Malacañang hails Andaya’s assurance of no re-enacted budget

“I’m very happy with the declaration of the Majority Leader. We’re happy that the declaration came from Congressman Andaya. We welcome that as well,” Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque said in a Palace press briefing. (File photo: Rolando “Nonoy” Andaya Jr/Facebook)

MANILA — Malacañang on Tuesday welcomed House Majority Leader Rolando Andaya Jr.’s declaration that there will be no re-enacted budget scenario amid the House’s decision to suspend deliberations on the proposed PHP3.7 trillion cash-based national budget for 2019.

“I’m very happy with the declaration of the Majority Leader. We’re happy that the declaration came from Congressman Andaya. We welcome that as well,” Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque said in a Palace press briefing.

Last Saturday, House appropriations committee chairman Karlo Nograles announced the suspension of all budget hearings after congressmen opposed the new cash-based budgeting system.

Andaya, however, reportedly explained that the House is “just taking a detour to understand deeper” the cash-based budget as proposed by the Department of Budget and Management (DBM).

Roque said the executive department is not in favor of the re-enacted budget, vowing to work with Congress to explain the cash-based national budget for 2019.

“I reiterate: We don’t want also a re-enacted budget. We want the constituents of the Republic to benefit from the project identified for the year 2019 by their duly elected representatives in Congress,” Roque said.

“That is our position. So we join and commend Majority Floor Leader Andaya for this statement. We do not prefer a re-enacted budget. We want the budget to be enacted,” he added.

Roque said the Palace will wait for the results of the meeting between DBM Secretary Benjamin Diokno and Senate committee on finance chairperson Senator Loren Legarda and Nograles.

He said the Cabinet members of President Rodrigo Duterte were puzzled by the House members’ opposition to cash-based budgeting system.

“This cash-based, this was already implemented in 2018 because all projects were supposed to be implemented within one year period in 2018,” he explained.

Contrary to obligation-based budgeting system, government agencies must spend all of their obligated budgets within the year or they will lose them under the cash-based system.

On the other hand, agencies can retain their obligated budget for projects even after the end of the year under obligation-based budget scenario.

Roque said the proposed cash-based budget that the Palace submitted in Congress is pursuant to the Constitution.

“This is not the Secretary’s budget. This is the President’s budget. So I think the President needs an explanation, very clear explanation on why people who may considers as his closest allies have rejected it outright,” Roque said.