2 new solons to govt: Where's our budget?

MANILA, Philippines - At least two newly installed party-list representatives on Tuesday demanded funds for their operations after working two weeks without offices and budget from the government. Reps. Joel Maglunsod (Anakpawis) and Walden Bello (Akbayan) said there is no excuse for the government not to allocate funds for them and the 30 other lawmakers that the Supreme Court ordered be included in the House of Representatives' roster of members. In a statement, Maglunsod said the government could be charged with obstruction and dereliction of duty if it does not allocate funds for the new congressmen. He suggested that Malacañang re-channel part of a P1.2-billion intelligence fund to subsidize the operation of new lawmakers. Most of the intelligence funds are handled by the Office of the President. "A portion of this fund can be diverted, especially the P500-million fund of the Presidential Anti-Organized Crime Task Force and P150 million from the Office of the President," said Maglunsod. Likewise, Bello suggested the re-alignment of budgets from other agencies. "If the budgets of agencies rolling in pork like the Office of the President or the DPWH (Department of Public Works and Highways) have to be cut and the money reallocated to allow legislators to do their work, so be it. Lawmaking is a democracy's supreme function," he said. The lawmakers made the statement after Budget Secretary Rolando Andaya Jr. was quoted in media reports as saying that the government is still trying to find additional funds that would finance the operations of the new congressmen. "I would strongly suggest that Malacañang and the Speaker's office stop stalling and provide the 32 party-list congresspersons the wherewithal to perform their duties. Elective offices have priority in the financing of government," Bello said. Even as he maintained that the Department of Budget and Management is responsible for finding finances for the new lawmakers, Speaker Prospero Nograles Jr. said he is doing everything he can to ensure that the new party-list representatives are provided for. "We will try to get the money from contingencies, savings," he said in a press conference on Tuesday, adding that he has also appealed to lawmakers from the majority to share their offices with the new party-list representatives for the meantime. - Johanna Camille Sisante, GMANews.TV