Rep. Guingona III finds ally in bizmen

CEBU, Philippines – More than 200 businessmen from all over the country expressed their support for the passage of the eight House Bills authored by Bukidnon Rep. Teofisto “TG” Guingona III that are still pending before the House of Representatives.

Guingona was in Cebu recently as one of the guest speakers during the First Conference of Independent Business Clubs in the country that was held at Marco Polo Hotel.

“Many practices need to be undone and many habits unlearned before positive changes can be affected. It is not a task that can be easily completed, in large part, because far too many benefit from the current system. It is a task that can only be undertaken if we all work together,” Guingona said.

He claimed that his bills are now “gathering duss” in the shelves of the Committee on Appropriations.

The eight House bills are: HB 5256 or the People’s Participation in Budget Deliberation Act of 2008; HB 5580 or the Impoundment Control Act of 2008; HB 5706 or the National Budget Fund Classification Act; HB 5707 or the Budgeting Guidelines for Re-enacted Budget; HB 5716 of the National Budget Savings Act of 2008; HB 5723 or the Unprogrammed Funds Prohibition Act of 2009; HB 5724 or the Open and Transparent Bicameral Meeting on Budget; and HB 5725 or the Transparency in Fund Release.

“Wow! I am so happy with their support,” says Guingona in an interview with The Freeman after his budget process presentation during the said event that was organized by the Cebu Business Club and the Makati Business Club.

Guingona explained the budget is not merely about numbers as numbers are important only to the extent that they reflect the amounts of the nation’s fiscal resources and only to the extent that these resources are deployed towards meeting the national objectives.

“The process of crafting and implementing the national budget is not an accounting exercise. It is, above all, a political exercise and there lies the difficulty,” Guingona said to the businessmen who are members of 14 different business clubs in the country. He added that the budget is the expression of our plans for the nation and the people, as it is the embodiment of our hopes and aspirations.

“The budget is critical to our future, then let us demand that it be made transparent. We are undeniably all the worse for our flawed budget process and the extent of the damage can be measured in term of our people’s suffering,” he said. — Mitchelle L. Palaubsanon/WAB (THE FREEMAN)