Davao City 3rd District Representative Isidro T. Ungab graphic expose’ on the 2025 budget insertions in the enrolled bill during the bicameral deliberations has stirred a hornets nest.
Now we see figures in those blank appropriation items and increases of allocations more than what are mandated by the constitution. The General Appropriations Act had been questioned and raised to the Supreme Court for better judgment. In the GAA the blank appropriations had been filled up before, during or after the Bicam review. The nuances of budget deliberations could be a complex matter for the public in general, it helps that Congress Ungab went on the length of explaining in detail why the 2025 is replete with constitutional infirmities. Take note that while the proposed GAA is still with the High Court expenditures based on the same have been going on in high gear unmindful of the blatant disregard and abuse of constitutional guidelines. Ungab who is the principal author of the Sin Tax Law for example is aghast why PhilHealth, which is supposed to be the main recipient of the tax collection proceeds, was not allocated even a single centavo.
Congressman Ungab is not done with his expose’. In the meantime we quote President Marcos diatribe: “Mahiya naman kayo”.
