2015 Budget at risk of being used for elections - Lacson, Briones

Part of 2015 budget could be used for 2016 campaign – ex-treasurer

By Ina Andolong, CNN Philippines

Former Sen. Panfilo Lacson and former National Treasurer Leonor Briones agree that the 2015, not the 2016, national budget could end up as part of the campaign kitty of the administration party

Metro Manila (CNN Philippines) – Don't be wary of the proposed P3 trillion budget for 2016.

It's the 2015 budget that could end up being used for the administration party's campaign for the 2016 elections, according to former National Treasurer Leonor Briones.

"When the 2015 budget was being debated, we already warned that this will be an election budget," says Briones. "Because this is for the entire year. This will give you time to do projects, and give away funds."

And it's not only the so-called savings, or unused funds, are at risk of being used for the elections.

Briones says there should also be vigilant monitoring of local government budgets and how much goes to loan payments.

Sometimes, she said, the calculation of the debt service will be larger than the amount that needs to be paid. Then if you see the internal revenue allotment (IRA), you'll see a significant increase in the budget.

Former Sen. Panfilo Lacson agrees: It's the current budget that's at risk of being used as the administration's election kitty.

Even the 2014 budget could also be used. He pointed out that some P502.1 billion left over from the 2014 budget, was carried over to the 2015 budget, either as "continuing" or "unused" appropriations.

Lacson said  these lump sum amounts could end up being diverted to the budgets of different government agencies – which could use the funds for projects to lure votes.

Political analyst Prospero de Vera, vice president for public affairs of the University of the Philippines, says these funds would be relatively easy to divert to projects with "high political returns," such as livelihood programs and medical missions.

Lacson says something must be wrong if such funds were not earmarked for specific purposes: "Ano ang nangyari sa planning?"

[Translation: "What happened to the planning?"]

Earlier, Lacson earlier added that the 2015 budget still included the Priority Development Assistance Fund of legislators and the Disbursement Acceleration Program of the president – both of which have been declared unconstitutional by the Supreme Court.

This time, he says, he will question the national budget before the Supreme Court next week.