5 Enero,2025 Linggo
Happy New Year
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
supports National Bible Month 2025
supports Marked Men for Christ Philippines Seminar, January 30,31,February 1,2025, Kabaleyan Cove, San Carlos City, Pangasinan
PM for any hospital discharge problem
ABS 2025
2025 GAA, ‘pork-free
By Nidz Godino
“We’ve been very clear 2025 budget is pork-free,” House Assistant Majority Leader and Tingog party-list Rep. Jude Acidre said 2025 General Appropriations Act (GAA) signed by President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.is “pork barrel-free”.
In text message Acidre said claim of former Senate president Franklin Drilon that 2025 national budget includes substantial “pork barrel” allocations is not true.
Drilon said on earlier that P731.4 billion in pork barrel funds from 2024 GAA and additional P347 billion in 2025 GAA was made possible through Congress-introduced amendments in 2025 GAA.
He added no discretionary funds are going to legislators.
“Every single line item is transparent, with clear guidelines and implementation handled by proper executive agencies,” Acidre said.
He said legislative process is designed to thoroughly examine budget and ensure all allocations are in line with Constitution and country’s priorities.
“While funding adjustments may happen, they are done to make sure resources are distributed efficiently without cutting essential services,” Acidres said.
Aside from presence of line items, Acidre said guidelines are crafted by executive agencies and programs themselves will be implemented by them.
None of the items and projects, according to Acidre, have been delegated to legislative.
He said it is unfair to say that these funds are discretionary funds and represent return to old pork barrel system as all are within purview of executive and executive agencies.
Drilon has challenged Department of Budget and Management (DBM) to disclose billions of pesos worth of Congress-introduced amendments in 2025 GAA.
DBM said earlier budget releases must comply with DBM rules like “First Issuance of Special Allotment Release Order” or FISARO which is authorization document for allocation and utilization of public funds for various government projects and programs.
Acidre said all executive agencies must comply with DBM’s rules.
Meanwhile, Teachers’ Dignity Coalition (TDC) will take Marcos administration to SC to question legality of lumping funding institutions run by defense and interior departments with education budget.
Stressing that counting schools and training institutions run by Department of National Defense (DND) and Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) in education sector’s budget could be unconstitutional, TDC said SC was proper forum for the matter.
TDC chairman Benjo Basas said group found it “absurd” that Philippine Military Academy (PMA), National Defense College of the Philippines (NDCP), Philippine National Police Academy (PNPA), Philippine Public Safety College (PPSC) and Local Government Academy (LGA) were counted in education sector’s budget.
He stressed that if these institutions could be lumped with education sector, all other agencies that have education programs like Department of Agriculture and Commission on Human Rights could be used to justify constitutional requirement of prioritizing education budget when total allocation for education agencies was lower than other sectors like public works.
TDC was questioning how P1.055-trillion funding for education sector , holds lion’s share of 2025 general appropriations included DND’s PMA and NDCP and DILG’s PNPA, PPSC and LGA, traditionally obtained their allocations from their parent agencies.
ISKUP! 