Senate committee OKs P12-B calamity fund

MANILA - Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile on Tuesday said that the utilization of funds from any international assistance for calamity victims would have to pass through Congress.

He made the statement in reaction to President Arroyo’s creation of a special commission for the rehabilitation of infrastructure in areas devastated by landslides and floods caused by recent typhoons.

Malacañang said the commission will serve as “clearing house” for all international aid for calamity victims to ensure transparency.

But Enrile said: “if that is foreign aid, then that has to be budgeted. No money that goes to the National Treasury can be spent by anybody in this country unless through an appropriation by law. Of course the president can create any body that she wants but the money must be handled by Congress.”

“Kung may pera na makukuha, halimbawa donations ng ibang bansa, papasok iyon sa kaban ng bayan. At hindi magagastos iyon nang walang pakialam ang Kongreso. Kongreso ang mag-authorize kung paano gastusin ‘yan,” said Enrile.

P12-B calamity fund

Meanwhile, the Senate Finance Committee approved the P12-billion supplemental appropriation for relief and rehabilitation in communities devastated by typhoons and massive flooding.

Finance Committee Chair Sen. Edgardo Angara said the committee unanimously endorsed the joint resolution to appropriate P12 billion in emergency relief and rehabilitation for victims of typhoons Frank (2008), Ondoy and Pepeng.

The fund will be drawn from unprogrammed funds in the 2009 budget.

Angara said tha the Department of Budget and Management has assured the Senate the money can be sourced from royalties earned from Malampaya natural gas.

Enrile said that if Malacañang certifies the measure as urgent, “we can approve it (on the Senate floor) in 10 minutes.”

Congress has until Wednesday to complete the legislative process on the P12 billion calamity fund, as it goes on recess on Thursday.

Voting 179-1, the Lower House plenary on Monday approved House Joint Resolution No. 48 authorizing the use of “Unprogrammed Funds” not exceeding P12 billion for the relief operations, rehabilitation, and reconstruction of areas affected by natural calamities.