By Len Transporte
Senate finance committee chairperson JV Ejercito has vowed to block last-minute insertions and amendments during bicameral conference committee deliberations on the national budget, saying he wants to prevent the “milagro” that had allowed spending items to balloon behind closed doors.
Ejercito said tighter safeguards were necessary in the wake of the flood control scandal that exposed alleged irregularities involving billions of pesos in government infrastructure projects.
“I will not allow anymore, this early I’m telling all the officials, other, that I will not allow insertions and amendments during BICAM. Kasi doon nagkakaroon ng, ano eh, doon lumulobo at doon nagkakaroon ng mga milagro,” Ejercito said in an interview on Bilyonaryo News Channel’s “On Point” on Aug. 7.
The bicameral conference committee, or bicam, reconciles differences between the versions of the national budget approved separately by the Senate and the House of Representatives.
The process has come under increased scrutiny over amendments introduced during the final stages of budget deliberations, particularly following controversies surrounding flood control allocations.
Ejercito said reforms had already begun during the previous budget cycle as public anger mounted over the flood control scandal.
“Well, actually, Pinky, the reform started last year. During last year’s budget hearings, when at the height of the flood control scandal, of course, people were outraged. Lahat ng tao, galit. So reforms were needed last year. So yun, nag-tightening talaga. Safeguards were in place,” he said.
Ejercito credited Senate President Sherwin “Win” Gatchalian with pushing for greater transparency in the budget process, including an “open budget” policy that allows greater access to information.
He said the bicameral deliberations had also been opened up, doing away with the so-called “small committee” that previously handled some of the final budget negotiations away from public scrutiny.
“So, sinimulan niya ni Senate President Win Gatchalian, open budget, they can access all the information anytime. And then, no more, yung BICAM is also open. Open BICAM na ngayon, wala na yung small committee,” Ejercito said.
Now at the helm of the powerful Senate finance committee, Ejercito said he intended to continue the reforms and broaden participation in the budget process by involving civil society organizations in hearings.
“I intend to continue the reforms that he started, especially itong pagiging transparent and also involving the civil service or civil society organizations during the budget hearings,” he added.—Politiko.com.ph
