15 Disyembre,2024 Linggo
16 days to 2025, Merry Christmas
Happy 21st anniversary, Servants of God in Jesus Christ Christian Ministries Incorporated, Rev. Nestor Sadim, Rev. Manuel Soliman, Director Jorge Lopez
No to Divorce!!!
Get well soon Nanay Angelita Santiago-Lopez
No to SOGIE bill
PM for any hospital discharge problem
Slashing of DepEd’s 2025 budget justified
By Nidz Godino
“Secretary Angara may argue that education funding is sacrosanct, but Congress cannot keep throwing good money after bad…this is not about depriving education; it’s about ensuring proper fund use and accountability,” 1-Rider Party-list Rep. Rodge Gutierrez said House of Representatives has stood firm on slashing P10 billion from Department of Education (DepEd)’s 2025 computerization budget, calling out agency’s alleged glaring inefficiency and fund mismanagement.
Dismissed objections of DepEd Secretary Sonny Angara, earlier criticized lawmakers for budget cut.
“While it’s unfortunate that Sec. Sonny inherited problems and scandals left behind by his predecessor, Vice President Sara Duterte-Carpio, Sec. Angara knows that law is clear: unused funds must be accounted for before new allocations can be made, now that he’s education secretary, he should focus on fixing DepEd’s internal mess instead of crying foul about budget decisions,” he said.
Citing DepEd’s poor track record, the lawmaker pointed to Commission on Audit (COA) report, revealed DepEd’s disbursement of only P2.075 billion of its P11.36-billion 2023 budget for ICT equipment.
“This isn’t just inefficiency , it’s negligence,” Gutierrez pointed out, adding that DepEd’s failure to deliver on its mandate justifies Congress’ decision to reallocate funds.
At budget hearing last September, DepEd ICT director Ferdinand Pitagan admitted that 12,022 laptops for teachers and 7,558 for non-teaching personnel remained undelivered by end-2023.
“And that’s just for 2023, we’re not even talking about computerization budget for 2024 and year is almost over,” Gutierrez said.
Critics scored department for laptop procurement mess under Duterte’s term as DepEd chief, during overpriced units drained resources without meeting schools’ needs.
“Excuses are wearing thin,” Gutierrez said “we know it’s extremely difficult for Secretary Angara to defend DepEd’s lack of action when Philippines is already at rock bottom in global education rankings… teacher-to-computer ratio of 30:1 is unacceptable and we have VP Sara to blame for it.”
Philippines ranked 76th among 81 countries in reading and mathematics in 2023 PISA assessment. Analysts argue that DepEd’s delays in delivering ICT resources have only deepened crisis.
With education sector in disarray, lawmakers insist cut is not attack on education but wakeup call for DepEd to prioritize effective governance over bloated budgets.
With Malacañang vowing to enact national budget program for 2025 before Christmas, Sen. Pia Cayetano intends to question before Supreme Court move of bicameral conference committee of Congress to give zero subsidy to state insurer Philippine Health Insurance Corp. (PhilHealth).
Cayetano said she as lawyer would study proposed P6.352-trillion national budget as she questioned budget cuts on key agencies like Departments of Health and Education.
She said bicam move to remove government subsidy for PhilHealth violates Sin Tax Law, mandates portion of tax collected from vices should be used for universal health care.
“We passed Sin Tax Law that requires that 80 percent of revenues from tobacco products and sugar-sweetened beverage must be allocated to PhilHealth…for 2025, that amount of sin tax collection is P69 billion…under bicam, zero…by law, it is required to deliver that fund, iolation of Sin Tax Law… I am seriously considering questioning this in Supreme Court because that is law that we passed,” Cayetano said.
While she understands Senate leadership’s position that PhilHealth does not deserve government subsidy because of its unused P600 billion in reserve funds, Cayetano said government is mandated to give support for PhilHealth’s payments of premiums for indirect contributors.
“Clearly, PhilHealth is not managing their funds properly… I’d like to believe there are improvements…but are we improving fast enough, I am just posing those questions because it has reached point government may not fund them anymore, even though by law, they are required to be funded…we are now at stalemate,” Cayetano said.
Cayetano, seeking reelection, remains ally of administration even though she is questioning budget cuts in 2025 budget.
“I am ally of administration… I will not say administration is not giving education and health priority….what I am saying is that I respect the process, I respect that there may be differences in opinions in terms of setting priorities,” Cayetano said.
She expressed disappointment that bicam had to cut the budgets of DOH by P25.80 billion, DepEd (P11.57 billion), Commission on Higher Education (P26.91 billion) and the University of the Philippines (P641.38 million).
“This is outside administration…it’s bicam process only that I am making observation on,” she added.
Former senator Panfilo Lacson, meanwhile, vowed to scrutinize bloated budget of Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) for 2025.
Lacson said DPWH budget increased from P900 billion in 2025 National Expenditure Program, to P1.113 trillion in reconciled budget after Congress convened as bicameral conference committee.
Lacson would look into DPWH budget if he gets elected again as senator in next year’s midterm elections.
“God willing and with enlightened electorate, in exercise of congressional oversight, among others, I pledge to scrutinize each and every additional item that caused spike in agency’s budget, among other items in 2025 General Appropriations Act,” Lacson said.
He said DPWH is known for its poor implementation of projects and utilization of funds secretly inserted by lawmakers.
“Assuming it comes from congressional insertions, let me reiterate my usual and oft-repeated concern about attendant poor or lack of proper planning and vetting by DPWH, has proper authority to implement these ‘whimsically inserted’ budgeted items that could very well end up in either unutilization of funds or poor implementation that will not be responsive to needs and priorities of the country and its communities,” Lacson said.
He questioned bicam’s move to give whopping increase to DPWH while drastically reducing budget of DepEd.
Lacson said this “blatantly violates Art XIV Sec 5(5) of Constitution, declares ‘The State shall assign highest budgetary priority to education and ensure teaching will attract and retain its rightful share of best available talents through adequate remuneration and other means of job satisfaction and fulfillment.’”
He urged President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. to use his veto power and restore DepEd’s budget and reverse DPWH’s bloated funding.
“Only the President can save the Constitution from becoming wastebasket-bound by exercising his line item veto power once Enrolled Bill lands on his desk,” he said.
Senate finance committee chair Grace Poe earlier defended P288.7-billion increase in DPWH’s budget, saying there are foreign-assisted projects next year that need government funding.
While senators were critical of DPWH’s billions of pesos worth of poorly implemented flood control projects, Poe said there are audit guidelines for monitoring DPWH projects to prevent corruption and make possible blacklisting of unscrupulous contractors.
ISKUP! 