Daven Tamayo

'Panlilinlang': Lawmaker frowns at PMA, PNPA funds in education budget

Article (news)

Vivienne Gulla

ABS-CBN News

MANILA — House Deputy Minority Leader and ACT Teachers Party List Representative France Castro slammed as a “palusot” or mere excuse to meet the Constitutional requirement for education sector budget, the inclusion in the sector of the funding for the Philippine Military Academy and the Philippine National Police Academy.She said this was seemingly done to meet the Constitutional requirement for education sector budget. Castro said this was not traditionally done.“Ibinibilang ‘yan doon sa budget noong ahensya mismo. Halimbawa, ‘yung sa PNPA, para sa budget ‘yan doon sa kapulisan. Ganoon din naman ‘yung PMA, sa military. ‘Yun nga, traditionally, hindi kasi siya kina-count doon sa buong educational budget,” she explained.“Hindi naman natin masasabing unlawful siya… Kaya lang panlilinlang kasi para sa amin na maidagdag ito doon sa budget ng basic at saka ‘yung sa other higher institutions,” Castro noted.She also tagged as “deceptive” President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s veto in the 2025 national budget, saying bulk of the items vetoed by the President were from unprogrammed appropriations, adding that supposed “pork” barrel allocations remained intact.Of the over P194 billion vetoed by the President, only P26 billion were from the regular budget, which are projects under the Department of Public Works and Highways.“Deceptive. Parang nalinlang tayo doon. Dahil alam naman natin ‘pag unprogrammed appropriations, walang tiyak na budget, at mag-aantay pa ‘yan ng augmentation or savings at the middle of the year or at the end of the year. Kaya itong sinasabing P26 billion, all from DPWH, ay maliit… P288 billion kasi ‘yung idinagdag, so minus P26 billion. So malaking porsyento pa rin ‘yung in-insert o isinuksok doon sa budget for 2025,” Castro explained.“Kaya talagang itong budget na ito ay… punong-puno ng pork. Talagang ‘yung porsyento ng social services talagang maliit. Halimbawa sa 2024, 2025, kung iko-compare natin ‘yan, parang parehas lang, sa 2%. ‘Yung pang-economic naman, mga 1.9%. Kaya talagang problematic. Ang laki pa rin ng debt services, 0.88%. Kaya talagang problematic itong pondo na ito,” she added.“Hindi kami satisfied doon sa P26 billion lang na vineto ng presidente…Kulang talaga,” the lawmaker noted.Castro reiterated that teachers and students should not suffer for the issues seen on DepEd’s budget utilization under its previous chief.“Dito naman sa education, bagama’t sinasabi na may mga hindi na-utilize o mali ‘yung paggamit, hindi mo naman dapat naparusahan ‘yung mga estudyante or teachers sa budget for 2025. Halimbawa, sa computerization na P10 billion, kulang pa nga talaga ‘yun… para talagang mapunan ‘yung mga pangangailangan sa digitalization program and computerization program ng Department of Education,” Castro said.“Ano ba ‘yung magiging epekto nito? …Tingin natin patuloy pa rin ‘yung magiging kakulangan doon sa mga pangangailangan ng ating teachers and students sa computerization program. Kung tutuusin nga ‘yung P10 billion ay maliit pa. Hindi talaga sasapat. Binawasan mo pa,” she added.

House Deputy Minority Leader and ACT Teachers Party List Representative France Castro dubbed as "mere excuse" the inclusion in the education sector of the funding for the Philippjne Military Academy and Philippine National Police Academy.

House Deputy Minority Leader and ACT Teachers Party List Representative France Castro dubbed as "mere excuse" the inclusion in the education sector of the funding for the Philippjne Military Academy and Philippine National Police Academy.