Ungab tells Yap: Huwag ka nang magturo

Deputy Speaker and former House Committee on Appropriations chairperson Isidro Ungab denied ACT-CIS partylist Representative Eric Yap's allegation that he was behind the reduction of the Pension and Gratuity Fund (PGF) for military and other uniformed personnel (MUP) in 2020.

In a privilege speech during Monday's session, Ungab branded Yap's accusation against him as "baseless." Yap is now the chairperson of the Committee on Appropriations.

"I strongly deny this allegation and I challenge the present chairman of the Appropriations committee, Congressman Eric Yap, to check his facts first before making any precipitate accusation," Ungab said.

"In order to justify his actions on how he managed the 2021 Pension and Gratuity Fund, he is blaming me and pointing to the P74-billion cut made on the Pension and Gratuity Fund in the 2020 budget," he added.

"Ikaw ang may gawa nito... huwag ka nang magturo, sarili mo lang ang ituro mo..." Ungab said.

Last week, Yap claimed that around P70 billion was reduced in the PGF of uniformed personnel in fiscal year 2020 when he was not yet leading the Committee on Appropriations.

He noted that this affects the release of the 2018 pension differential for the retired military and police personnel.

This was rooted in Yap's explanation about the allegation of Anakalusugan partylist Representative Mike Defensor that the PGF for 2021 was significantly reduced from P172.9 billion to P152.9 billion.

No need for supplemental budget

Ungab said that there was no problem with the PGF in 2020, noting that he deliberately checked details at the Department of Budget and Management (DBM's) website to get information regarding the issue.

"Base po sa mga datos na ito, malinaw na malinaw na wala po tayong naging problema sa Pension and Gratuity Fund doon sa 2020 budget. Sana po ito ay maging malinaw din kay Congressman Eric Yap upang tigilan na niyang maging excuse o palusot ang 2020 Pension and Gratuity fund budget sa kanyang kinakaharap na isyu ukol sa 2021 Pension and Gratuity Fund," Ungab said.

He said upon checking, he learned that there was no need for a supplemental budget for the PGF last year because there was still an available balance of more than P700 million.

"I diligently checked the facts and figures before facing everyone here today. I was able to confirm that as of November 30, 2020, according to the DBM website, the Pension and Gratuity Fund, with a total appropriations of P116,195,000 indicated a total allotment or releases of P115,484,000, leaving an available balance of P710,932,000 or roughly P711,000,000," he said.

"It is thus clear based on this DBM data that there were no adjustments or augmentations made on the Pension and Gratuity Fund as of November 2020. This in fact shows that there is no need for a special budget or supplemental budget for a Pension and Gratuity Fund last year," he added.

Yap earlier said his office is working to file a supplemental budget worth P50 billion to address the issue.

Ungab, meanwhile, said both chambers of Congress are accountable for "any amendment or changes made in the budget," noting that reductions made were a common decision of the House of Representatives and the Senate.

The lawmaker mentioned before that former Speaker Alan Peter Cayetano and former Deputy Speaker LRay Villafuerte finalized the committee report on the 2020 budget. — BM, GMA News