Press Release
September 5, 2013

SEN. GUINGONA FILES BILL TO ABOLISH PDAF
PROPOSED MEASURE SEEKS TO INSTITUTIONALIZE BOTTOM-UP BUDGETING

Senator Teofisto "TG" Guingona III has filed a bill that seeks to abolish the priority development assistance fund (PDAF) and institutionalize bottom-up budgeting to ensure greater transparency, accountability, and openness in the budget preparation process.

"The public funds should finance the needs of the people. Allocation and spending of the people's money should not be in the discretion of the public officials alone. The Filipino people must be consulted and their voices be heard in the budget preparation process, since the allocation of funds to various projects has a direct effect on their lives," Sen. Guingona said.

Senate Bill No. 1524, otherwise known as the Bottom Up Budgeting Act of 2013, will allocate the amount intended for PDAF to the different national government agencies (NGAs). The government will ensure the involvement of the civil society organizations (CSOs) by institutionalizing Bottom Up Budgeting in the identification and planning of programs and projects that will be funded by the GAA.

"While reforms to limit discretion in the use of public funds have been pursued by the government in recent years, much is left to be done. Measures have to be put in place against those who choose to abuse the system. We start with the abolition of the PDAF or the pork barrel -and allocate the amount intended for it to the different NGAs," Sen. Guingona explained.

Under SBN 1524, it abolishes PDAF and its subsequent forms in the General Appropriations Act. This move is to limit the discretion of legislators in the use of public funds, following the latest report of the Commission on Audit on the misuse and corruption of the government's coffers.

The proposed measure seeks to institutionalize BUB, an approach in formulating budget proposals of agencies taking into consideration the development needs of municipalities and cities as identified in their respective local development plan, formulated with the active participation of CSOs.

"The abolition of the PDAF and the institutionalization of BUB are two big steps that we can take to operationalize the Aquino administration's slogan: Kung walang corrupt, walang mahirap as it addresses the challenges of improving service delivery, increasing government accountability, and more effective management of public resources," Sen. Guingona said.

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