Senate takes hard look at NIA, PCA budgets
SENATOR Cynthia A. Villar yesterday presided over the hearing of Finance subcommittee on the proposed budgets of the National Irrigation Administration (NIA) and the Philippine Coconut Authority.
Under the National Expenditure Program, NIA’s proposed budget for fiscal year 2024 is P41.2 billion.
In the hearing, Villar reminded NIA officials to separate allocation for personnel services and overhead from project expenditure in their report, stressing that personnel and overhead expenses should not go beyond 55 percent of the entire budget.
Senator Raffy Tulfo, during the hearing, called on National Irrigation Administration acting director Eduardo Guillen to carry out his responsibilities effectively by removing corrupt individuals from the agency.
Tulfo Pointed out that corruption is still prevalent within the agency, noting that the suspension orders issued to some of its officials are indicative of existing irregularities.
In response, Guillen assured the committee that he would do everything within his power to address the agency’s issues for the benefit of the farmers.
Guillen, who presented the proposed P41.2 B budget of NIA for 2024, said there is corruption happening in most organization here and abroad which he described as mere lapses by some people.
However, Tulfo said the only way corruption can be solved is to admit and face it squarely without denial or sugar coating.
For his part, Senator Tolentino explained that any corruption past or present can be investigated and prosecuted by the Office of the Ombudsman based on a complaint by any person, or any act or mission of any public officer when such act is illegal, unjust, improper or inefficient by any officer or employee of the government.
Senate Minority Leader Aquilino “Koko” Pimentel III asked Guillen on the agency’s plans to rehabilitate and improve its national and communal irrigation systems.
“Your proposal is to restore 42,000 hectares of the total 300,000 hectares of irrigation systems that is not in working condition. You are asking us to fund new irrigation projects yet you cannot restore the old ones. Something is terribly wrong,” Pimentel said.
Guillen said the Department of Budget and Management had only approved the rehabilitation of 15,000 hectares of irrigation system out of the proposed 42,000 hectares because it was costly.
Pimentel said the rehabilitation of 15,000 hectares of irrigation is “too modest.”
