Speaker Dy defends congressional budget tweaks amid public scrutiny
MANILA, Philippines – House Speaker Faustino “Bojie” Dy III on Thursday said congressional amendments to the P7.2-trillion proposed budget for next year should not be automatically presumed to involve corruption and wrongdoing as the chamber faces heightened scrutiny over its spending bill.
“Not all changes made by Congress to the budget are wrong,” Dy said in a statement in Filipino. “It is the duty of lawmakers to advocate for the needs of their districts.”
READ: Lawmakers also ‘denied’ transparency in 2027 budget bill
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“What matters is that the projects are proper, fully documented, and deliver genuine benefit to the people,” he added.
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The proposed 2027 budget has faced criticism following warnings from budget watchdogs over how the House adjusted the spending plan, including increased allotments for programs prone to patronage politics and concentrated public works funding hikes in districts aligned with the House leadership.
The Senate is now holding a committee-level review of the spending bill after the House submitted it for their action last month.
Dy also pointed out that transparency should apply universally to all government institutions, saying that agencies have no reason to fear heightened transparency if their operations are free of corruption.
“There is nothing to hide if you are doing nothing wrong. And there is nothing to fear if your objective is to serve honestly,” he said.
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Dy said he also backed calls for greater budget transparency, noting that the chamber is willing to disclose supporting budget documents for projects proposed under the spending bill, while partnering with civil groups to expand public oversight and open deliberations to greater scrutiny.
“The public deserves to know where their money goes, who proposed these projects, why they are necessary, and who stands to benefit from them,” he said. /jpv
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