Senator Win Gatchalian has pushed for the removal of lump sum items in the proposed budget of the National Irrigation Authority (NIA), which would now enable scrutiny of irrigation projects to be implemented.

“Another safeguard that we have instituted in the budgeting process is the removal of lump sums. Para hindi na mangyari uli yung ghost projects, the goal is to institute line items and ensure that exact coordinates and the precise lengths of irrigation projects are clearly specified,” Gatchalian said during the plenary deliberations on NIA’s budget.

“Masusundan na ng ating constituents kung meron at anong irrigation projects ang itinatayo sa kanilang mga lugar,” he added.

The chair of the Senate Committee on Finance had earlier flagged lump sums and undetailed line items in the proposed NIA budget. He identified these as P10 billion worth of national irrigation systems, P5 billion worth of communal irrigation systems, other irrigation systems sub-program worth P630 million, extension and expansion of existing irrigation systems sub-program worth 851 million, establishment of pump irrigation sub-program worth P4 billion, and special irrigation sub-program worth 2 billion for a total of P26 billion. 

Photo by Mark Cayabyab / OS GATCHALIAN