TRANSCRIPT OF AMBUSH INTERVIEW WITH SEN. FRANKLIN DRILON
Senate plenary

DRILON: We finished the period of interpellation last night. We have closed the period of debates. A number of senators have submitted proposed amendments. We will propose that these amendments be discussed in caucus this afternoon so that we can avoid a lengthy debate on the floor. Hopefully we can arrive at a consensus so that we can approve the budget on second and third reading today. All of these amendments will be discussed in caucus which I will propose will take place this afternoon.

Q: Feasible ba yung suggestion ni Sen. Santiago na gawing P15 billion na lang yung CCT?

DRILON: That is up to the chamber but as chairman of the committee on finance, we will defend the P21 billion for the conditional cash transfer. We went through a seven-hour interpellation last night on the budget of the DSWD and I think we have sufficiently explained to our colleagues this CCT budget. We will defend the P21 billion and will retain it in the budget.

Q: Maraming mga rallies sa supposed budget cuts sa SUCs?

DRILON: In the first place, paulit ulit po tayo, wala pong budget cut and SUCs. Ang nangyari po yung hindi binalik sa budget yung mga congressional initiatives at insertions vetoed by Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo at ang sinabi niya, hindi pwedeng mai-release kung walang bagong revenue ang pamahalaan. Ang deficit nga P325 billion kaya hindi po nai-release ito. Hindi po binawasan ang budget ng SUCs. I can assure the SUCs that they will have the budget of the same level of 2010, in fact higher because of the salary increases that we will include in implementation of salary standardization 3.

Q: Sino yung mag-e-explain sa kanila kasi yun pa rin ang pinapaniwalaan nila?

DRILON: Mahirap gisingin yung gising. Kaya yan po wala pong binawas sa SUC budget.

Q: Zero po yung capital outlay?

DRILON: Yung capital outlay, ibig sabihin nagawa nay un. Yung capital outlay para sa mga sabihin nating building. Eh kung nagawa na yung building bakit natin ilagay muli? Assuming na naglagay ng P5 million sa building at yan po ay nagawa na, eh bakit mo ibabalik?

Q: Yung MOOE may cut din?

DRILON: Di babawasan ang MOOE mula sa current year. Ang dagdag, kapag kailangan pa nila ng mga salapi, yan po ay merong mga internally generated funds naman sila.

Q: Third reading today, Monday bicam na?

DRILON: Yes. Kung hindi man matapos ang third reading today, we'll have it approved on Monday them bicam na.

Q: Yung amendments through caucus?

DRILON: Yes we will discuss the amendments. Hopefully there can be agreements and then we will just manifest the agreements on the floor.

(2nd part)

DRILON: ... Hindi naman. We just want to avoid a situation where there are so many vetoes. I want to avoid that.

Q: And they get away with it. Sila Gloria ina-amend nila yung pinasa ng Congress.

DRILON: Hindi naman. That's the system of check and balance. That's why to the extent possible, we want to avoid what happened this year, for the 2010 GAA wherein there were numerous items vetoed. Sayang naman ang trabaho mo kung puro na lang veto.

(3rd part)

DRILON: ... My position is I will support the P21 billion. Let us give this administration a chance to prove its worth and if after one year they have not proven their worth, we will be less sympathetic. But in the mean time, this administration has been less than six months old. Let's give it a chance to succeed.