Makabayan bloc bucks new definition of savings

MANILA, Philippines - The seven party-list representatives belonging to Makabayan bloc formalized their opposition yesterday to the new definition of savings contained in the proposed P2.606-trillion 2015 national budget, which the House of Representatives has approved on second reading.

In a letter to Davao City Rep. Isidro Ungab, appropriations committee chairman, the seven lawmakers proposed the deletion of Section 67 of the budget bill, which it said would violate the Constitution as it diminishes the power of Congress over the purse.

“The assailed Section 67 circumvents and transgresses the Supreme Court ruling against the unconstitutional acts and practices under President Aquino’s Disbursement Acceleration Program (DAP),” they said.

The provision gives the President the power to declare savings if a program, activity or project (PAP) has been discontinued or abandoned for justifiable causes at any time; a PAP is not started within the first semester of 2015; if implementation of a program, activity or project results in decreased cost, and if vacant positions are not filled.