

Source: Gma news online