Poe questions P100-M hike in PCOO budget

Senator Grace Poe on Monday challenged the Presidential Communications Operations Office to justify its proposed budget increase amid furor over the video posted by Assistant Secretary Mocha Uson supposedly aimed at promoting federalism.

Poe noted that several agencies are getting deep cuts in their budget in the proposed appropriations for 2019.

She said Department of Agriculture will be decreased from P61 billion to P55 billion;  Department of Social Welfare and Development, from P141.8 billion to P136.6 billion; Department of Education from P553 billion to P498 billion; and Department of Health from P107 billion to P71 billion. 

She said this is happening at a time when hunger incidence and food prices are soaring. 

"While these agencies will suffer a slash, the PCOO will be gifted by a P100 million raise. The PCOO must justify its budget increase," she said in a text message.

"What are the deliverables? Are memes and blogs also hit by inflationary spikes? Is the cost of feeding the nation with government information adversely affected by TRAIN, too?  Will the PCOO be hiring campaigners to explain federalism?" she added.

Poe said the obliterated amount from some agencies will hit hard the people, who badly need social services. 

"What will sustain them are education, affordable food, health services and social assistance, not gaffes and reckless communication campaigns," she said.

Uson posted a video "Good News Game Show" showing her co-host Drew Olivar dancing while chanting, "I-pepe, i-pepe, i-dede, i-dede... ipederalismo!" and gesturing to his crotch and chest.

Other senators earlier scored Uson for posting the video which they described as inappropriate and lewd.

In an interview on dzRH, Secretary Martin Andanar said the proposed PCOO budget for 2019 of P1.4 billion is only P30 million more than its outlay for this year.

"It’s the President’s budget, at kung ano man iyong in-approve na budget ng DBM doon at pinirmahan ni Presidente, I think it’s 1.4  billion. We are not asking for more," Andanar said.

"We respect the budget of the President at kami naman ay handa na depensahan iyong budget sa Lower House at sa Upper House. I understand na iyong increase po ng budget ng entire PCOO is P30 million from last year," he added. —JST/NB, GMA News