Sotto supports Velasco’s call to increase calamity fund by P5-M
November 24, 2020 09:48 PM
Senate President Vicente "Tito" Sotto III concurs with the House's proposal to increase the calamity fund in the 2021 national budget.
“As a matter of fact, I will not be surprised if the Senate added more [to the calamity fund]."
Senate President Vicente "Tito" Sotto III said he agrees with House of Representatives Speaker Lord Allan Velasco’s suggestion to augment the calamity fund by P5 billion.
The total amount of damages caused by Typhoons Rolly, Quinta, and Ulysses is estimated to be around P35 billion.
Sotto told reporters that Senate might even increase the budget by P10 billion, which had only been P20 billion initially.
“As a matter of fact, I will not be surprised if the Senate added more,” he said.
Realigning funds
Sotto said that the additions to the calamity fund will be taken from some items in the proposed budget such as those which were flagged by the Commission on Audit (COA).
The Department of Public Works and Highways' (DPWH) budget which was filled with "rehashed skeleton projects", as recently criticized by Senator Panfilo Lacson, currently amounts to P68 billion, Sotto said.
The anti-insurgency fund, however, will remain untouched, Sotto stressed, fearing President Duterte might veto the 2021 budget if they reduce its funds.
“Hindi papayag ang DBM na galawin pa ‘yung budget ng Presidente. Payag kami na dagdagan ‘yung sa calamity fund pero hindi doon kukunin. Ang daming ibang pagkukunan. Huwag na nilang pag-initan ‘yung mga anti-insurgency sapagkat mabigat ‘yun,” Sotto added.
(The Department of Budget and Management will not allow the President's budget to be compromised. We agree that the calamity fund should be increased, but we won't get it from [the anti-insurgency fund]. There will be many other sources. They shouldn't focus on the anti-insurgency funds, because that one's heavy.)
Bicam on 2021 GAB
Several other lawmakers echoed Sotto's support for House Speaker Velasco on the proposed increase.
Sotto said the change in the calamity fund will be discussed during the meeting of the Senate's and the House's bicameral conference committee panels where both versions of the 2021 General Appropriations Bill (GAB) will be reconciled.
He added that it could also be addressed when the Senate starts considering amendments from senators on the budget of several departments, bureaus, agencies, and offices of the national government.
