VP Sara names 2 House leaders ‘in control’ of nat’l budget

Manila Bulletin

Vice President Sara Duterte named House Speaker Martin Romualdez and House Committee on Appropriations Chairman Ako-Bicol Partylist Rep. Elizaldy Co as the two lawmakers in control of the country’s coffers, claiming as well that they meddled with the Department of Education’s (DepEd) budget for classroom construction.  READ MORE: https://mb.com.ph/2024/9/10/vp-sara-names-2-house-leaders-in-control-of-nat-l-budget  Subscribe to the Manila Bulletin Online channel! - https://www.youtube.com/TheManilaBulletin  Visit our website at http://mb.com.ph Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/manilabulletin  Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/manila_bulletin Instagram: https://instagram.com/manilabulletin Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@manilabulletin  #ManilaBulletinOnline #ManilaBulletin #LatestNews

Transcript

00:00The budget of the Philippines is only held by two people.

00:04It is held by Congressman Zaldico and Congressman Martin Romualdez.

00:10That is the truth.

00:13My example here, this is a bit long, so please excuse me.

00:18My example here, let's go to DepEd first.

00:23In the Department of Education, in 2023,

00:305 billion was approved for classroom construction.

00:37I was surprised because there were members of the House who asked for the 5 billion,

00:47part of the 5 billion budget.

00:50I have no experience with that.

00:54And my understanding is that once the Office of the President approves it,

00:58it will be given to the Department of Education for the construction of classrooms.

01:07I was surprised.

01:08Someone asked,

01:10how much do we have there, how much do we have there?

01:14So I said,

01:16this is not possible because what will happen is that the Department of Education

01:25will not be able to construct classrooms according to the classroom backlog

01:30and the prioritization based on the backlog and classroom construction.

01:37So I told a congressman,

01:41Martin Romualdez,

01:43that the classroom construction of 5 billion cannot be cut.

01:48So if you will see,

01:50in the budget proposal approved by the Office of the President,

01:55that is 5 billion.

01:56But when the budget was approved in 2023,

02:02it became 15 billion.

02:05Because I did not agree to take the 5 billion,

02:11they added 10 billion to the classroom construction of the Department of Education.

02:20That 10 billion is not controlled by the Department of Education.

02:26It is controlled by Congressman Zaldico and Congressman Martin Romualdez.

02:33I do not need a corroborative witness here

02:38because you can see it in the paper.

02:40The people of the country can see it in the paper.

02:43NEP, 5 billion.

02:45The budget was approved.

02:4615 billion.

02:51So you will understand, right?

02:53Why would we have a budget hearing for the Office of the Vice President?

02:57Only two people are following the budget of our country.

03:02So I will just add that to the confirmation that they got,

03:11the budget of the DepEd.

03:13And that is one of the reasons why I resigned from the Department of Education.

03:20I will not allow that in the next year,

03:23they will still do that and I will be responsible for what they are doing.

03:28That is why I am saying,

03:31why should we question and answer here for you to attack me?

03:36Only two people are following the budget.

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