‘Congressmen received P.5 M each last Christmas’

MANILA, Philippines - Lawmakers received additional perks from the House of Representatives amounting to P500,000 last Christmas, which was used to grant bonuses to employees not entitled to receive additional benefits.

“This has been the practice every December, but that’s not bonus,” An Waray party-list Rep. Florencio Noel, chairman of the House committee on accounts, said.

He said the P200,000 fund for maintenance and other operating expenses (MOOE) of each congressman was increased to half a million each.

The MOOE is a budget item being used to support the operations of government agencies, such as expenses for supplies and materials, transportation and travel, utilities, and repairs.

Noel said the fund was used to give 13th month pay or bonuses to other congressional staff.

“It’s difficult for us to give bonuses to the House staff because we are operating on the same budget as 2011. There are more House members now, and our budget remained the same, which gives us little elbow room to give bonuses,” the lawmaker said.

House Minority Leader and Quezon Rep. Danilo Suarez defended the bonuses, saying it was meant for their respective MOOEs and Christmas gifts to non-plantilla staff.

“Whatever it is, it’s being practiced every Christmas. This is my sixth (term) in Congress already. There’s really something that they give for you to spread to your staff not entitled to bonuses,” he said.