THE
BUSINESS OF GOVERNANCE
On
Tuesday, September 30 , 2008 another milestone in the history
of budgeting in the
Philippines will take place. The civil society members of the
Alternative Budget Initiative
(ABI) convened by Social Watch Philippines will present their
alternative budget for
2009 in the areas of education, health, agriculture and the environment.
ABI will also
present its critique of the macroeconomic assumptions underlying
the proposed budget.
The presentation marks the third year of organized citizen participation
in the budget process. Citizens groups have always participated
individually in the budget process. ABI is significant in that
civil society organizations united and went into partnership with
legislators who shared their advocacy. ABI’s advocacy is
supported by the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) and
the National Economic Development Authority (NEDA) . Both institutions
support the world wide movement for participatory budgeting.
Appropriations
Committee Chair Junie Cua will continue the historic practice
started by former Appropriation Committee Chair Edcel Lagman
.The latter initiated the first hearing on the proposed alternative
budget for the 2008 budget. Budget hearings are traditionally
conducted on the Executive’s proposed budget. Last year,
civil society organizations were given the opportunity to present
their alternative proposal for social development to the Appropriations
Committee. The legislators asked very detailed questions. They
were aware of the historic implications of the hearing.
The past
two experiences in participatory budgeting were different. Round
3 promises to be different also. The budget process remains
the same—budget preparation, budget authorization or legislation,
budget implementation, and accountability. Nevertheless, recent
developments make this round interesting and different.
First, the
economic environment under which the budget proposal was made
is very different. The country is suffering from an economic
slowdown. It is buffeted not only by physical storms but also
by turmoil in the external as well as domestic economy. Thus,
it is more difficult to determine with certainty the state of
the economy in 2009.
Second,
it is also widely believed that the 2009 budget will be an election
budget. Suspicions are rife that the budget is expected to provide
funds which can be diverted to finance election spending. Thus,
advocates and critics of the 2009 budget are edgy. Both sides
are monitoring each other.
Third, consideration
of the 2009 budget is taking place amidst issues concerning
the practice of “congressional insertions”. Personally,
I prefer to use the words “realignment” , “reallocation”
and “amendment”. Congress has the duty to carefully
review the president’s budget proposal and recommend amendments.
Unquestioning approval will mean that Congress is a mere rubber
stamp of the Executive.
The word
“insertion” appears to refer to further allocations
which are made during the Bicameral Committee meetings which
are not open to the public.
The bitter
Senate battle on the issue of double allocations has exposed
the dark side of the appropriations process which is kept from
public scrutiny: the bicameral committee negotiations.
Finally,
it is anticipated that the 2009 budget will provide appropriation
cover for expenditures which were alleged to be without legal
basis in the 2008 budget . Remember the P500 giveaway to electric
consumers? It is believed that the 2009 budget will ensure that
allocations for even more giveaways will be specifically mentioned
this time.
It is fervently
hoped that the gains in budget reform which were achieved during
the last two years will be protected and even enhanced in Round
3.
The day the Young Turks sang
It was a
day for music. Adel Tamano sang “I’ll Never Say
Goodbye.” Gilbert Remulla crooned a popular hit. TG Guingona
sang the classic Visayan song “Usahay”. Danton got
away by reciting “GMA, GMA Go Away.”
The occasion
was the Young Turks Forum at the U.P. National College of Public
Administration and Governance (NCPAG). Adel, Gilbert, TG and
Danton urged the SRO audience composed of students from U.P.,
Polytechnic University of the Philippines, City University of
Caloocan, New Era University and the Eulogio Rodriquez School
for Science and Technology to get involved in the electoral
process by registering themselves as voters, participating in
discussions about national issues and voting during elections.
Manila Concert
Choir provided “choral music in the grand tradition”
by singing “Pambansang Awit ” in martial tempo,
delivering a powerful musical invocation based on Beethoven’s
Symphony No. 9, and singing two stirring nationalistic songs—“Kayumangging
Malaya” and “Lupang Hinirang”—and the
pop Tagalog love song, “Minsan Lang Kitang Iibigin.”
More than one listener was moved to say “their hair stood
on end” with Beethoven and “Lupang Hinirang.”
All in all,
New Politics proved to be very enjoyable and palatable to the
young with the Young Turks singing their advocacy while Manila
Concert Choir’s soaring voices touched their hearts and
reminded them of how wonderful it is to love God and country.
