Budget chief says ‘no-el’ is dead - Malaya 08.10.2006

BUDGET Secretary Rolando Andaya Jr. yesterday assured senators, particularly those seeking re-election, that next year’s mid-term polls will be held as scheduled.

"Yes, elections will go on (next year)…in whatever form," he said, referring to the proposed shift from presidential to parliamentary.

He said Malacañang is looking forward to the 2007 elections and ensuring that funds will be available.

Andaya, who led a Cabinet team that appeared before the Senate finance panel, said the government needs P1.56 billion in supplemental budget to modernize the election process and prepare for the exercise.

Senators led by finance committee chairman Sen. Franklin Drilon and Sen. Edgardo Angara said the presence of the P1.56 billion "election outlay" in the supplemental budget proves that Malacañang has finally realized that the elections should proceed next year.

Sen. Miriam Defensor Santiago said the Comelec would need P250 million to prepare for the 2007 elections and another P1.31 billion to automate elections starting next year.

Santiago regarded the proposed Comelec outlay as one of the "meritorious items" in the proposal submitted by the Department of Budget and Management to the Senate.

Aside from the Comelec, other agencies asking for supplemental budgets are: DILG/DND, P4.86 billion; DILG, P1.43 billion; DepEd, P8.58 billion; DOTC, P3.25 billion; DSWD, P539 million; DAR, P4.49 billion; PHIC (Philhealth), P1.15 billion; GSIS, P3.3 billion; Employees Compensation Commission, P863 million; Home Development Mutual Fund, P372.5 million; and IRA, P14.8 billion. – Dennis Gadil