Camille Naredo

Work is being done on the interiors of the Batasang Pambansa on July 15, 2024, as the House of Representatives prepares for the coming State Of the Nation Address of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. on July 22. Jonathan Cellona, ABS-CBN News/File

Work is being done on the interiors of the Batasang Pambansa on July 15, 2024, as the House of Representatives prepares for the coming State Of the Nation Address of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. on July 22. Jonathan Cellona, ABS-CBN News

Article (news)

CONGRESS-SONA

Vivienne Gulla

ABS-CBN News

<div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:960px"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/173434074005320240715-congress-sona-preps-JC-7602.jpg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" alt="Work is being done on the interiors of the Batasang Pambansa on July 15, 2024, as the House of Representatives prepares for the coming State Of the Nation Address of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. on July 22. Jonathan Cellona, ABS-CBN News/File"/><span class="fr-inner" style="text-align:left">Work is being done on the interiors of the Batasang Pambansa on July 15, 2024, as the House of Representatives prepares for the coming State Of the Nation Address of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. on July 22. <em>Jonathan Cellona, ABS-CBN News/File</em></span></span></span></div><p>MANILA -- House leaders defended on Monday the bicameral conference committee’s cuts in the proposed 2025 budget for the Department of Education (DepEd) and the proposed removal of government subsidy for the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth) next year.</p><p>Among the reasons cited were DepEd’s low utilization rate, and issues in the implementation of some programs like the agency’s computerization program.</p><div><a class="fr-green fr-strong" href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2024/12/15/wrap-cuts-to-deped-philhealth-as-2025-budget-bill-nears-finish-line-2124">WRAP: Cuts to DepEd, PhilHealth as 2025 budget bill nears finish line</a></div><p>“Tuwing nagbabalangkas tayo ng budget, hindi ito parang grocery list na lahat ng kailangan natin, ipasok natin kaagad. Hindi lang natin tinitingnan ang ano&#x27;ng kailangan pag-gastusan, inaaral din natin ano ang kapasidad ng ahensyang ito gastusin ‘yung perang binigay sa kanila. And the numbers won&#x27;t lie… Congress simply had to do this very delicate work of balancing interests, lalong-lalo na kung limitado ang fiscal space available sa atin,” House Assistant Majority Leader and TINGOG Party List Representative Jude Acidre said.</p><p>“It&#x27;s quite unfortunate because we know Secretary Sonny Angara to be a very good public servant, very efficient at what he does. Ngunit nananatiling nakikita… ‘yung mababang utilization rate ng Department of Education. Siguro nanggaling tayo sa naunang Secretary of Education. And I think napapanahon na ayusin muna ng DepEd ‘yung kung ano mang challenges ang mayroon, especially in the utilization,” he added.</p><p>“Kailangan din natin tingnan ‘yung utilization rate ng DepEd, dahil kailangan din naman nila i-explain lalong-lalo na ‘yung kanilang computerization program, na sinasabi nga na hindi napondohan, pero pinondohan kasi natin ‘yan noong panahong ang secretary si Vice President Sara Duterte. Nakita naman natin ‘yung nangyari, ang dami-daming laptops na nasa warehouses pa, na actually hindi pa nade-deliver. Kailangan i-explain muna nila ‘yung mga programa, kung paano nagamit ‘yung perang ibinibigay sa kanila ng ating pamahalaan. Kasi hindi naman pwedeng bigay na lang tayo nang bigay nang hindi nila na-aaccount kung paano nila ginamit ‘yung pondo,” Jefferson Khonghun, House assistant majority leader and Zambales 1st District representative said.</p><p>Khonghun cited the Commission on Audit&#x27;s report wherein DepEd only disbursed P2.75 billion of its P11.36 billion in their 2023 budget for ICT equipment.</p><p>&quot;So talagang noong nakaraang mga panahon, naging notorious ang DepEd sa pagiging delayed nila sa kanilang mga procurement, at lalong-lalo na ‘yung pag-uphold nila ng transparency and accountability, kaya’t dapat talagang ipakita ng Department of Education ngayon na talagang nagbago na sila at dapat mai-improve talaga nila ‘yong paggastos ng pondo ng ating pamahalaan nang responsable,” he explained.