Senators question transfer of personnel funds to DBM

At least two senators on Wednesday questioned the transfer of funds for the thousands of unfilled positions in government to the Department of Budget and Management (DBM). Senate finance committee chairman Sen. Franklin Drilon had earlier said the budget for 66,957 unfilled positions, which is around P23 billion, will be placed into what is known as a miscellaneous personnel benefit fund (MPBF). Drilon said money will only be released by the DBM when a position gets filled, which he said will stop the conversion of personnel funds in the national government. But on Wednesday, Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile and Senator Joker Arroyo objected to the idea. "As far as I'm concerned, it's a system of control, it's unwarranted," Enrile said during the day's Senate finance committee hearing on the proposed budget of the judiciary. He explained that if the MPBF remains unused at the end of the year, it becomes huge savings. "This is going to be a huge pork barrel. I will support Malacañang on various issues but I think Congress will have to put its foot down on the (use) on these funds. Congress decides on the allocation of funds we have to follwo the Constitutin," he said. Arroyo likewise said that upon asking the agencies whose budget for unfilled positions were pulled out, it seems the budget now belongs to the executive department. "Why dont they just bring it back where they should be?" he said. The Senate hearing was ongoing as of posting time. — Kimberly Jane Tan/RSJ, GMA News