Salceda admits each congressman has P100 m allocation in proposed 2020 budget, but says it’s not “pork”

September 18, 2019

Albay Rep. Joey Salceda, chairman of the House committee on ways and means, admitted on Wednesday that each congressman has an allocation of P100 million for their projects under the proposed P4.1-trillion budget for next year.

In an economic briefing in Malacanang, Salceda, however, was immediate in saying such allocation was not similar to the Priority Development Assistance Fund or "pork barrel," which the Supreme Court had declared as unconstitutional.

"What I knew is that to ensure that everybody has some minimum 100 million (pesos) each," he said when asked if there is an allocation for lawmakers in the proposed budget.

He noted that the P100 million proposal comprises of P70 million allocation for infrastructure and P30 million for soft projects.

"They were itemized in the NEP (National Expenditure Program)," Salceda said.

"It (allocation) smells, acts, quacks like a need of my constituents and it also smells, quacks, and acts as if it's allowed by the Supreme Court," he added.

Contrary to previous practice, Salceda said under the proposed budget for next year, there is no more small group in the House that gets suggestion from each lawmaker of their proposed projects.

"It (proposed budget) is pork-free based on Supreme Court standards. And the mere fact that there are no new insertions. As is, where is. So I mean, in fact, it is historic in speed. And the smallness of the institutional and no individual amendments, zero individual amendments unlike last year, unlike you know so many years wherein you realign this and that. No, there are no individual amendments. There are only three institutional amendments," he explained later in an interview by reporters.

He said that the House is expected to approve the proposed budget within the month, after Malacanang transmitted the General Appropriations Bill for 2020 in August 20. After the approval of the House, the proposed budget will be transmitted to the Senate for its action.

The Supreme Court, in Belgica vs Ochoa, declared the 2013 PDAF Article as well as all other provisions of law which similarly allow legislators to wield any form of post-enactment authority in the implementation or enforcement of the budget, unrelated to congressional oversight, as violative of the separation of powers principle and thus unconstitutional. Celerina Monte/DMS