Senators on Sunday expressed hope that Congress can come up with a National Expenditure Program (NEP) for 2021 that is attuned to the needs of a country grappling with a COVID-19 crisis.

Senate minority leader Franklin Drilon noted that the proposed P4.506-trillion national budget for next year is not responsive to the needs of the millions of Filipinos who were rendered poor due to the series of lockdowns caused by the pandemic.

“Sa aking tingin yung ating (In my view our) 2021 proposed national budget ay ginawa na parang walang pandemic na hinaharap. Hindi tumutugon sa hinaharap nating pandemya; hindi (was created as if we are not facing any pandemic. It’s not responding to the pandemic we are facing); it’s not responsive,” Drilon said in an interview over GMANewsTV.

Drilon said he would make sure that the Departments of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) and Health (DOH) would have sufficient funding to respond to the needs of the poor and those who lost jobs and their livelihood due to the pandemic and enough money to help the health sector.

The Senate minority chief reiterated it is unacceptable for the DSWD to withhold the P10-billion worth of social amelioration program (SAP) to the poor Filipinos who needed it the most during the pandemic.

“Kaya aking ipaglalaban na mag-realign tayo ng budget para mapondohan ang SAP. Kahit sa first six months lang. Baka naman sa second half ng 2021 may vaccine na (That’s why I will fight and pursue that we lawmakers realign some budget items to fund the SAP. Even if its only for the first six months. A vaccine might already be available in the second half of 2021),” he pointed out.

“These are extraordinary times. Sa aking pagkakatanda ngayon lang nangyari ito. Ang pangangailangan ay ayuda…Ang tungkulin ng DSWD ay magbigay ng ayuda sa mga mahihirap na kababayan. Aanhin mo pa yung damo kung patay na ang kabayo, ika nga (To my knowledge, this is the first time it happened. What is needed right now is financial aid…DSWD is mandated to distribute this cash assistance to our poor countrymen),” Drilon stressed.

Sen. Juan Edgardo Angara, chair of the Senate finance committee, agreed with Drilon saying senators will do their best to adjust some items in the proposed budget to ensure there would be funding for the SAP and for the health sector.

Angara said almost all senators are prepared to introduce amendments to the 2021 budget especially if they believe there is a need to slash funds of some items in the budget and redirect it to the needs of the DSWD and DOH.

“Kung sa tingin nila masyadong malaki ang budget sa pagbibiyahe or kaya sasakyan ay pwedeng ilipat po sa iba na sa tingin nila ay may mas makabuluhang mga programa na makakatulong  sa ating mga kababayan (If they think the budget for travel is so big, or for the procurement of vehicles and they want to transfer it to other worthwhile programs that would be helpful to our people then we will consider that),” Angara said in an interview over Radio DZRH.

Angara also hopes that the P10-billion SAP funds withheld by the DSWD would be released as soon as possible to the intended beneficiaries.

“Sana mabuo ang funding na ito at mabigyan ang mga nangangailangan, ang mga hindi nakapag-trabaho, nawalan ng trabaho. Kahit sabihin natin hindi ganoong kalaki ang P5,000 to P8,000 sa pamilya, kahit paano ay makakatulong pa rin sa kanilang mga bayarin, makakabili ng pagkain (I hope this funding would be given out immediately to those in need, those who can’t work, who lost their jobs. Even if the amount is considered measly, it can still help them with pay off some debts, and buy food),” he pointed out.

Drilon said he is eyeing realigning the anti-insurgency fund in the 2021 national budget that costs about P19-billion and the intelligence and confidential fund of the Office of the President that costs almost P9-billion to fund the needs of the health sector and the social services sector.

“Maraming lump sum appropriation na pwedeng panggalingang ng pondo (There are many lump sum appropriations in the budget that can be source of funds) (for the DSWD and DOH),” Drilon said.

The P468-billion lump sum fund under the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) that Sen. Panfilo Lacson had earlier questioned, is also a potential source of additional budget for the DOH and DSWD, according to Drilon.

“The Congress should consider giving priority to the budget of the DSWD and DOH over DILG (Department of Interior and Local Government) and DND (Department of National Defense),” the lawmaker stressed.

“Hindi ko sinasabi na hindi kailangan ng pondo ng DILG at DND, ang sinasabi ko lang na ka only for the next year baka naman pwedeng bigyan ng priority dahilan sa iyan ang pangangailangan natin ngayon (I’m not saying DILG and DND should not have funds, I’m only talking about for the next year. That we consider giving them priority because that is our principal necessity for now),” Drilon reiterated.