SEPT 10, 2015

NR # 3953C

Office of the President (OP) defends budget of P2.8B for 2016

A lawmaker today asked the Office of the President (OP) if it really needs a budget
of P2.8 billion for 2016 because he claims it still has unused funds from 2014.
Rep. Antonio L. Tinio (Party-list, ACT Teachers) raised the issue during todays
hearing of the House Committee on Appropriations chaired by Rep. Isidro T. Ungab (3 rd
District, Davao City) on the OP 2016 budget proposal which was defended by Executive
Secretary Paquito Ochoa.
Tinio said based on his review of the OP budgets, the total unused appropriation for
2014 was P2.5 billion, out of a total budget of P3.4 billion.
The total unused appropriation for 2014 was P2.5 billion. So ang nagamit ninyo
lang out of P3.4 billion was P900 million. Now, you are asking for P2.8 billion for next
year, said Tinio.
Ochoa, however, immediately clarified that based on record, the available balance,
in so far as the status of funds of the OP is concerned, is only P308 million as of July 31,
2015 .
Most of the OP budget for 2014 has already been obligated, thats P2.4 billion,
said Ochoa.
Ochoa said there is also a bigger portion in the 2014 budget called International
Commitments Fund which is intended to support the expenditure for hosting of the AsiaPacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) meeting in the country and some ongoing
activities until November. But even that, we were able to obligate, thus leaving the OP
with an available balance of P300 million, said Ochoa.
He explained there are items in the 2014 budget that can be used until 2015. The
budget for 2014 has a lifetime availability of two years, he said.
For 2015, Ochoa said out of the P2.5 billion appropriation, the OP had already
obligated P898 million.
Of the P2.8 billion proposed budget of the OP for 2016, P1.9 billion shall go to
maintenance and other operating expenses, P771.67 million to personnel services, and
P96.99 million to capital outlays. (30) rbb