House to also delete undocumented infra items
The House of Representatives will join the Senate in striking out infrastructure budget line items lacking documentation, FPJ Panday Bayanihan Rep. Brian Poe said on Monday.
“We will not accept projects that do not have proper papers or proper coordinates because that is unfair to the constituents,” said Poe, assistant majority leader and vice chairman of the House Appropriations Committee.
Camarines Sur Rep. Arnie Fuentebella, also a vice chairman of the House budget panel, affirmed Poe, saying “that is the stand of the leadership of the House.”
Senate President Sherwin Gatchalian said last week his chamber would remove about 295 infrastructure projects worth P8.8 billion from its version of the proposed P7.2-trillion national budget for next year, citing lack of supporting documents for those projects.
Budget watchdogs had expressed concern over thousands of projects under the Department of Public Works and Highways that lack planning documents.
