Press Release
December 8, 2015

Transcript of Interview of Senate President Franklin M. Drilon

Q: On the 2016 budget approval in the bicam

SPFMD: Yes, that was approved in the bicam and they are working out on the details as we speak today. The bicam report will be submitted tomorrow afternoon for ratification.

Q: Pero may meeting pa bukas yung bicam?

SPFMD: That's correct in order to thresh out the details but, in general, they have agreed.

Q: Yung TWG ang nag-meet at nag-finalize ng budget?

SPFMD: Both chairs would give directions and instructions to technical panels that will execute the instructions of the two chairs. That's how it's done. You cannot expect the two chairs to go into every detail. They'll just take care of the general principles and general directions of the budget. They'll ask the technical staff to do the work and the work will be submitted to them for their final approval.

Q: On the submission of budget to PNoy?

SPFMD: Sometime next week, because the General Appropriations Act must be printed. So sometime next week it will be submitted to the President and give the President more or less one week to go over it and prepare the veto message, if any.

Q: May binawas ba sa CCT?

SPFMD: Wala. I checked that one because the question was raised to me. I checked with our chair, Sen. Loren Legarda, and she said no, there was no such (deduction). That was the version that was brought by the Senate contingent to the bicam. Of course, it was subject to discussion in the bicam.

Q: So, ibinalik?

SPFMD: Oo, ibinalik.

Q: Yung OVP, in-adopt?

SPFMD: To my information, yes.

Q: Yung additional sa DND?

SPFMD: Hindi ako masyadong familiar. I have no information on that.

Q: Yung binawas na P20 billion sa unprogrammed fund?

SPFMD: I do not have information on that.

Q: Malinaw yun Sir na hindi nanggaling sa Senate yung P8 billion na cut sa CCT?

SPFMD: It's possible that it came from the Senate. That is the proposal of the Senate. That's why you have the Bicam in order to reconcile the conflicting provisions. That is a proposal on the floor of the Senate and it was carried on the bicam. But certainly, nothing is certain until the Bicam has agreed on everything.

Q: Kung nagkataon, hindi rin kayo in favour na kaltasan yung CCT?

SPFMD: No, I'm not in favour, because for that cut of P8 billion, you will deprive over a million families of the benefits of the CCT.

Q: May pag-asa pa ang BBL?

SPFMD: We will continue. As you know, every time we have a session we put it on the floor but we have no cloture rule in the Senate and therefore, Senator Enrile has the right to continue his interpellation. We will continue. I'm sure my colleagues are aware of the desire to have this passed within this session.

Q: On the SSL IV

SPFMD: It's in the calendar today. I hope that we can approve it. Just hope.

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