Crooks incorporated: Pushers, enablers, players gaming the system in band

Today the trading of mud between T those who accuse, investigate, and claim corruption in flood control and other projects in the Philippines has become ritualistic.

- YELLOW PAD NEPOMUCENO MALALUAN, MALOU MANGAHAS, and JENINA JOY CHAVEZ

Just a few admit, and more rant about, the corruption, silent and evasive though about how they pushed, enabled, and played it. Pass the blame, deny any part in the wrongdoing, eschew getting any share from the spoils, preserve claimed honor - it's our ritualistic name-and-shame game that we might call the failure of nobility.

In the circle of corruption, pushers, enablers, and players abound. Those inside and outside the government are gaming the system, assisted or triggered by incompetence, negligence, ambition, greed, or all these in a bundle. Flood control projects that are ghost or bad, kickbacks and commissions fleeced off contracts, are a series of acts of many, and involve not just one or a few persons and agencies.

THE BUDGET CYCLE, AS INTENDED

And yet the process they are gaming was supposed to limit, if not block, foul play, as well as ensure accountability at every step.

The Administrative Code of 1987 (EO 292) devotes Book VI to National Government Budgeting. It provides the budget policy and approach and divides the process into four stages: Budget Preparation, Budget Authorization, Budget Execution, and Budget Accountability. This is more commonly referred to as the Budget Cycle.

The first stage is Budget Preparation, which is led by the Executive Branch. Each head of department, office, or agency of the National Government submits a request for its annual appropriation to the Department of Budget and Management (DBM). These requests are meant to reflect the agency's plans, priorities, and funding needs for the coming year. The DBM then reviews these submissions. Once these proposals are consolidated, they form the National Expenditure Program (NEP). The President submits the NEP to Congress as the| official proposal for the national budget, pursuant to Article VII, Section 22 of the 1987 Constitution.