Francis Escudero

"• Realignment of P2.915 billion in the budget of the Department of Social Welfare and Development, specifically from the Pantawid Pamilya Pilipino Program and the KALAHI-CIDSS projects to Social Pension for Indigent Senior Citizens which will benefit 460,647 senior citizens at a total cost of P2.770 billion in line with R.A. No. 9994 or the Expanded Senior Citizens Act of 2010. Additional funding of P20 million will also be provided for the Comprehensive Project for Street Children, Street Families and Indigent Peoples-especially Badjaos, as well as an additional P95 million for Protective Services for Individuals and Families in Difficult Circumstances."

"• Increase of P15 million for the National Commission on Muslim Filipinos for the Hajj Travel Assistance and Endowment Administration Services;"

"Mr. President, in so far as special and general provisions. Your committee on Finance proposes the following."

"Proposed Special and General Provisions"

"The Senate general provision also states that savings may result from non-commencement of the P/A/P or the inability of the agency to obligate its released allotment and implement it within the period when the appropriation is valid, whereas the House version qualifies that savings also result from non-commencement of a P/A/P, meaning the inability of the agency to obligate an allotment only within the first semester of the year. In the same manner, the Senate provision demands more fiscal responsibility from agencies by adding the proviso in Sec. 68 that “Programmed appropriations which have not been released or allotments not obligated due to the fault of the agency concerned shall not be considered as savings and shall revert to the General Fund.”"

"In compliance with the Supreme Court ruling on the Disbursement Acceleration Program, a new general provision on the “Meaning of Augmentation” is proposed by your committee in Sec. 69 which states that savings cannot be used to augment a non-existent P/A/P through the use of an appropriation not otherwise authorized by the subject GAA, and that the existence of an appropriation for an allotment class, whether for Personal Services, MOOE, or Capital Outlays, in a P/A/P is necessary for purposes of augmentation."

"Other notable special and general provisions, Mr. President, distinguished colleagues, are as follows:"

"• Deletion of Special provisions under special purpose funds which allow savings from the said funds to be made available to the Executive, Legislative, and Judicial branches of the government including Constitutional offices, in compliance with the Supreme Court decision prohibiting the cross-border transfer of savings from the Executive to the other branches of government;"

"• Detailed listing of the Farm-to-market road projects under the Department of Agriculture is now found in Volume II-A of the GAA. This is used to be a lump sum appropriation Mr. President both under the NEP and the GAB;"

"New Special Provision under the DepEd on the Preservation and Restoration of the existing Gabaldon School buildings to promote the country’s cultural heritage;"

"• New Special Provision under the Department of Health on the National Health Insurance Program, allocating the sum of P37.060 billion to cover the full premium subsidy of the health insurance premium for the following: a) Indigent Families under the NHTS-PR of the DSWD; b) Existing 2014 Poor and Low Income Enrolees, other than the Indigent Families under the NHTS-PR of DSWD, enrolled under the National Health Insurance Program (NHIP) whose enrolment have been validated and renewed for 2015; c) Indigent Elected and Appointed Barangay Officials, which shall include the Punong Barangay, Members of the Sangguniang Barangay, Barangay Secretary, Barangay Treasurer, Barangay Health Workers and Barangay Tanod; and d) Senior Citizens, again, in accordance with law;"

"• The use of the Special Vehicle Pollution Control Fund under DOTC-OSEC, particularly the amount of P2.532 billion for air pollution control of LTO as well as the repair, rehabilitation and maintenance of the Metro Rail Transit which is considered as a pollution-free transportation system;"

"• Earmarking P15 million as financial assistance for the indigent Muslim Filipinos to enable them to participate in the annual celebration of the Hajj as part of the education and cultural enrichment program of the government;"

"• New General Provision stipulating that the Monitoring and Evaluation Expenses of the agencies mandated to implement or oversee the implementation of programs and projects shall not exceed three percent (3%) of the project or program cost."

"• Again in keeping with the Supreme Court ruling on Augmentation, the committee proposed the insertion of the following statement in Sec. 70 entitled “Rules in the Realignment of Allotment Classes and Reprioritization of Items of Appropriations which states that: “In all cases of realignment, the existence of an appropriation in the Object of Expenditure and Allotment Class is necessary for realignment.”"

"• Insertion of the phrase “Unless otherwise provided in a Subsequent Law” in Sec. 84 stipulating that the requirements of ARMM shall be provided in the implementation of nationwide programs in recognition of the proposed BBL, now pending before Congress ;"

"• A new General Provision on Reportorial Requirements stating that such shall be posted in the website of agencies for at least three (3) years;"

"• Amendment in the Miscellaneous Personnel Benefits Fund and the Pension and Gratuity Fund, requiring the DBM to submit, within the first quarter, to Congress the amounts allocated to the Judicial Branch, Legislative Branch, Constitutional Commissions, and the Ombudsman, and that in no case shall releases to the said offices exceed the amount submitted to Congress also for purposes of utilizing these as savings to augment the budget of these constitutional offices;"

"• Amended provision under the Unprogrammed Fund earmarking P472.485 million to cover the terminal leave benefits of the Philippine Postal Corporation (PhilPost) employees when they were still under the defunct Bureau of Post;"

"• A new Special Provision under the Unprogrammed Fund providing appropriation cover for the release of funds previously deposited in the Bureau of Treasury for the Implementation of Remedies, including safeguard measures pursuant to R.A. No. 8800, the Safeguard Measures Act of 2000."

"Still the Constitution tells us emphatically that the power of the purse belongs to Congress. It is hoped, Mr. President, distinguished colleagues, that with these proposed amendments in the Fiscal Year 2015 budget or GAA, Congress will adhere to the ruling of the highest Court in the land and regain its Constitutionally-mandated control over the purse strings."

