Bawas pondo sa non-essential expenses ng gobyerno hiniling
Mike Defensor
SA paglaki ng pangangailangan ng gobyerno sa pondo, iminungkahi ni AnaKalusugan Rep. Mike Defensor na itaas sa 30 porsyento ang bawas sa mga non-essential expenses ng pamahalaan.
Ayon kay Defensor mayroong P1.6 trilyong maintenance and other operating expenses (MOOE) sa ilalim ng 2020 national budget na maaaring ilipat sa mga programa kaugnay ng paglaban sa epekto ng coronavirus disease 2019.
“If the DBM (Department of Budget and Management) can effect an across-the-board reduction of 30 percent, we can easily generate P480 billion for Covid-19 measures and SAP financial assistance to the poor,” ani Defensor.
Sinabi ni Defensor na bagamat mayroong mga item sa MOOE na hindi pwedeng umabot sa 30 porsyento ang bawas meron namang mga item na maaaring tuluyan ng alisin.
Kagaya umano ng pondo na gugugulin sa biyahe (P19.4 bilyon), training and scholarship (P32.9 bilyon), supplies and materials (P108.3 bilyon), at representation, or dining out and entertainment by officials and their guests (P5.2 bilyon).
Pwede naman umanong tapyasan ang nakalaan sa communication expenses (P10.7 bilyon), hiring of consultants (P29 bilyon), advertising (P3 bilyon), subscription (P4.1 bilyon), donations (P41.8 bilyon), printing and publication (P1.9 bilyon), at membership dues and contributions to organizations (P2.4 bilyon).
“Why should the government spend almost P42 billion for donations when frontline health workers are still begging for personal protective equipment (PPE) items from private donors until now, five months after the coronavirus outbreak hit the country?” tanong ni Defensor.
Kahit na ang pagbili umano ng mga bagong sasakyan na may pondong P4.1 bilyon ay maaaring galawin. Maging ang pagbili ng mga bagong furniture (P603 milyon), at mga bagong machinery and equipment (P67.9 bilyon).
“We can make do with what we presently have while battling Covid-19. We should instead use the money to buy badly needed PPEs for our frontline health workers and as subsidy to the poor,” dagdag pa ng solon.
Nauna rito ay inirekomenda ni Defensor na bawasan ng 20 porsyento ang mga gastos na maaaring hindi na ituloy. Nagbawas ang DBM ng 10 porsyento sa mga ito.
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