</p><p>When asked about the Constitutional mandate that education should get the biggest slice of the national budget, congressmen said funding for the education sector is not lodged solely in the Department of Education.</p><div><a class="fr-green fr-strong" href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2024/12/16/marcos-jr-vows-to-work-on-restoring-deped-budget-cut-1614">Marcos Jr. vows to work on restoring Deped budget cut</a></div><p>They said it also covers the funding for the Commission on Higher Education (CHED), state universities and colleges (SUC), and Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA).</p><p>“Pag pinagsama-sama mo kasi ‘yung budget ng DepEd, CHED, SUCs, TESDA, mas malaki pa rin ang budget na nilalaan ng ating pamahalaan sa edukasyon. Kailangan tingnan natin ito in totality, kung ano ang binibigyan ng pondo ng ating gobyerno,” Khonghun said.</p><p>For House Deputy Majority Leader and La Union 1st District Representative Paolo Ortega V, the bicam-proposed budget for DepEd next year is “responsive,&quot; as he expressed confidence on the leadership of the agency’s new chief, Secretary Sonny Angara.</p><p>Meanwhile, solons also explained why they removed the budget subsidy for PhilHealth next year, saying it has “more than enough funds” for the period. They also cited efficiency issues in its fund utilization.</p><div><a class="fr-green fr-strong" href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2024/12/16/drilon-philhealth-won-t-collapse-because-of-absence-of-state-subsidy-in-2025-1422">Drilon: PhilHealth won&#x27;t collapse due to absence of state subsidy in 2025</a></div><p>“Based on the assessment of Congress, they have more than enough funds to cover for at least next year. Kasi kung dadagdagan natin ulit ‘yun, edi lalaki ulit ‘yung inefficiency. We’re not saying that we’re not going to fund PhilHealth forever... sinasabi lang natin, ayusin natin, habang ganito lang,” Acidre said.</p><div><a class="fr-green fr-strong" href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2024/12/11/house-approves-bicam-report-on-proposed-2025-budget-1939">House approves bicam report on proposed 2025 budget</a></div><div><strong>HIGHER PROPOSED 2025 BUDGET FOR CONGRESS, DPWH</strong></div><p>House leaders also defended the bicam’s decision to increase the proposed 2025 budget of Congress and the DPWH.</p><p>“Hati kami ng Senado doon… Para magawa ng ating mga kasamahan sa Kongreso nang mas maayos ang trabaho natin, sana matugunan din ang kakulangan natin sa imprastruktura at mga committee meeting rooms, kulang na tayo... This is a 1980s facility, and a lot has changed since then. Dati ilan lang silang members ng Batasan Pambansa, ngayon may mahigit 300 kasama… Patuloy din ang pagkumpleto ng gusali ng Senado at malamang kasama din doon sa adjustments na ginawa sa budget ng buong Kongreso,” Acidre explained.</p><p>“Malaki ang direct na contribution ng infrastructure sa stimulus ng ating ekonomiya, for one. Second, we&#x27;re looking at infrastructure that are critical sa ginagawa ng iba pang mga ahensya like classrooms, school buildings, evacuation centers, kahit nga ‘yung mga hospitals din na ginagawa natin… The size of the infrastructure will always be the size of your economic growth… ‘Yung mga inefficiencies, ‘yung mga slippage natin sa ating infrastructure projects, iba po ang rason kung ikukumpara sa mga inefficiencies na nakita natin sa Department of Education,” he added.</p><div><strong>RELATED VIDEO:</strong></div><div><strong><span class="fr-video fr-deletable fr-fvc fr-dvb fr-draggable" contenteditable="false" draggable="true"><iframe width="640" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/NTcx4sAaohY?&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe></span></strong><br/></div>

<p>House leaders defended on Monday the bicameral conference committee’s cuts in the proposed 2025 budget for the Department of Education (DepEd) and the proposed removal of government subsidy for the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth) next year.</p>

House leaders defended on Monday the bicameral conference committee’s cuts in the proposed 2025 budget for the Department of Education (DepEd) and the proposed removal of government subsidy for the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth) next year.

House leaders defend bicam cuts in proposed 2025 budget

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House leaders defend bicam cuts in proposed 2025 budget

Vivienne Gulla,

ABS-CBN News

Published Dec 16, 2024 05:21 PM PHT

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