Gatchalian seeks to scrap lump sums in NIA budget for project transparency

Senator Win Gatchalian has pushed for the removal of lump sum allocations in the proposed budget of the National Irrigation Authority (NIA), a move aimed at enabling closer scrutiny of irrigation projects across the country.

“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 plenary deliberations on the NIA budget.

The senator stressed that the change would allow constituents to track the specific irrigation projects being implemented in their areas. 

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

Earlier, as chair of the Senate Committee on Finance, Gatchalian flagged lump sum 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 P2 billion for a total of P26 billion.