Drilon balks at bigger 2022 budget for NTF-ELCAC than for housing

Senate Minority Franklin Drilon on Tuesday expressed frustration that the government's anti-insurgency funds were bigger in 2022 while the Department of Human Settlements and Urban Development (DHSUD) is only eyeing a measly P5 billion per year.

During the Senate finance committee hearing on DHSUD budget, Housing chief Eduardo del Rosario said they will need a budget of P1.85 trillion to address the housing needs of about 3.7 million families.

"We are coming up with a proposal of P50 billion annually for a period of 20 years so we can achieve a relatively better performance to achieve the housing needs," Del Rosario also said.

Reacting to del Rosario's presentation, Drilon was dismayed that the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-ELCAC) received bigger funds while the DHSUD is having challenges to achieve the housing target.

"In any case, that is both a challenge and frustration because the good secretary, I can see, is sincerely trying to achieve this mission or substantial portion of at least P5 billion per year and the proposal is P50 billion per year. How many years it will take us?" Drilon said during the hearing.

"Instead of addressing housing, we are addressing the anti-insurgency issue, which is frustrating to us... We do not have to elaborate how frustrating it is to see the budget with P28 billion in NTF-ELCAC anti-insurgency funds," the senator also pointed out.

He also lamented that social projects like housing are being ignored in the proposed annual appropriations.—LDF, GMA News