Sen. Panfilo Lacson has questioned the move of the bicameral conference committee of Congress to give a “useless” increase of less than P1 billion in the 2021 budget of the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT).
Lacson lamented the decision of the panel even as he noted that the graft-ridden Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) is getting an added P28.348 billion for its 2021 budget.
Lacson said he will therefore register a dissenting vote in the ratification of the bicameral conference report.
“What’s good for the goose should also be good for the gander. The bicam increased the DPWH budget by P28 billion, amid my pointing out its low utilization rate. Now they are using the same argument for DICT? I mentioned during my sponsorship of the budget of the DICT that the national broadband program can save us P34 billion in the next five years once completed. What happened?” he said.
“At the proper time, I am manifesting my dissenting vote on the bicam report for the reasons I had given during my interpellation. At the appropriate time I am going to explain my vote,” he added.
Earlier, Lacson recommended a reduction of P60 billion from the DPWH’s proposed budget for 2021, including for multi-purpose buildings except those to be used as evacuation and quarantine facilities, as well as double appropriations, right-of-way payments and also overlapping projects.
Lacson noted the increase in appropriations for the DPWH despite its poor disbursement record makes for a vicious cycle.
“It’s a very vicious cycle. That’s why I’m asking those questions for future reference, we should learn our lessons from that data,” he said.
On the other hand, Lacson lamented the DICT’s budget was slashed at the bicam level even after the House and Senate increased its appropriations for 2021.
He said the Senate increased the P902-million appropriations for the DICT by P3 billion after the House increased it by P2 billion so the DICT can implement the National Broadband Program (NBP).
While the P5.9 billion is still below the P18 billion needed to implement the NBP nationwide, DICT secretary Gregorio Honasan said this will allow them to implement the program from Metro Manila to Davao, excluding Regions 1 and 2.
Yet, Lacson said that at the bicameral level, the net increase was slashed to P956 million.
“Out of the requirement of P18 billion, you are effectively giving it just that amount. What can we do with that amount? Nothing,” he said.
“Under the House version, the DICT appropriations went up by P2 billion, so it had P2.9 billion for the NBP. Under the Senate version we further increased it by P3 billion so it became P5.9 billion. Sec. Honasan said it can cover Metro Manila to Davao. But now it seems the NBP can reach only Caloocan or Valenzuela City. Kawawa naman,” he added.
