The Commission on Audit on Tuesday asked the Senate to restore P723 million slashed from its proposed budget for 2023, but Ombudsman Samuel Martires said he “understood” if the lawmakers kept his agency’s budget at the same level as this year, citing the country’s current situation.
Both agencies’ budgets have already passed the committee level in the Senate.
During the deliberation of its P13.8-billion budget for next year, COA Commissioner Roland Pondoc said their outlay under the National Expenditure Program is 5 percent lower than its proposed budget of P14.5 billion.
The Audit agency’s recommended allocations for personnel services and maintenance and other operating expenses were slashed, Pondoc noted.
“That is why we are requesting this honorable committee, if possible, to restore the P723-million budget cut,” said Pondoc, adding that the reduced budget will affect their audit operations, especially in the provinces.
Senate Finance Committee Chairperson Sen. Sonny Angara, who presided over the budget hearings, related that the chamber worked on increasing COA’s budget in the past years.
“We acknowledge your request and also place in the record that this committee in the Senate has increased the COA budget for the last four years, and probably even longer,” said Angara.
COA Chairperson Jose Calida failed to attend the hearing as he is on medical leave.
Meanwhile, Martires told the Senate panel that although the Office of the Ombudsman is seeking a budget of P6 billion, they understand that it will not be granted due to the country’s current situation.
“I must be honest with you, Your Honors, I understand the present predicament of our country, of our government,” the Ombudsman said.
“If it will be hard for the appropriations committee to give us an additional budget of what we have been asking, about P6 billion, just to maintain the P4.7 billion that we’re given this year, we’ll be happy for that,” he said.
The Ombudsman’s current proposed budget for 2023 is P4.781 billion, the same budget as this year.
Angara also noted that the Ombudsman’s budget was increased in the past four years by the Senate.