"Indeed Mr. President, it’s either walking the tightrope or plunging to the depths of national despair, eroding the recent credit rating gains that have won us praises in the eyes of the international community."

"Thank you, Mr. President and thank you distinguished colleagues. We ask earnestly for your help in the timely passage of the 2015 National Budget. At this junction, Mr. President, may I ask that we recognize Senate President Pro-Tempore Recto."

"Mr. President, distinguished colleagues."

"I rise to sponsor the Supplemental Appropriations for Fiscal Year 2014 amounting to P22,467,608,000."

"House Bill No. 5237 passed by the House of Representatives on third and final reading yesterday identifies three (3) classifications of projects contained in this measure, Mr. President. First are the projects that have remained unpaid and outstanding after being declared unconstitutional in the Supreme Court ruling on the Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF). These projects, amounting to a total of P1,902,744,124 were commenced or completed prior to the Supreme Court’s PDAF ruling and are all valid obligations incurred by the government."

"Second are the partially-implemented or unimplemented projects that were declared unconstitutional by the Supreme Court in its ruling on the Disbursement Acceleration Program (DAP). Such projects, such as the Coconut Scale Insect Emergency Action Plan for coconut farmers, the rehabilitation of Lines 1 and 2, or the construction of fish ports, lighthouses and seawalls shall help our long-suffering masses escape from the claws of poverty and are thus deemed important."

"The third and last classification of projects under this measure, Mr. President, are urgent infrastructure, socio-economic, rehabilitation and reconstruction projects which are not funded in any existing appropriation laws. These projects, such as the Line 3 Rehabilitation and Capacity Extension, the updating of DSWD’s National Household Targeting System for Poverty Reduction (NHTS-PR), or the Emergency Housing Assistance for Victims of Typhoon Yolanda, constitute crucial development initiatives that shall benefit displaced and poverty-stricken Filipinos."

"Your Senate Committee on Finance conducted two budget hearings on this matter, Mr. President, to gain a more thorough knowledge on the various projects involved in this measure. All national government agencies and government-owned or controlled corporations that shall implement the said projects served as resource persons for the consecutive hearings."

"Mr. President, your committee is essentially proposing Supplemental Appropriations amounting to P22,467,608,000 for Fiscal Year 2014, which shall be available for release and obligation within one (1) year after the date of effectivity of this act."

"Lastly, we have also added the proviso in Section 3 on the Use and Release of Funds, that a uniform formula or parameter be developed for the fair and equitable distribution of Emergency Shelter Assistance funds across typhoon-affected barangays, municipalities, or provinces nationwide."

"Mr. President, esteemed colleagues, once more we are tasked to exercise the power of the purse in the enactment of this Supplemental Appropriations for 2014. I therefore ask for the swift passage of the measure."

"Thank you."

"We are conscious of the fact that the timely passage of the budget is the key to fuel not only the entire government machinery but also our capability and capacity as a nation especially in this challenging time."

"The cataclysmic force that hit our country requires serious response to influence significant rehabilitation and reconstruction of the communities barreled by catastrophes. We need to infuse major financial foundation to recoup and retain the physical, economic and social viability of these communities."

"By strengthening the protection of the citizen whose testimony is necessary and indispensable for the successful prosecution of a case, we also strengthen accountability and reduce corruption in the public and private sectors."

"Education is the great equalizer in society. It is the best way to guarantee that all Filipinos, regardless of station in life, get an equal opportunity to a better life."

"Teachers are the most overworked among public servants, having to cope with the tremendous task of educating the youth while at the same time risking life and limb during the entire process."

"The government does not have the mandate to create jobs. This should be the function of the private sector but the government should provide policy support for businesses to generate permanent or long-term jobs."

"For Team Chiz, the philosophy is never to let our guard down and to run scared with the survey results guiding our steps along the way."

"I leave it to those concerned the launching of a hate campaign against me based on imagined and manufactured allegations. Please get the facts straight and don’t try to put words in my mouth."

"Like billions of Catholics around the world, I greet Pope Francis’ election with a great measure of hope and optimism because it signals a fresh start. For many Catholics, this beacon of hope and optimism could very well rekindle a faith scarred by scandals and controversies."

"While it took all of 27 years for the state to finally recognize the atrocities it inflicted on Filipinos whose democratic rights were suppressed under Marcos, the compensation law seeks to give justice to victims of the dark days of oppression and hopefully give an assurance that it will not happen again."

"The elections are not about what rallies I should or not join but rather about issues and platforms, pure intentions and commitment to principles. It is sad that they have focused on rallies as an issue for this campaign."

"In this highly competitive world, there is a crying need for the government to assure that schools in the country, for one, are able to produce graduates who have the capability to find quality work that mostly requires a sufficient level of technology skills."

"I am happy and humbled by the continued confidence by the people, but what is important is that public servants seeking the people’s vote like me continue to work to prove that we are worthy of the positions entrusted to us."

"Mr. President, distinguish colleagues, ladies and gentlemen."

"The person I have the honor of nominating today as our Senate President Pro Tempore may be a young at 49 years of age. But don’t let his supposedly youthful looks deceive you."

"He was already in Congress twenty-one years ago, in 1992. In that pre-cellphone age, Mr. President, distinguish colleagues, myself, Sonny Angara, Sonny Trillanes, JV (Ejercito), Grace (Poe), Alan (Cayetano), and Nancy (Binay), all of us were still college. Bam (Aquino) was in high school."

"Through three terms in the Lower House and two terms here, Mr. President, he has earned the reputation as a lawmaker with a head for numbers, and an eye for figures – whether tax , budgetary, and perhaps in a previous lifetime, of the female kind."