Inirekomenda ng mga lider sa Kamara de Reprsentantes na ibalik sa Department of Budget and Management (DBM) ang panukalang P6.7-trilyong budget ng gobyerno para sa 2026 o National Expenditures Program (NEP), dahil sa umano’y mga maling tala o detalye tungkol sa mga alokasyon ng pondo.

“There have been many concerns raised by our party leaders so we have decided as a group to recommend the return of the 2026 national budget to the DBM because we do not know how to deal with it,” ayon kay Deputy Speaker at Antipolo Representative Ronaldo Puno.

“We have to practically redo the entire [2026 budget] submission to us. We do not want to be suspected of any untoward action. We don't want it to appear that we are not accepting the rightful recommendations of the DBM,” sabi pa ni Puno, chairman ng National Unity Party sa ginanap na pulong balitaan nitong Miyerkoles, kasama ang mga lider ng iba pang Partido mula sa Lakas-CMD, Nacionalista Party at Nationalist People’s Coalition.

Una nang pinuna ni Puno ang ilang isyu sa panukalang budget, kabilang na ang kawalan ng umano pondo para sa mga multi-year programs at ang paglalaan ng pondo sa mga proyekto ng gobyerno na tapos na.

Ayon kay Deputy Speaker Paolo Ortega V ng La Union, may dalawang gusaling silid-aralan na nagkakahalaga ng P2.5 milyon na nakalagay sa panukalang badyet para sa 2026, gayung tapos na rin umano ang mga ito.

Nauna nang iniutos ni Pangulong Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. ang malawakang pagsusuri sa panukalang 2026 budget upang alisin ang mga probisyong walang sapat na batayan.

Nitong nakaraang Agosto isinumite ng DBM sa Kamara ang panukalang 2026 budget. Sinisimulan na itong himayin ng mga kongresista nang masuri ang mga sinasabing mga maling detalye.

Ayon kay Puno, naayon sa patakaran ang pagbabalik nila ng panukalang budget sa DBM, batay na rin sa payo ng legal team ng Kamara.

“The the initial opinion given to us [ng House legal team]...allow me to read it to you. 'In light of the admissions publicly made by the Department Secretaries that there are erroneous entries in the NEP (National Expenditure Program] transmitted to the House of Representatives, the House will be justified in returning the same to the DBM so that it can effect corrections, so that the House can deliberate on the budget that actually reflects the proposal, intent, and desire of the Executive',” pahayag ng kongresista.

“'There is nothing in the Constitution or in the law that prevents the House from undertaking the action. In fact, the action becomes necessary at this  time. It is in the interest of the public that this must be done,” patuloy ni Puno.

Sinipi ni Puno ang Administrative Code of 1987, na nagsasaad na, “subsequent to the submission of the budget to Congress, the President may transmit to the Congress from time to time such proposed supplemental or deficiency appropriations as are, in his judgment, number one, necessary on account of laws enacted after the transmission of the budget, or number two, otherwise needed in the public interest.”

Sa naturang probisyon, sinabi ni Puno na sakop din nito DBM dahil ang naturang kagawaran ang naghahanda ng panukalang budget ng pangulo.

“This [entering of corrections under the Administrative Code] is an option available to the DBM, too,” paliwanag ni Puno.

Magiging matrabaho umano kung paisa-isang aayusin ang mga pagkakamali, kaya mas praktikal na isauli na lamang ang buong panukalang budyet sa DBM.

“Returning the document for corrections will be more systematic and practical, and instead of us having to correct the district budgets of more than 250 districts, perhaps the DBM can now do what it should have done  in the first place and correct these matters before they send it to us,” ayon kay Puno.

“This is the position that the party leaders have taken, and we hope that you will all understand our intention that this thing be resolved correctly and properly,” dagdag niya.

Samantala, sinabi ni Deputy Speaker at Iloilo Representative Janette Garin ng Lakas-CMD, na hindi pangkaraniwan at hindi katanggap-tanggap ang naging pahayag ni Budget Secretary Amenah Pangandaman, na hindi napansin ng kagawaran ang mga doble-dobleng probisyon, pati na ang kawalan ng alokasyon para sa mga multi-year project.

“My experience as a Cabinet member is that you look at the existing programs, then the new programs  [ng ahensiya]. You fund the continuing [multi-year projects). Nakakagulat ‘yung ating narinig galing sa kalihim ng DBM na dumaan sa kanila at hindi na nila natingnan,” ani Garin, na nagsilbing Health Secretary sa administrasyon ni dating Pangulong Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino III.

“The public is pointing at Congress over insertion but when you look at the budget, these programs which are apparently ghost programs as seen during the visit of President Marcos, Jr. are initiated by the government agency, not Congress,” dagdag ng kongresista.

“The recommendation of the party leaders is to request Speaker Martin Romualdez to return this budget to the DBM and let the DBM point out which ones to weed out. That way, we will be able fulfill the promise of the President to deliver Bagong Pilipinas,” sabi ni Garin.

Ayon kay Puno, hinihintay pa nila ang magiging tugon ni Speaker Martin Romualdez tungkol sa naturang usapin. — mula sa ulat ni Llanesca T. Panti/FRJ GMA Integrated News