DPWH, DILG, DND performances up for review by Senate body

The Senate Finance Committee chaired by Senator Franklin M. Drilon will review the performance of selected line departments before the Senate conducts its own hearings on the proposed P2.006-trillion national budget.

Next week, three more key agencies are up for review by his committee, Drilon announced. These include the Departments of Public Works and Highways on Monday, the Interior and Local Government on Tuesday, and the National Defense on Wednesday.

Earlier, the committee conducted a review of the Department of Education's performance in 2011 and 2012.

"This review of the performances of the big ticket departments will be helpful when we deliberate on their proposed budgets for 2013. We would like to assess how they have spent their 2011 and 2012 appropriations and whether they have met their target outputs for those years," explained Drilon

"In particular, we will find out if the DPWH was able to address the issue back then about the slow implementation of its projects, and how much they have accomplished in terms of the construction of roads and bridges and other key infrastructures necessary to prop up the country's economic growth," said Drilon.

The Public Works 2012 budget amounts P126.4 billion and will increase by 22.97 percent or equivalent to P152.9 billion in 2013, while the Defense's current budget of P108.1 billion will increase by 12.49 percent or to P121.6 billion next year, said Drilon.

Likewise, the DILG will get an increase of 21.04 percent, equivalent to P120.8 billion, from its 2012 budget amounting P99.8 billion, he added

Last week, the joint congressional committee on public expenditures conducted hearings and reviews of the performances of the Departments of Social Welfare and Development and Health, as well as the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (Philhealth), recalled Drilon.