2 Enero ,2025 Huwebes
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ABS 2025
FMJ urged to FLR of budget ‘pork’ until after 2025 midterm polls
By Nidz Godino
“In my opinion, pork barrel of congressmen has not been fixed…. still big pork barrel left in GAA… not much change. … pork barrel is still big in DPWH,” former Senate president Franklin Drilon said to prevent use of billions in public funds by politicians for 2025 elections, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. can classify all Congress-introduced amendments in 2025 General Appropriations Act (GAA) as “for later release” or FLR.
In statement, Drilon made proposal as he noted that Marcos’ vetoes some items in 2025 national budget largely “cosmetic,” barely touching “pork barrels” of legislators, principally lodged in bloated appropriation for Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH).
“2025 budget is considered election-year budget… we must be vigilant. ..budget should not be tool in aid of 2025 elections,” Drilon said.
Delaying release of controversial appropriations, he said, could “prevent budget from being perceived as tool for election-related spending.”
He said this would ensure compliance with Omnibus Election Code, prohibits release, disbursement or expenditure of public funds for public works, as well as delivery of construction materials, starting March 28 or 45 days before election day.
FLR mechanism is practice implemented by Department of Budget and Management during previous administration. Under this approach, Congress-introduced amendments not part of the President’s National Expenditure Program are classified as FLR, requiring compliance with specific conditions before funds are released.
By subjecting Congress-introduced amendments to FLR classification, Drilon argues, public will be assured that government funds will not be used as leverage for election purposes.
Drilon tagged President’s vetoing of P168 billion in Unprogrammed Fund (UF) allocations as “cosmetic,” since these standby appropriations lack funding unless additional revenues are generated.
“Veto of unprogrammed activities is cosmetic, more than anything else, as unprogrammed activities and projects are not supported by programmed revenues,” Drion had earlier said.
While P26 billion worth of DPWH projects were vetoed, leaving total of P263.9 billion in congressional insertions, Drilon said overall amount of insertions across budget remains significant at P347 billion.
With only P26 billion reverted to Treasury, that means only that amount is available to restore funding of de-funded projects in National Expenditure Program (NEP), said Drilon, adding that this leaves key programs like P74.4-billion subsidy for PhilHealth and P50 billion for 4Ps unlikely to be restored.
Funding from Official Development Assistance (ODA) will augment Department of Agriculture (DA)’s 2025 budget of P237.4 billion after President Marcos formally signed P6.326-trillion national budget, Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. said.
“I am happy with support of the President…in any case, we just have to work within our means…in general, we also have lot of ODA coming in to augment whatever shortfall we might need to do our job,” Tiu Laurel said.
The ODA, as defined in Republic Act 8182 or ODA Act of 1996, is loan or grant administered to promote sustainable social and economic development and welfare of the Philippines.
DA is among departments with largest allocation for this year.
“Good thing, I am looking forward to implementing all projects this year, from cold storages, to solar irrigation, change of planting calendar, increasing planting intensity to 2.5 from 1.8, so I think we can produce more and stabilize prices,” he stressed.
At the same time, Tiu Laurel said DA is serious in implementing change in planting calendar amid impact of successive typhoons in agriculture sector in 2024.
Tiu Laurel added that DA, through help of Landbank of the Philippines and Development Bank of the Philippines (DBP), will allocate combined funding of P200 million to finance Agri-Puhunan Program.
“It is condition of Agri-Puhunan that farmer will be given P60,000, P28,000 for inputs, including land preparation, harvest and transport and P32,000, P8,000 monthly support but conditions include you need to change planting calendar,” Tiu Laurel noted, adding DA targets to cover at least 100,000 farmers in Agri-Puhunan program.
Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) and its nine attached agencies has committed to managing its budget for 2025 with responsibility following its recent approval under Republic Act 12116, also known as 2025 General Appropriations Act.
With budget allocation of P279.1 billion fourth-largest among government agencies DILG Secretary Jonvic Remulla expressed commitment to fulfilling its mandate to foster local governance excellence, promote peace and order and enhance public safety.
“We assure the President, Congress and public of our commitment to utilize our budget responsibly, judiciously and prudently in support of administration’s agenda for prosperity by fulfilling needs and aspirations of Filipino people,” Remulla said.
For his part, Sen. Sherwin Gatchalian said approved 2025 GAA has enough funding for government’s rural electrification program, as National Electrification Administration (NEA) was allotted P1.87 billion in national budget this year.
Gatchalian said this funding will enable NEA to provide electricity to 22,000 rural households. There are estimated 4.214 million households nationwide that still have no electricity as of June 2023, Gatchalian said.
“Electricity is necessary for business to thrive in far-flung areas, in turn will provide jobs and improve economy,we hope budget allocation for NEA for 2025 would help push rural electrification program to its completion in the next couple of years,” he stressed.
Electrification in the country stood at 89 percent in 2023 and 91 percent in 2024. Based on five-year electrification plan, government aims to increase coverage to 94 percent in 2025, 97 percent in 2026 and achieve 100 percent in 2027.
As of August 2024, NEA energized 1,153 sitios using government subsidy provided the previous year.
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