New anti-budget law petition in February - ex-DOF official
Metro Manila, Philippines - Another petition challenging the national budget is expected to be filed before the Supreme Court next month, a former government official said.
In an interview with NewsWatch Plus on Thursday, Jan. 30, former Finance Undersecretary Cielo Magno said she is drafting a petition to question the constitutionality of the General Appropriations Act (GAA).
Magno said the petition may be filed by the second or third week of February.
She flagged the allocation for the education sector and zero subsidy for the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth).
“Ano ba ang ibig sabihin kapag priority ang edukasyon? Hindi po kasama diyan dapat ‘yung budget ng… PNPA (Philippine National Police Academy), PMA (Philippine Military Academy), LGA (Local Government Academy),” the former finance official said.
[Translation: What does it mean when education is the priority? The budgets of the PNPA, PMA, and LGA should be excluded from the education sector.]
On the issue of the Department of Public Works and Highways having the highest budget allocation, lawmakers pointed out that the education sector has the biggest share to include learning institutions in other agencies such as the PMA, PNPA, and LGA.
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Meanwhile, PhilHealth has no subsidy as lawmakers pressed for the utilization of its reserve funds.
“Hindi po pwedeng zero ang subsidy sa PhilHealth dahil ito ay pagtalikod sa responsibilidad ng gobyerno na pondohan at bigyan ng premium ‘yung PhilHealth coverage sa mga kababayan nating indigent at senior citizens,” Magno said.
[Translation: PhilHealth cannot have a zero subsidy because it is a neglect of the government’s responsibility to fund the premium coverage for our fellow Filipinos who are indigent and senior citizens.]
If the court invalidates the budget law, she said Congress may reconvene and amend the GAA.
The first petition challenging the budget law has been filed by former Executive Secretary Vic Rodriguez, Davao City Rep. Isidro Ungab, and six others.
