House approves on third and final reading

2015 General Appropriations Bill (GAB)

The House of Representatives voting 198 affirmative and 18 Negative votes, with
no abstentions, approved on third and final reading House Bill 4968 whih provides for a
!"#6$6 trillion budget of the national government for "$1%#
The approval of the "$1% &eneral 'ppropriations Bill (&'B) was ompleted at *+1"
p#m# during the session presided over b, House -eput, .pea/er and Nueva 0i1a,a 2one
-istrit Rep# 3arlos !adilla, and after the e4planation of votes b, lawma/ers#
Rep# 5sidro T# 6ngab (7
rd
-istrit, -avao 3it,), 3hairman of the 3ommittee on
'ppropriations, lauded House members for wor/ing hard at ensuring the approval of the
budget b, the House on time# The approved measure will eventuall, be transmitted to the
.enate#
89e ongratulate the passage of the "$1% budget on third and final reading# The
!"#6$6:Trillion budget is a budget that is intended to deliver the muh needed pro;ets and
servies to the ountr, for inlusive and sustainable development,< 6ngab said#
6ngab said the Top 1$ departments have not hanged as the ad;ustments were
minimal to affet their total budgets# The final budgets of the Top 1$ departments are+
1# -epartment of =duation (-ep=d) !76% Billion
"# -epartment of !ubli 9or/s and Highwa,s (-!9H) !7$$#% Billion
7# -epartment of National -efense(-N-) !144 Billion
4# -epartment of the 5nterior and 2oal &overnment (-52&) !141#1 Billion
%# -epartment of .oial 9elfare and -evelopment (-.9-) !1$9 Billion
6# -epartment of Health (->H) !1$"#" Billion
*# -epartment of 'griulture !88#8 Billion
8# -epartment of Transportation and 3ommuniations (->T3) !%9#% Billion
9# -epartment of =nvironment and Natural Resoures (-=NR) !"1#7 Billion
1$#?udiiar, !"$#7 Billion#
The !"#6$6 trillion proposed budget is in fulfillment of the '@uino administrationAs
ommitment to further failitate rapid, inlusive, and sustainable growth in the ountr,# 5t
is 1%#1 perent higher from the urrent ,earAs !"#"6%:trillion budget, representing 18#4
perent of the ountr,As &ross -omesti !rodut (&-!) and refleting the ;ump in the
'dministrationAs growth assumption of *#$ to 8#$ perent for "$1%#
!er setoral alloation, soial servies ontinues to ta/e the lionAs share of the
proposed "$1% budget, attesting to the 'dministrationAs ontinuing pursuit of its
NR # 3634D
OCT. 29, 2014
antipovert, goals# .oial protetion and welfare serviesBwhih inlude the provision of
basi eduation and universal health areBaount for 7*#1 perent of the proposed
e4penditure program, with !96*#9 billion now devoted to the setor#
6ngab stressed that as alread, established, the orret total amount of the
'mendmentC=rrata in the "$1% Budget is onl, !4#* Billion# 8Hene, an, laim that
errataCamendments amounted to more than !hp 4#* billion, muh more pertaining to a
partiular item, is absolutel, erroneous and ompletel, false,< he said#
5n the partiular item of the !ension and &ratuit, Dund, he said that indeed, the
-epartment of Budget and Eanagement (-BE) proposed inreases that would have
redued the pension and gratuit, fund partiularl, the item for retirement benefits whih
has an appropriation of !14$#6 billion b, !17#4 billion# However, as alread, noted, the
small ommittee onl, approved a total of !4#* billion of the proposed -BE
amendmentCerrata aording to 6ngab#
8Hene, -BEAs proposal that would have resulted in suh redution in pension and
gratuit, fund did not atuall, happenCour,< he said#
He further said to note the fat that there is no list ,et of emplo,ees who will retire
in "$1% and it remains unertain whether the appropriated amount will be full, utili1ed
ne4t ,ear#
6ngab also said the authorit, and power of the small ommittee to review and
aept amendments was granted b, the !lenar,, as a whole, following the proess of
deliberation, voting and approval b, the latter, whih in this ase was unanimous, as ,ou
an verif, from the reords#
89hen all of the members of the House submitted their votes granting suh power
and authorit, to the ommittee to aept amendments on the budget, ever,one was full,
aware of the role of the ommittee and ompletel, understand the e4tent of its authorit,#
.hould an,one have an, ob;etion to the House Resolution empowering the said
ommittee, the, should have manifested it at the time when the same was under
onsideration b, the !lenar,,< said 6ngab#
.etion 68 of the &eneral !rovisions of HB 4968 provides the definition of
8.avings,< referring to it as 8portions or balanes of an, programmed appropriations in
this 't whih have not been released or obligated as a result of an, of the following+
a) -isontinuane or abandonment of the program, ativit, or pro;et (!C'C!)
resulting from natural or man:made alamities whih would render it not possible
for the agen, to implement the said !C'C! at an, time during the validit, of the
appropriationsF
b) Non:ommenement of the !C'C! for whih the appropriations is released at the
beginning of the ,ear unless the implementing agen, shows that the !C'C! ma,
still be underta/en or aomplished in DG "$1%# Dor this purpose, non:
ommenement shall refer to the inabilit, of the agen, or its dul, authori1ed
prourement agent to obligate an allotment within the first semester of DG "$1%F
) -ereased ost resulting from improved effiien, during the implementation or
after the ompleting b, agenies of their !C'C!s to deliver the targets and servies
approved in this 'tF
d) -ifferene between the approved budget for the ontrat and the ontratCbid prie#
.avings ma, li/ewise refer to available balanes of appropriations arising from
unused ompensation and related osts pertaining to + (i) unfilled, vaant or abolished
positionsF (ii) non:entitlement to allowane and benefitsF and (iii) leaves of absene
without pa,#<
6ngab said it is inorret to state that the term savings was redefined to
institutionali1e -'!:li/e mehanisms onsidering that the amendmentCs on the definition
of savings wasCwere made preisel, in order to onform with the onstitutional provisions
and latest .3 rulings on the matter, and to ensure that the same will be effetive and
pratial for the operations of the government departmentsCoffies#
>ther lawma/ers have also lauded the approval on third reading of the "$1% &'B#
Rep# >sar Rodrigue1 (7
rd
-istrit, !ampanga), 3hairman of the 3ommittee on &ood
&overnment and !ubli 'ountabilit,, said the approval 8will ensure the implementation
soonest of the muh:needed pro;ets in the ountr,#<
Neoph,te Rep# .amuel !agdilao (!art,:list, '3T: 35.) e4pressed elation that the
House fulfilled its onstitutional dut, of passing the &'B whih is an important piee of
legislation# 85 hope this legislative measure will help alleviate the lives of our people
through the wise, honest and legitimate use of the peopleAs mone,,< said !agdilao, a 0ie
3hairman of the 3ommittee on !ubli >rder and .afet,# (7$) rbb