House to focus on strengthening PCG during budget season, says Acidre
At A Glance
- China's continuing aggression in the West Philippine Sea (WPS) has placed the spotlight on the need for a stronger Philippine Coast Guard (PCG), House Deputy Majority Leader Tingog Party-list Rep Jude Acidre said.
House of Representatives (Ellson Quismorio/ MANILA BULLETIN)
China's continuing aggression in the West Philippine Sea (WPS) has placed the spotlight on the need for a stronger Philippine Coast Guard (PCG), House Deputy Majority Leader Tingog Party-list Rep Jude Acidre said.
As such, Acidre vowed that the House will focus on the matter come budget season later this year.
"Sa parte naman ng House, nakikita natin ang kahalagahan ng pagpapalakas pa ng capability ng ating coast guard (On the part of the House, we see the importance of strengthening the capabilites of our coast guard) and I’m sure many of my colleagues would agree," Acidre said in a press conference Thursday, May 2.
"Yung darating na budget ay isa ito sa tututukan natin kung paano natin mapapalakas pa yung kakayanan ng ating coast guard na bantayan ang ating mga maritime borders," he said.
(We will focus on how to strengthen our coast guard's capability to watch over our maritime borders during the upcoming budget.)
"Definitely ang suporta with regards to equipment, training, kung ano pa na magpapalakas ng capability ng coast guard ay malaking bagay na magiging mas epektibo nilang mababantayan ang ating mga karagatan, lalung-lao na sa [WPS]," Acidre noted.
(Definitely, the support with regards to equipment, training, and others that can strengthen the coast guard's capability is a big deal and will them watch over our seas, especially the WPS more effectively.)
Acidre made these remarks even as China Coast Guard (CCG) vessels continued to harass PCG boats on resupply missions to Filipino troops in Ayungin Shoal, which is part of Philippine territory. The CCG's tactics include potentially fatal water cannon attacks on these much smaller boats.
The House of Representatives possesses the power of the purse and gets first dibs as far as the perusing the National Expenditure Program (NEP) is concerned.
House members craft the General Appropriations Bill (GAB) based on the NEP, which comes from Malacañang. Once turned into law, the GAB becomes the General Appropriations Act (GAA).
Budget discussions in the House, which are led by the Committee on Appropriations, usually begin around August.