Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City

EIGHTEENTH CONGRESS
First Regular Session

6184
HOUSE BILL No.

Introduced by Reps. FERDINAND R. GAITE, CARLOS ISAGANI T. ZARATE,
EUFEMIA C. CULLAMAT, ARLENE D. BROSAS, FRANCE L. CASTRO
and SARAH JANE I. ELAGO

AN ACT
CREATING THE CONGRESSIONAL OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE ON THE
NATIONAL BUDGET

EXPLANATORY NOTE

‘The delineation of powers of the legislative and executive branches of the government in the
national budget is clearly defined in the different provisions of the 1987 Constitution. Section 22,
Article VII said that the President shall submit to the Congress the proposed budget, Section 24
‘Article VI gave to Congress the power of the purse with “all appropriation, revenue or tariff bills
bills authorizing increase of the public debt, bills of local application, and private bills to originate
exclusively in the House of Representatives” and “the Senate may propose or concur with
amendments.”

Further, the Executive Branch is tasked with the implementation of the appropriation law passed by
Congress, through Section 17, Article VII that said, “The President shall have control of all the
executive ments, bureaus, and offices. He shall ensure that the laws be faithfully executed.”

government are in place in the Constitution. Rules for national government budgeting were further

Aside from at several provisions for checks and balances for the three branches of the
provided in Book VI of the Administrative Code of 1987 or Executive Order No 292.

Republic Act No. 11260 or the General Appropriations Act of 2019, Section 107 provided for the
creation of Joint Congressional Oversight Committee on Public Expenditures “which shall
primarily monitor compliance by agencies with the requirements or conditions in the utilization of
public funds under this Act and pertinent laws.”. The Committee which shall be co-chaired by the
Senate Chairperson of Finance and the House of Representatives Committee on Appropriations
‘was last chaired on the 17 Congress by Senator Loren Legarda and Congressman Rolando Andaya.

‘The Supreme Court ruled in the case ABAKADA Guro Party List et, AL 1s. Cesar V. Parisioa tt. al
(62 SCRA 287) said that the post enactment measures such as the Committee formation shall be
confined to: “() scrutiny based primarily on Congress! power of appropriation, its power to ask
heads of departments to appear before and be heard by either of its Houses and in any matter
pertaining to their departments, and its power of confirmation; and (ji) investigation and monitoring

* Section 107, General Povitons, Republic Act No 11260 GAA 2018, Oficial Gazette Vol 107. No 1, p49.



of the tation of laws pursuant to the power of the Congress to conduct inquiries in aid of
legislation.”®

Despite all these, the issues of pork barrel, priority development assistance fund, and Disbursement
‘Acceleration Program (DAP) exposed the problems and weaknesses in the actual budget process.
PDAF, DAP and other similar discretionary funds did not only contravene the law but more
importantly took away huge amount of public funds intended for social services for the people and
realigned to projects, programs, activities and areas upon the individual discretion of selected
‘government officials.

‘The Supreme Court not only declared DAP and PDAF as against the constitution but pointed out
the excesses of the executive branch in realigning the budget for DAP.

tive reports to Congress during the budget deliberations and before the budget
tion on how they implement the budget approved by Congress is difficult to come

effectiveness of the national budget towards the country’s development goals and people’s well-
being. Instead of an Ad Hoc Committee created in every GAA we need a strong, permanent,
Congressional oversight committee with defined powers.

This bill proposes the creation of the permanent Congressional Oversight Committee on the
National Budget and defines the functions of the Committee to help stamp out corruption and
ensure effective of services to the people. Congress has all the right to perform its oversight
function on laws it has passed including the appropriation law it passes every year.

In view of the forgoing, the immediate passage of this bill is earnestly sought.

Approved, |
| pone
R.GAITE nen CakeDs SES
Bayan Muna Party-list Bayan Muna Party-list

Rep. Boe cerries Rep. FRAN: ‘ASTRO

Bayan Muna Party-list ACT Téacher§Party-list

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D. BROSAS Rep. SARAH J. ‘GO

iri ’s Party Kabataan Partf-list

2 President's Veto Message, December 15,2011, Republic Act No 10155 GAA 2012, Offical Vol 10P, Yo, p. 1612



Introdu:
EUFE!

Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

Quezon City

EIGHTEENTH CONGRESS
First Regular Session

6184

HOUSE BILL No.

by Reps. FERDINAND R. GAITE, CARLOS ISAGANI T. ZARATE,
‘C, CULLAMAT, ARLENE D. BROSAS, FRANCE L. CASTRO
and SARAH JANE I. ELAGO

AN ACT

CREATING THE CONGRESSIONAL OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE ON THE

Be it enacted by

SECTION 1.
implement a N:
objectives, stra
actual needs of
ensure that the
according to the

SECTION 2.
‘There is herel
committee will

SECTION 3.
shall be co-chai
Chairperson of

Senators and s

NATIONAL BUDGET
Senate and the House of Representatives of the Philippines in Congres assembled:

laration of Policy. It is hereby declared the policy of the State to formulate and

jonal Budget that is an instrument of national development, reflective of national

and plans. Public funds must be effectively and efficiently allocated for the

1¢ people. ‘The Congress which approves the budget must exercise its mandate to

;ppropriation law it passed shall be effectively implemented and faithfully executed
General Appropriations Act it approved.

ion of the Congressional Oversight Committee on the National Budget.
created a Congressional Oversight Committee on the National Budget. The
.ce the Joint Congressional Oversight Committee on Public Expenditures.
smposition. The Congressional Oversight Committee on the National Budget
ired by the Chairperson of the Committee on Finance of the Senate and the
the Committee on Appropriations of the House of Representatives. The President

en (7) Members of the House of Representatives as members of the Congressional

of the Senate < the Speaker of the House of Representatives shall each designate seven (7)

Oversight

Provided, that th
Representatives.

ttee on the National Budget.

1¢ minority shall have one (1) seat each from the Senate and the House of

SECTION 4.
have the foll

a. Conduct

P
Require
‘Summo!
general

os

f

‘unctions. The Congressional Oversight Committee on the National Budget shall
functions:

hearing and investigations in aid of legislation on post budget enactment matters
to the national budget;
from government agencies on budget implementation;
implementors of the programs, activities and projects (PAPs) included in the
;ppropriation acts;
yend prosecution of erring government officials;
t with studies to improve the budget process; and


SECTION 5. Repealing Clause. — All laws, executive and administrative orders or parts thereof,

inconsistent wit

hereby repealed

SECTION 6.
of its publicatior

Approved,

any provision of this Act, including Section 94 of Republic Act no 10155, are
modified accordingly.

2 This Act shall take effect after fifteen (15) days following the completion
in the Official Gazette.