Makabayan solon grills DBM on NTF-ELCAC program's budget
A Makabayan solon wants to know the nitty-gritty of the proposed P10-billion budget for the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict’s (NTF-ELCAC) Barangay Development Program under the 2023 National Expenditure Program (NEP) or proposed national budget.
Gabriela Women’s Party-list Rep. Arlene Brosas, during the Committee on Appropriation’s budget hearing on Friday, Aug. 26, inquired if the NTF-ELCAC had submitted to the DBM a list of the barangay projects and programs under its Barangay Development Program.
“It is not yet complete, some barangays have not yet submitted,” Department of Budget (DBM) Secretary Amenah Pangandaman bared before the House panel on Aug. 26.
DBM Undersecretary Tina Canda then explained the nature of the budget breakdown pertaining to the NTF-ELCAC.
“We have to consider that these projects are being implemented by barangays so they do not have the technical knowledge nor do we expected them to be in a similar situation as municipalities. So that’s the reason why certain barangays, especially in the far-flung areas, will not be able to submit these lists because they will require technical specifications,” Canda said.
“However, the barangays have submitted and we have already released a substantial amount of the NTF-ELCAC,” the DBM undersecretary continued.
Brosas further asked how the DBM came up with the basis of the P10-billion budget for the NTF-ELCAC’s barangay program, given that a complete budget breakdown had yet to be submitted.
“The P10-billion is an installment in effect. Because last year we proposed P20 million per barangay–or the cleared barangays at least–for 1,400 plus if I’m not mistaken. But as a result of the iterations made by Congress, this was reduced to P4 million per barangay. So the P10 billion we are proposing would, in effect, just even it out. But it will not completely provide the P20 million per barangay that was initially estimated as the amount that would be required to keep these barangays at par with those barangays which are not yet cleared,” Canada explained.
Brosas then asked why such an expenditure had been allowed for beneficiaries that did not have the capacity to properly use the funds.
“Why do we allow this, why do we allow the barangays to implement this kung hindi naman pala nila kaya (if they don’t have the capacity to execute)? And now, we are doing it again by putting the P10 billion budget para dito sa NTF-ELCAC. I don’t understand,” Brosas asked.
The lawmaker then directed the DBM to submit a detailed breakdown of the P10 billion budget to the House panel, which the agency complied with.