Senate subcommittee submits CHR proposed 2024 budget to plenary

A Senate subcommittee on Tuesday submitted the proposed 2024 budget of the Commission on Human Rights (CHR) and its attached agency to the plenary.

During the hearing of the Subcommittee on Finance, Senator Jinggoy Estrada said no other senator expressed interest to question the budget of the CHR and the Human Rights Violations Victims’ Memorial Commission (HRVVMC).

“The deliberation on the proposed budget of the CHR and the HRVVMC is hereby submitted, deemed submitted to the plenary since no other senators are willing to question,” Estrada said.

Only Estrada and Senator Raffy Tulfo fielded questions during the first hearing on the CHR budget on September 6.

During the subcommittee’s previous hearing, CHR Executive Director Jacqueline Ann de Guia said the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) granted the commission a budget of P976.3 million for 2024, lower than its proposed P1.9 billion budget.

De Guia said P947.9 million or 49.26% was slashed from its proposed budget.

According to its presentation, P374.8 million was cut for the CHR’s personal services, P180 million for its maintenance and other operating expenses (MOOE), and P379.5 million for its capital outlays, among others.

“Our MOOE, while very little, has suffered a slash of P180 million, which is very critical given the fact that our investigators have to reach far-flung areas and we rely on fuel as well as communication allowance to increase the accessibility of the CHR, especially in remote areas,” she said.

She also requested additional vehicles for the CHR’s regional offices as well as a budget for the repair and maintenance of the agency’s other vehicles.

Aside from this, De Guia said they are asking for an additional P8.9 million for their financial assistance as only P3 million was allocated for it this year.

Meanwhile, Estrada rescheduled the hearing for the budget of the Movie and Television Review and Classification Board on September 27.—AOL, GMA Integrated News