Duterte vetoes “rider” provisions in 2018 budget

December 27, 2017

President Rodrigo Duterte has vetoed "rider" provisions in the P3.767 trillion budget for 2018. In his veto message released on Wednesday, Duterte vetoed the grant of monitoring expenses of Board Members of the Movie and Television Review and Classification Board. "Under the Salary Standardization Law and its implementing rules, board members are already authorized to receive honoraria or per diem in the performance of their official functions," he said. Other necessary expenses incurred in the conduct of monitoring and evaluation by the MTRCB may be allowed, subject to budgeting, accounting and auditing laws, rules and regulations, he added. Duterte also vetoed the provision, which prohibits imposition and collection of fees in relation to the Retention or Reacquisition of Philippine Citizenship and the Department of Education's use of appropriations for maintenance and other operating requirements for its capital outlay requirements. "Agencies of the government cannot be deprived of their inherent authority to assess reasonable fees in the provision of services," he said. Duterte also vetoed the use of income of the Energy Regulatory Commission to augment its operational requirements. "Aside from being a rider, the sources of income enumerated have already been included in the Non-Tax Revenue Program for FY 2018, thereby resulting in double programming for the said income sources," he said. Instead, he said the ERC should make efficient use of its budget and automatic appropriations amounting to P413.6 million. In his veto message, Duterte also cited some provisions in the GAA subject to certain conditions in order to be implemented.  Celerina Monte/DMS