Senate increases CHR budget proposal; Dela Rosa thanks the late Chito Gascon

THE Senate version of the 2022 proposed budget of the Commission on Human Rights (CHR) is higher by more than P80 million compared to the proposal under House Bill No. 10153 (HBN 10153), or the 2022 General Appropriations Bill.

Aside from this, senators also agreed to add more funds to CHR as a tribute to its late chairman, Jose Luis "Chito" Gascon, who recently died due to COVID-19.

Senator Ronald "Bato" Dela Rosa, Chairman of the Senate Finance Subcommittee C which had conducted a hearing on the agency's proposed appropriation, expressed his condolences to the CHR family for the passing of Gascon.

"I would just like to manifest my sincere condolences to the Human Rights Commission family for the passing of Chairman Chito Gascon," Dela Rosa said during the interpellation last Tuesday on the proposed budget amounting to P942,490,000 under Committee Report No. 332 of the Senate Committee on Finance for HBN 10153.

Senators who attended the interpellation promptly approved the submission of the budget without scrutiny, except for a few questions by Senator Panfilo Lacson.

Under HBN 10153, the proposed budget of the CHR for next year was only P860,038,000, which was the same amount under the National Expenditure Program.

"During our last encounter at the (sub)committee level when we deliberated on the budget of the Commission on Human Rights, after that deliberation, I was really feeling good with the result of our discussion. I could feel the sincerity of Chairman Gascon when we discussed about the ICC (International Criminal Court) investigation. I could really feel that he was really concerned about my situation," Dela Rosa said.

"From the bottom of my heart, kung nasaan man si Chairman Gascon, maraming salamat. He made me feel good before he left this world... Ang ganda ng pakiramdam ko after kaming nag-usap at talagang binigyan niya ako ng assurance na everything will be alright, as far as the Commission on Human Rights is concerned. Maraming salamat, Chairman Gascon," the former top cop added.