| “More
spending would mean incurring a higher deficit”, Mr. Joseph
Rañola, President and Chief Executive Officer of the Center
for National Budget Legislation, said yesterday in a weekly forum
organized by the CBCP-Catholic Media Network.
Center for National Budget Legislation (CNBL) with a slogan based
on “Bantay Budget”, a non-government entity that is
studying the national budget had been regularly doing instructional,
briefings and giving guideposts on the nuances of the Philippine
Budget to legislators and their staff (senators and congressmen),
media, LGUs and the academe.
In 2008, the government has P1, 202.91 billion revenues but has
P1, 271.02 billion expenditures which resulted into a P68.11 billion
deficit.
Rañola said that under the Arroyo Administration, the highest
National Government Domestic & Foreign Borrowing (NET) which
is P286.8 billion was acquired in 2003. And, as of 2008, National
Government Outstanding debt is P4, 220.90 billion pesos.
Before the forum end, Mr. Rañola presented a book entitled
"Your Guidebook to Effective and Transparent National Budget
Legislation: Philippine Setting”. This book aimed primarily
at fledging legislators and their staff who want a crash course
in the intricacies of the budgetary process, as well as other government
executives, nongovernment watchdog groups and even media who want
to understand a little-known but highly important process in the
bureaucracy. |
“Natutuwa
kami sa ginawa ng Senate pero nangangamba sa gagawin ng lower house.
Sana pagbigyan nila ang kanilang pangako sa harap ng Presidente
at ng bishop na ito na ipapasa nila ang CARP bago dumating ‘yong
pagtatapos ng session. Sana h’wag nilang tigasan ang kanilang
puso”, Bishop Pabillo said yesterday at a forum organized
by the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines Media
Office and the Catholic Media Network. This is in reference on the
Senate’s approval on third reading of the CARP extension bill.
Bishop Broderick Pabillo, CBCP-National Secretariat for Social Action
chairman yesterday said that the ball is now in the hands of congressmen.
“This is considered a priority bill and there has never been
a priority bill that has never been passed in Congress,” Pabillo
said.
Pabillo expressed delight at the Senate’s decision and urged
the House to make a similar move. He made a call to House Speaker
Prospero Nograles to stand up for farmers who waited long enough.
|
