NOT a single cent from the proposed Philippine national budget for 2015 was allocated for plebiscites on Charter change (Cha-cha) and the Bangsamoro political entity, the Commission on Elections (Comelec) confirmed on Thursday, Sept. 4.
Comelec Chairman Sixto Brillantes Jr. revealed that the commission had initially requested P36 billion from the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) but was granted P16.9 billion in the National Expenditure Program (NEP), which was presented to the House appropriation committee. DBM removed Comelec’s P7 billion allotment for a charter change plebiscite, P679 billion for the plebiscite on the Bangsamoro political entity and P321.5 million for recall elections.
“[We have] our own budget proposal for Constitutional amendments pero and DBM mismo, tinanggal iyon so ibig sabihin hindi sila interesado.” Brillantes said.
Budget for the continuous voters’ registration and overseas voting were also removed in the budget allocations but DBM later on clarified that the Comelec could tap savings that could be incurred from the purchase of the precinct optical optical scan (PCOS) machines for the 2016 elections.
Bayan Muna party list Representative Neri Colmenares insisted that the People’s Initiative to abolish pork barrel should be given an allocation in the NEP.
“The legislation will be submitted directly by the people through people’s initiative. The required number of signatures is now being gathered. I suggested that we allot the necessary funds in the 2015 budget of the Comelec,” Colmenares said.
Removing Charter change from the budget may be deeper than what it seems. There are two possible interpretation to this.
First, the Administration may not be really interested in Constitutional amendment. This, however, is contrary to President Benigno Aquino III’s earlier statement that he is not entirely close to the idea of Cha-cha.
Second, the Administration may be too confident that it doesn’t need to share budget with the upcoming election because Congress can approve a supplementary budget if they would want to.
According to Rep. Colmenares, the DBM’s decision to drop the budget for the plebiscite is not an assurance that Charter change will not be pursued.
“[DBM’s decision] is not really very assuring because if both Houses of Congress approve the Cha-cha resolution, they can approve a supplemental budget easily,” Colmenares said. “They can do that within one or two weeks.”
The administration have less than two years to make a move. With dirty issues surfacing from both the administration and the opposition bloc, it is not impossible for one to think that something may be brewing for the upcoming elections.
The public should be wiser, filter the truth from the lies. Being in a democratic country, Filipinos are not mandated to just say yes to what the government is doing. Filipinos have the right to voice out their opinion on matters that will affect the growth of the country and its people.
(AJPress)
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