‘The proposed national budget goes through the surgical scrutiny of honorable gentlemen, many times embarrassing invited public officials until concessions are obtained discreetly on pet projects of congressmen…’
SEN. Koko Pimentel is pushing for rightsizing measures at the Senate and House of Representatives, whose budgets balloon each year. Since the directive comes from President Marcos himself, Pimentel says the two houses of Congress should comply with the Department of Budget and Management to give authority to the President for this purpose. He is calling on the “supermajority” and “followers of President Marcos” in the 19th Congress to go along with it.
Shouldn’t there be a cap on the operational expenses of each congressional office, along with a limit to the host of relatives, political supporters and friends hired as office employees? The holders of the purse have become major beneficiaries, showering themselves regularly with dubious abundance. Horse trading seems to be the common denominator, especially during annual budget hearings of government departments and other agencies.
The proposed national budget goes through the surgical scrutiny of honorable gentlemen, many times embarrassing invited public officials until concessions are obtained discreetly on pet projects of congressmen in such notorious departments as the Department of Public Works and Highways, Department of Transportation, Department of Health, Department of Education and the Bureau of Internal Revenue, among others.
The crucial constitutional principle of check-and-balance has long been virtually eroded by the obscene connivance between top officials in the Executive with most representatives of the people in the Legislative Departments. And we still wonder why the country’s national budget has jumped by leap and bounds through many years while widespread poverty, unemployment, miserable lack of housing and education still bring hopelessness and despair to millions of our countrymen.
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Vice President and concurrent Education Secretary Sara Duterte shouldn’t flex her muscles at the expense of overworked and fatigued public school teachers. She has refused to budge from her directive for schoolyear 2022-23 to start just a month from now on August 22.
She has repeatedly ignored complaints from deeply-worried parents and teachers on the risk of face-to-face classes to their children due to the pandemic. She refuses to defer to medical experts and would rather expose the children to bigger risks, like having the vaccinated mingling with the unvaccinated.
What’s wrong with consulting with major teachers’ groups such as the Alliance of Concerned teachers and other legitimate teachers’ coalitions who are better acquainted with the immediate and various concerns in their ranks? She must exercise or display kindness or compassion to her subordinates and employees who are going through trying times.
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From evangelist and Christian author John Macarthur: “The world’s peace is relative and fleeting because it is grounded in circumstances. God’s peace is absolute and eternal because it is grounded from His grace.”
