Lawmakers mull possibility of increasing gov’t allotment of funds for defense sector amid latest developments in the West PH Sea

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00:00 An array of issues from various government agencies came to light as the deliberations

00:04 on the 2024 proposed national budget continue in the Senate. Some legislators are pushing

00:10 to strengthen the country's national defense to protect its sovereignty and citizens.

00:15 Daniel Manalastas has the full details.

00:18 The issue on the West Philippine Sea was brought up during the budget hearing in the Senate

00:26 as the economic managers face the senators. Senator Ronald De La Rosa suggests more funds

00:32 for the defense sector.

00:33 "Pump, malang water pump. Pag binuhusan natin ang tubig ng China, ng Chinese ship,

00:40 maka-respond tayo. Tubig sa tubig. Bakbakan natin sa tubig dito. Yun lang naman. And

00:46 so my people dying before my eyes during encounters with the enemy. Kaya kung itong pampabastos

00:53 ng China, na simpleng tubig lang, wala tayong panglaban, kawawa naman talaga yung ating

00:59 Coast Guard."

00:59 "Kung ikaw ang presidente, done. It will be done."

01:01 "Nag-hintayin natin. Maging presidente ako at palakinin ko itong... wala akong pangarap

01:09 maging presidente ha."

01:10 "Naintindihan po namin yung need, especially now. That's why given our limited fiscal space,

01:17 we still try to increase the budget po of our defense sector. In fact, the share is

01:22 from 4.4 to 4.9 percent."

01:25 Senate President Juan Miguel Zviri, meanwhile, brought up the idea of banning Chinese contractors.

01:32 As he said, "There are other countries we can import from, and some products we can

01:38 produce ourselves, like fruits and vegetables."

01:41 "Parang linuluto natin ang ating sarili sa sariling mantiga. Masado tayong bilib sa

01:46 China. I mean, we can always get South Korean contractors. We can always get Japanese contractors.

01:52 We can get Vietnamese contractors. Kausap ko si Secretary Bautista. Ang sabi niya sa akin

01:56 na palpak lahat ng Chinese contracts. Hindi na tuloy. South Rail. They abandoned it."

02:02 "It may have the following potential effects, right? For example, implementation of official

02:08 development assistance projects from bilateral and multilateral ODA partners alike, particularly

02:15 for projects considering multiple country participation, including China, as a member

02:21 of the Asian Development Bank, Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank, and the World Bank. So that

02:28 it might affect the implementation of projects."

02:31 "But, Osai, procurement -- let me finish, Your Honor. Procurement of locally funded

02:36 projects and even PPP implementation if the main contractor, suppliers, or subcontractors

02:42 will be Chinese firms or Chinese nationals. Potential impact on the economy for possible

02:48 delays in the projects that will be affected."

02:52 "Zubiri also raised the wage hike issue in front of the economic team."

02:56 "Ngati mga workers, Mr. Secretary, are in the rut. They are in the rut. Can we give

03:02 them a bit of a fighting chance?"

03:05 "The proposed 150 peso increase could bring the country's inflation rate further away.

03:11 Right now, baka 5.6 percent po yung average for the year. Baka tumaas ulit yung inflation."

03:17 Meanwhile, Senator Rafit Tulfo drilled and grilled the PSA on the issue of the national

03:24 ID system.

03:24 "From my understanding, there are about 20 million na maling- maling diseño kaya babaguhin.

03:33 Anong mangyari dun sa bagong diseño? Itatapo nalang ba sa basurahan? Bakit sinab-contract

03:37 pa kung kaya pala i-print ng BSP yung ID? Manghula lang ako. Kasi pinapaboran yung isang

03:44 contractor at mukhang meron natin kumita rito na malaki."

03:48 "We have competitive bidding. May bidding po yan. Competitive bidding. Hindi po binigay

03:53 lang namin."

03:53 "We have substantial by next year po."

03:56 "So by next year, meron tayong mga national ID na magagamit na ng mga tao."

03:59 In the coming days, more agencies and departments are expected to lay down and defend their

04:06 budgets in the Senate.

04:07 Daniel Manalastas for The Nation

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