ADMINISTRATION allies in the executive and legislative branches are squabbling over the proposed 2019 national budget. This is shameless, self-serving and very telling of the culture of corruption in government.
In the final leg of the budget deliberations, the sharpening of conflicts between our honorable” legislators and executives unfold before us. They bicker to get the larger part of the pie for themselves as they leave with pitiful crumbs the rank-and-file government employees and the people in dire need of social services.
Who has not heard the recent spat between Budget chief Benjamin Diokno and some lawmakers regarding the P75-billion addition to the budget of the Department of Public Works and Highways, as well as a P51-billion realignment for “pet projects” of favored members of the Congress? There’s also the questionable allocation of a hefty amount of pork barrel for Pampanga.
Administration allies shamelessly squabble over billions-worth of money that will be exacted from government workers whom they deprive of justified pay hike and from the people whom they deny of basic social services. It would do our country a lot better if they would just set aside their selfish agenda and allocate the disputed amounts for programs and efforts which will bring substantial relief to the majority of the Filipinos. These amounts can significantly contribute to addressing the needs of the people.
The P51-billion worth of pork barrel insertions for administration-allied lawmakers is equivalent to the amount slashed from the budget of the Department of Education which is meant for the construction and electrification of thousands of school buildings and laboratories, procurement of equipment, development and provision of learning materials, and many others.
Also, the involved amounts are more than enough to grant the urgent call for an increase in the Personnel Economic Relief Allowance (PERA) of all government employees from P2,000 to P5,000 monthly which would only cost around P47 billion.
One can easily see the stark irony of our realities here: while administration allies squabble over funds on one hand, maybe to gain millions that they can squander for their electoral campaigns, the public, on the other hand, demand for its survival, a reasonable adjustment of the PERA which serves as cost of living allowance.
The recent events disprove the administration’s old and worn out excuse that there isn’t enough money. The money is there, the question is what will it be used for? To serve the people or their own interests?
