By Hannah Torregoza Senator Panfilo “Ping” Lacson on Sunday said he is skeptical over the government’s continuous claim it is now running low on funds to help communities affected by the novel coronavirus disease, saying there are still unused appropriations from last year’s budget that it can use to augment its COVID-19 response efforts. Senator Panfilo Lacson
(PRIB Photo by Henz Austria/ 11 November 2019) Lacson said that under the 2019 General Appropriations Act (GAA), the government still has billions worth of unused funds that can be used by the state to address the needs of the nation that is now under an extended enhanced community quarantine. “Sa 2019 budget, may estimated P600-billion na hindi nagagamit base sa pinasang GAA. Pero ang tanong, bakit tayo kakapusin? Hindi ko maintindihan ito, dapat ma-ipaliwanag nila kung magkaroon ng oversight hearing tungkol dito (Under the 2019 budget, there is an estimated P600-billion unused funds in the GAA. But the question is, why are we going to be short on funds? I don’t understand, the government should explain this during an oversight hearing on this issue),” Lacson said in an interview over GMANews TV. Lacson also cautioned against passing a supplemental budget, which President Duterte earlier sought. The said supplemental budget would be on top of the P275-billion under the “Bayanihan to Heal as One” Act. Malacanang earlier claimed that the P200-billion budget has already been allocated as cash aid for the 18 million poor households affected by the economic disruption caused by the COVID-19 crisis. “Unang una, hindi ganoon kasimple humingi ng supplemental budget kasi may requirements yan. Either may revenue measure na kasama or may certification ang National Treasurer na may funds na available (In the first place, asking for a supplemental budget is not that simple, because there are requirements. Either there is a revenue measure or a certification coming from the National Treasurer that funds are available),” Lacson pointed out. “At kung ano ang cash na available, yan ang pwede lang ipasa na supplemental budget (The supplemental budget should only cover whatever cash is left available),” he explained. But while the President seemingly downplayed his authority to spend and realign government funds under the Bayanihan Law, Lacson said he has the obligation to exercise such discretion to implement all programs, activities, and projects of the national government. “Ang sinasabi ko, oo hangin yan, pero obligasyon ng national government na kung sakali kaya implement ang lahat ng PAPs ng national government, sa Executive, Legislative, Judiciary, or constitutional commissions man, naka-ready dapat ang gobyerno na punan ng pera ang iimplementa (What I’m saying is, yes it may be nothing, but the national government has the obligation to implement all PAPs; whether in the Executive, Legislative, Judiciary, or Constitutional commissions, the government must be ready to augment funds for implementation),” he pointed out. Last March, Congress passed the Bayanihan Law to provide Duterte additional powers to effectively respond to the country’s COVID-19 crisis. The law allowed the President to realign funds in the GAA to help address the health crisis. Duterte earlier said that if funds are insufficient, the government may resort to borrowing and or sell its assets to ensure it has enough money to address the needs of the Filipinos during the ECQ, which he further extended to May 15.