House leader: Proposed CCT, PPP budgets likely to be left intact

The proposed budgets for the conditional cash transfer (CCT) program and public-private partnership (PPP) projects for next year are likely to be left intact despite criticisms from the minority, a House leader said Tuesday. At a press briefing, House Majority Leader Neptali Gonzales II said amendments are not likely to be introduced to these allocations since these are "centerpiece" programs of the Aquino administration. "Palagay ko hindi na talaga magagalaw iyan," Gonzales told reporters. Nonetheless, Gonzales said the special committee tasked to accept amendments to the P1.816-trillion budget for next year will still consider if such proposals have merits. "The committee will have two weeks to go over the budget again for purposes of proposing amendments," he said. Gonzales issued his remarks a day after House Minority Leader Edcel Lagman dared majority congressmen to realign supposedly controversial allocations in the proposed 2012 budget. Lagman particularly identified the P39.4-billion proposed funding for CCT, and the planned P22.1-billion counterpart funding for PPP projects as the allocations that need to be amended. On Friday, the lower chamber approved on second reading the appropriations bill for next year without touching these provisions, despite repeated criticisms from minority and progressive party-list representatives during plenary debates. Fiscal autonomy not violated Also at the press briefing, Gonzales defended the approval of the P23.4-billion Miscellaneous Personnel Benefits Fund (MPBF), which opposition lawmakers claim violates the 1987 Constitution. The majority bloc leader said there is nothing wrong with the Aquino administration’s move to create a special purpose fund that can only be accessed once the government office fills up its vacant posts. "What’s wrong with advocating transparency? Mahirap naman kung kukunin mo pero wala ka naman palang interes na punuan ng mga tao ‘yung posisyon na may pondo," he stressed. He added that the MPBF does not violate the fiscal autonomy of constitutional bodies, since they can easily access the fund once the vacancies have been filled up. “Fiscal autonomy is never violated. Pinagsama-sama lang naman ‘yung pondo… If you examine the lump sum appropriation, mayroon pa rin naming itemized amounts of money for the employees," he said. During plenary debates on the proposed 2012 budget, members of the House minority threatened to question the legality of the MPBF before the Supreme Court. — RSJ, GMA News