SEN. Joel Villanueva yesterday urged the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) to ensure that there is sufficient funding for measures that have been signed into law.
Villanueva made the statement as he noted a DBM report showing that at least 205 laws, some of which were enacted three decades ago, continue to suffer from funding deficiencies, which have hindered their effective implementation.
“As lawmakers, we are duty-bound to pass laws that improve the lives of Filipinos. However, for these laws to truly make an impact, we need to ensure that there is enough funding to implement them,” Villanueva said, as he stressed that, “we need to ensure that all passed legislation is properly financed – not just in the short term, but sustainably.”
According to the Fiscal Planning and Reforms Bureau (FPRB) of the DBM, the funding deficiency for at least 46 laws has reached P554.5 billion. It did not mention who much budgetary requirements is needed to fully operationalize 159 other laws.
The economic sector has 88 laws with funding gaps, while the security, peace, and justice sector has the largest overall shortfall at P297.7 billion.
Laws in the economic sector includes key infrastructure and development projects.
Among the laws identified with significant funding deficiencies are those related to the establishment of Land Transportation Office (LTO) district offices and the revised AFP Modernization Act (RA 10349), which remains underfunded despite its critical role in modernizing the armed forces.
“It is crucial that the DBM take a more proactive role at the committee level of legislative deliberations, providing early recommendations and conducting financial impact assessments to evaluate the budgetary needs of proposed bills before they are signed into law,” Villanueva said, as he underscored the importance of a close working relationship between the Executive and Legislative branches to provide timely feedback and financial projections for bills with funding implications.
The senator also said clear protocols for assessing and addressing funding deficiencies should be established as part of the budget preparation process.
“Legislation should not be a mere exercise in passing laws, it must be a commitment to action and change. We need a systematic approach to ensure that the necessary funding is allocated to implement these laws, especially those that address critical issues in the economy, security, and social services,” he said.
The DBM assured senators that it will submit to the Committee on Finance the status of laws which lack sufficient funding.
