Improvement sought in 'very rotten' budget process

Congress should exercise greater transparency in its budget process, according to Senate Minority Leader Aquilino Pimentel III, who called the process "very rotten."

- CECILLE SUERTE FELIPE

He made the appeal as he recalled the senators questioning the allocation by the House of Representatives of P26.7 billion for the Ayuda para sa Kapos ang Kita Program (AKAP) of the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD).

The senators argued the allocation was not included in the National Expenditure Program (NEP).

But some congressmen maintained that the senators, including Sen. Imee Marcos, knew about the DSWD-AKAP as 21 of the 24 senators signed the bicameral conference committee report when the Senate approved the 2024 national budget.