'Deal' breaks budget impasse

tudn pgE I According to DPWH employees who testified dudng the hearing,
it itas Paqandaman who summoned them to the DBM 0n 11 July
"Ihey reached a compromise, that would be the most offrcial *encoding' and *reformatting'
2018 for the 0f projects for inclusion
Friday, I February 2019 statement,' Sotto said. in ihe National Expenditue Progra,n.
Daily Tribune The Senate president said the bicaneral committee, led Legarda
and House Appropriations Commlttee chairman Rep. Rolando Insertions rrnuln
Andaya Jr,, will be meeting to review and finalize the budget measure Scfro, however, admittedthe multibiuionpeso'insertions' questioned
'Deal'brea at I a.m. today before being ratified by both the Senate and House
of Representatives (II0R) dudng iheir respective sessions at 3 p.m.
by his alS Sen. Panfllo Iacson remained in the proposed national budget.
He said the P160 million allocations for each of the alno$ 300
Asked if the budget measure will be ratified today, Sotto replied, members ofthe House of Reprcsentatives and the P23 bilioll individual
budget j "Most probably.'
"lhere might be some questions... But in all probability, because
amendments by some senators axe still present in the compromise.
"Some (House) amendments, especially those that Ping and
it was requested and being expedited by the Executiye department, some of our members want to be remoyed for being excessive were
mpasse it could be passed,' he added. retained. The House does not want to rcmove them," he said.
For his part, Lacson said he will not relent on his advocacy
By arlo J,alhri DBM replles to House against "p'ork barrel," despite the seeming defeat anew in fighting
ad Joshua Lao The Department of Budget and Management (DBM) atso the allocations declaxed by the Supreme Court as ilegai,
, answered allegations hurled by the HoR regarding pork insortions Lacson also conirmed the insertions by both senators and
' generated by the fomer. conglessmen he questioned dudng the deliberalions were canied
ItunrttsdtEr/im-t'i4Wted
"We have received information of new allegations against the in the budget.
Walegdiorsd"potkbarrcl'is€trtiorsby DBM. These accusations arc without basis and are meant to dlscredit "Sadly, no matter how haxd I axgued last night, I only haye one vote,
bdls€natoN ardmngt€ssn€n - CorEI€ss
tho good reputation of this administrution's DBM as one ofthe most altliough I have good reason to believe that some likeminded colleagues
b €qed€d to appo\re ard ratit/ todat'
tnnsparont and oedible institutions in the world,' the DBM seid. axe suppoftive of deloting all polk hsertions, particrilarb7 the excessive
tfte Ri.1b? trillion poposed national During a hearing on Wednesday, witnesses and unconscionable rcaligrunents made not onfuby our HoR count€Daxt,
bu@d ftr 2019.
tagged Budget Und€mecretary Amenah but b5, a numb€r of our collea€ues as weUl l,acson said.
Senate President Vicente Pangandaman ap the one who ofrciated the
Sotto III, after an all-senators insertion of ftmds amounting to P?6,billion Ping declares victory
caucus late Wednesday night, said worth of projects to the 2019 budget of He, however, decla.red victory in the realignment of all allocations
the Senate Finance Committee the Department of Public Works and for grafFprone flood control and dredging projects to the capital
chairperson Sen. Loren Legarda Highways (DP\&'H) without the DBM's , oullay for Yarious agencies.
r€ported the bicameral conference knowledge. I Lacson is also seeing the good result of his ffght against "pork
committee reach€d a compromise ",i!rNss$b; i barrel,' salng "Hopefully, I was able to en.lighten the public because
on contentious provisions of the rt .7K.t !7' 'PAQ€'| : of thg public discourse that trarlspted for or a.gainst the outlawed
budget measure. funfu pagc 6 pork barel. I would say we have gained some headway in this
regard."
the senators are not about to mise the white
' fla9, though - pinning his final hope on President
Duterte to veto all 'pork ba.rrel" insertions
"*'Wl\ in the national budget.
"ss{i* . "Itopetulh, the Presideni
and his economic
manegels will fuither
scrutinize the final
rcrsion ofthe budget bill
as paised by Con$ess
and exercise his veto
power to excise the line
itens thai clearv look
and smell like pork,"
I-arson said.