MANILA: Lawmakers may have lost their discretion over billions of pesos in lump sum public funds, but they will continue to have a big say in the utilization of people’s money.
The Senate and the House of Representatives have revived the joint congressional oversight committee on government expenditures to monitor disbursements from the P2.268tr 2014 national budget. Davao City Rep Isidro Ungab, chairman of the House appropriations committee, said the panel was revived after the Supreme Court declared the Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF) or pork barrel unconstitutional. “It’s clear: the executive branch implements the law, the legislative branch legislates and conducts oversight,” Ungab said.
The Philippine star
