Senate Minority Leader Franklin Drilon slammed the nonrelease of Bayanihan 2 funds for the Department of Agriculture and the Department of Tourism despite only two months remaining in the validity of the law.
“Deplorable and inexcusable. When we were crafting Bayanihan 2, we stayed within the budget ceiling imposed by the DOF,” he noted.
The DA is supposed to get P24 billion while the DOT has been allocated P10 billion to help in the recovery effort amid the Covid-19 pandemic.
“So why are there no releases? Are the funds to back up the appropriations under Bayanihan 2 not available?” Drilon said.
“ I cannot believe that Sec (William) Dar and Sec (Bernadette) Romulo-Puyat are so negligent, or dumb, not to submit the appropriate Special Budget Requests,” he said.
“The farmers and the fisherfolk need it. The displaced workers and distressed MSMEs in the tourism industry need it. The appropriation authority under Bayanihan 2 expires on December 19, 2020, and therefore DBM must release the budgets,” Drilon said.
But he added that he will oppose any extension of Bayanihan 2.
“Note that this is an emergency measure granting the President extra powers which, under the Constitution, will expire upon the next adjournment of Congress on Dec 19. Any extension can be questioned as being contrary to the Constitution,” Drilon sad.
“Note also that after Bayanihan’s expiration on Dec 19, 2020, the 2021 GAA becomes effective 12 days after. So why extend it? DBM should release the funds appropriated before Dec 19,” he said.
Source: Latest Politics News Today (Politics.com.ph)
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