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Senators did not allocate 200 million pesos in the 2019 budget, but Senate Majority Leader Juan Miguel Zubiri admitted that "we all have institutional insertions."
Zubiri was reacting to the announced budget of 200 million pesos that every senator would get next year for his favorite projects.
On Thursday, at a regular Senate forum, the senator was asked if the proposed projects amounted to 200 million pesos.
"No," Zubiri quickly said, "Well, of course, we all have institutional insertions."
He explained that the "institutional insertions" are amendments proposed by some projects, such as, for example, an additional budget for the construction of an airport in Mindanao.
Zubiri said these changes are made every year as part of the budgeting process.
"So, this year is not different," he said.
Asked that the "institutional insertions" do not constitute a violation of the Supreme Court decision on "pork barrel", the majority leader replied: "No kasi can approve a department named iyan e ( No, because it is approved by the department).
Zubiri also denied the leader of the majority, Rolando Andaya, Jr., who had said earlier that each senator had a budget of 200 million pesos Pennan, against only a budget of 60 million pesos for each Pakistani member. representatives room.
READ: Andaya: No pork in 2019, general credits bill
"Senator Loren never gave us a number," he said, referring to Senator Loren Legarda, Chair of the Senate Finance Committee.
"Senator Loren Legarda never asked us to say," Uy meron kang P200, [or] 300 million. She never tells us that, "said Zubiri.
He said that they can identify funding for some projects, but always with the approval of a ministry.
When asked if this meant that legislators did indeed have "discretion" over how the budget would be spent, Mr. Zubiri replied, "Guys, the Constitution is very clear, the power of the purse goes back to Congress and the Senate. "
"E kung wala, para ke pa nating dadalhin dito? E dapat pag nilabas na ng DBM (Department of Budget and Management) yung budget, yun na … ", he added. / ee
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