JDV: House-approved 2002 budget will stand

The majority in the House of Representatives turned down a minority move to reconsider the Oct. 26 approval on second reading of the P780.08-billion proposed budget for next year, Speaker Jose de Venecia said yesterday.

De Venecia said the 2002 budget was approved on second reading as scheduled despite a walkout by the 18-member opposition, which had earlier threatened to question the budget approval before the Supreme Court.

"By a unanimous vote, the ruling majority decided to deny an expected motion for reconsideration by the minority of the approval of the budget on second reading," he said.

De Venecia said "the decision is final" as the budget was overwhelmingly approved by the majority.

"It was approved overwhelmingly," he said. "So there was nothing to reconsider as far as the ruling majority is concerned."

De Venecia said he earlier met with Minority Leader Carlos Padilla and members of the minority before a majority caucus was convened to take up the suggestion of the opposition.

More than 135 members of the Sunshine Coalition attended the hour-long caucus, he added.

Rep. Rodolfo Albano (Lakas, Isabela) defended yesterday the majority’s decision to approve the 2002 budget on Oct. 26, way beyond the adjournment time of 12 midnight of Oct. 25.

"Our rules specifically provide that adjournment can only happen upon direction of the House despite a specific date of adjournment mandated by the legislative calendar," he said in a privilege speech.

The political opposition in the Senate is now carrying out a "line by line" scrutiny of the P780.8-billion budget proposed for 2002 to ensure that "spending priorities are right and investment will be pro-people and pro-growth," Sen. Edgardo Angara said yesterday.

Angara explained the allocations for the different government agencies would have to be examined to determine if some of the funds could be realigned for other purposes.

Albano said it was past midnight of Oct. 25 when opposition congressmen were still participating in floor deliberations on the budget and when they later decided to walk out.

He added that by their actions, congressmen belonging to the minority "could not foist a valid challenge against the legitimacy of the proceedings."

More important than following the legislative calendar, the minority wants to put a stop to the yearly ritual of the majority railroading the approval of the annual budget.

Albano did not go into this issue nor comment on the perennial problem of absenteeism.

On the other hand, Angara’s position was in contrast to John Osmeña’s statement that P620 billion of the proposed budget could no longer be touched because P240 billion would be for debt servicing, P130 billion for internal revenue allocations for local government units, and P250 billion for the salaries of civil servants.

Only about P160 billion will be left as development budget, representing the operational expenditures and capital outlays, Osmeña said, adding this was the reason why the proposed budget could no longer be slashed.

But Angara noted the opposition senators had been studying the budget proposals being handled by nine budget sub-committees with the help of policy and spending experts.

"We will work hard to make the national budget respond to a pro-growth, pro-people agenda. If the priorities are not right, we will come in and push for the reshaping of the priorities," Angara said.

The senator said Congress should stop treating the budget deliberation as a "routine measure." He added the opposition senators would come to the budget hearings fully prepared.

"The national budget states the government priorities in real terms. It is actually the development plan accurately stated in pesos," he said.

For his part, Senate President Frank Drilon assured the Senate would see to it that the "tight budget" would be spent wisely.

"It is critical that we be able to identify accurately what are the priorities that we will have in order that the budget can be used as an effective tool to respond to the expected difficulties next year," Drilon said.

Meanwhile, De Venecia and his Lakas-led Sunshine Coalition were put on notice yesterday that they would have to maintain quorum everyday so the House can work.

Deputy Minority Leader Constantino Jaraula said yesterday De Venecia’s majority would have to ensure the presence of a quorum during the sessions of the chamber "throughout the next three years, everyday and hour on the hour."

After the majority resorted to the "tyranny of numbers" on Oct. 26 when it approved the proposed P781 billion 2002 budget, Jaraula said the minority will see to it that Section 47 of the House rules will always be followed.

The section states: "The House shall not transact business without a quorum."

Jaraula hinted that the minority will question the quorum whenever there is an insufficient number of congressmen in the session hall.

He said House leaders should solve "this contemptible and recurring illness of absenteeism."

"This is a problem that has no political color and it must be solved immediately and boldly as part of the cleansing process that is much needed if the House is to contribute to national development," he said.