2016 budget cannot be used for LP campaign

Sen. Francis ‘Chiz’ Escudero (Chiz Escudero’s Facebook page)

MANILA — Senator Francis Escudero assured the public that the administration will not be able to use the 2016 national budget to campaign for its candidates in the upcoming election.

Escudero, who is the chairman of the Senate finance committee, said that measures to ensure that the budget will not be utilized for campaigning are already in place.

“The mechanisms are in place to ensure that funds under the 2016 General Appropriations Act will not be used as campaign kitty,” Escudero said.

According to the senator, line-item budgeting is one of the mechanisms eyed to ensure transparency in public spending.

“By itemizing, we are able to control spending as it gives us a better idea of where all the funds go. It’s what you see is what you get, crystal clear and transparent,” he said.

He added that it will be easier for the committee to catch those who will use the public funds for personal benefits.

“If there are shenanigans in the use of public funds, it would be easier to catch them under the current system in place,” he said.

“God has decreed that one shall not steal and yet people still steal. But in this budget, we can guarantee that if anyone steals, it would be easier to catch them,” he added.