Bill filed seeking more transparency in DBM release of funds

MANILA, Philippines - Deputy Speaker Lorenzo Tañada III wants more transparency in the release of public funds by the Department of Budget and Management (DBM).

He has filed House Bill 4623, or the proposed Transparency in Fund Releases Act of 2011, noting that despite the DBM’s effort to make the release of funds transparent, it has fallen short on its commitment.

He said the DBM still treats documents covering budget releases like the special release allotment order (SARO) and notice of cash allocation (NCA) as “restricted and confidential.”

“Although a budget execution information system which electronically captures all SARO and NCA releases of the DBM on a real-time basis is in place, these databases or records remain internal to the DBM. There are allegations that some people get away with selling copies of these documents to fixers and contractors who want to expedite the process,” he said.

Tañada, a principal author of the proposed Freedom of Information Law, said access to news and information should be readily available with the click of a button, “as the public has become more aware and sensitive to the realities of anomalies and corruption in the government.”

“It is very much apparent that Filipinos are strongly manifesting their need for access to concerns involving public funds. It is crucial to make the entire budget process transparent because the public deserves to know how their money is being spent by the government,” he stressed.

He pointed out that a law requiring transparency in fund releases would ensure that the budget process, including the expenditure of funds, is open to public monitoring and scrutiny.

“It will also ensure and appease the information-seeking public that their money is well-accounted for and responsibly administered,” he said.

The Tañada bill requires the DBM to submit a report on releases to all departments and agencies to the Senate committee on finance and the House committee on appropriations 10 days after the end of every month.

A week after submitting the report, the department would have to post on its website the details of such releases. The two congressional committees would also have to post the information on their websites.

In the case of local government units, the bill requires them to provide an Internet-ready computer unit in every town hall for the sole purpose of granting access to information pertaining to their funds, including money coming from the national government.

Public officers who fail to comply with the reportorial and website posting requirements face a 60-day suspension without pay for the first offense, 90-day suspension without pay for the second violation and dismissal and perpetual disqualification from public office for the third.

The filing of the Tañada bill comes amid numerous complaints among congressmen – both from the majority and the minority – about the lack or delayed release of their pork barrel funds.

Budget Secretary Florencio Abad, a party mate of Tañada in the ruling Liberal Party, has said his agency has already front-loaded more than 50 percent of this year’s budget.