|
By Efren L. Danao, Senior Reporter
First of two parts
Even as the administration distributes billions
of pesos worth of dole- outs, there are nearly 50 laws that have
been passed by Congress but cannot be implemented for lack of
funding.
President Gloria Arroyo recently ordered the
release of funds as subsidy for lifeline power consumers at P500
each. She had also directed the Department of Agriculture to give
farmers P1,500 as fertilizer subsidy. Her critics doubt the legality
of these subsidies, because there was no congressional authorization
for their release. They argue that a law or a provision in the
General Appropriations Act is needed to authorize the release of
these subsidies.
It has been noted, however, that a law or a
budget provision does not necessarily result in the release of
needed funds. Data gathered by The Manila Times show that 46
well-crafted laws dating as far back as April 9, 1994 could not be
fully implemented for lack of funds.
While these 46 laws had received P19.76 billion
over the past 13 years, this amount is way short of their total
funding requirement of P239.9 billion. The funding deficiency of
P220.16 billion, which is expected to grow as things get more
expensive in the future.
These 46 laws are classified into economic,
social, defense and general public services. There are 12 laws on
economic services with a total funding requirement of P295.98
billion. Their funding deficiency totals a hefty P158.33 billion.
The biggest fund deficiency of P46.39 billion is
for the Agriculture and Fisheries Modernization Act of 1997. This
law focused on food security, poverty alleviation and global
competitiveness after the creation of the World Trade Organization.
The law’s initial funding requirement was P22 billion, with an
annual program of at least P17 billion from 1999 to 2004. But only
P75.6 billion has been released.
Of a lesser deficiency but not necessarily less
important is Republic Act 8550 or the Fisheries Code. It was enacted
in 1998 and required a funding of P1.6 billion, but since its
enactment, none of its required funding has been released.
Some 19 laws on social services have funding
requirement of P37.98 billion, but they have a funding deficiency of
P35.94 billion. Of the 19 unfunded laws, the oldest is Republic Act
7696 that seeks to grant old-age pension and other benefits to
Filipino veterans that was enacted on April 9, 1994. This law was
authored by then-Sen. Alberto Romulo, who sought to upgrade the
pension and benefits enjoyed by veterans.
Among the benefits is an annual increase of not
less than P500 a month in their pension until the amount reaches
P5,000 monthly. These veterans, principally those who had fought in
World War II, were nearing the twilight of their years, and
lawmakers thought it was proper to give them due recognition while
they were still alive.
The intention was excellent, but the funding was
weak. Veterans have yet to receive P4.15 billion in old-age pension,
P278 million in death pension, and P22.98 billion in total
administrative disability pension. The law did not actually mention
a specific funding requirement. Section 10 merely stated, “Funds
for the purpose of this Act shall be included in the annual general
appropriations of the Department of National Defense and such funds
required for the initial implementation of benefits adjusted or
upgraded under this Act shall be taken from the available savings
and funds of the National Government.”
Some of the laws on social services never got
even a single centavo from the national government since their
enactment on June 1, 1994. One of them is Republic Act 7743, a law
providing for the establishment of congressional, city and municipal
libraries and barangay reading centers throughout the Philippines.
The others pertain to the increase in the bed
capacity of the Amang Rodriguez Memorial Medical Center, the Dr.
Jose N. Rodriguez Memorial Hospital and Sanitarium in Tala, Caloocan
City, and the Valenzuela Medical Center.
The most pathetic law in this classification is
Republic Act 9003 or the Ecological Solid Waste Management Act of
2000, authored by Sen. Loren Legarda and hailed as one of the most
noteworthy accomplishments of the Eleventh Congress.
But praises are one thing, funding is another.
The law has not received a single centavo since its enactment,
although it is supposed to get an annual budget of P20 million.
Whatever funds the law got for its implementation came from savings
of the Environmental Management Bureau, an attached agency of the
Department of Environment and Natural Resources.
It is perhaps no wonder then that there are
still 826 open dumps in various parts of the country, despite the
February 17, 2006 deadline for their closure by the law and that
only 2,400 of the more than 44,000 barangay units in the country
have waste segregation projects.
The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP)
Modernization Act enacted on February 23, 1995 could not go full
steam ahead as it is still suffering from a funding deficiency of
P25 billion. The 13 laws on general public services are still
waiting for the release of P879.7 million needed for their full
implementation. Most of these laws pertain to the creation of family
courts, metropolitan trial courts, regional trial courts, additional
courtrooms for municipal trial courts, and the creation of the
Juvenile Justice and Welfare Council.
To be continued
|
