TRANSCRIPT OF INTERVIEW WITH SEN. FRANKLIN DRILON
Session hall

Q: On P66.9 billion unprogrammed funds in the 2011 national budget

DRILON: I agree with Sen. Guingona that it must be transparent because it was abused in the past. The authority was improperly used so the first thing that we will do is to revise it so that it will be more transparent.

Q: Bakit ginagamit ang unprogrammed funds?

DRILON: The unprogrammed fund, for example there's an ongoing negotiation for a loan for let's say the building of a bridge. Hindi matatapos yan by December 31, matatapos in January so papasok ang pera, sabihin mong $1 million. You cannot spend that $1 million unless you have an appropriation because that is now public funds. So the authority will be in that portion which is unprogrammed funds because it's up to the unprogrammed budget, because the funds will not be released. The authority on the unprogrammed funds cannot be used unless the source comes in, which in this particular example is the loan. Without that, then you have to wait for the next item which is 2012 before you can place an authority to release the loan.

Q: Pano nagiging masama yon?

DRILON: The premise of the unprogrammed fund is that you cannot use the authority unless the source of the fund upon which that unprogrammed item was included is discovered, located or identified. In the past administration, even without the identified source, they just use the authority to release the funds. Dapat hindi pwedeng gamitin kasi yung source of fund did not come.

Q: (On P400 million DoH allocation for 'family planning commodities' in 2011 budget) Sina Senator Enrile at Sotto gusto nila ipa-slash ang budget ng DoH for contraceptives?

DRILON: I have not formed a position. We will come to that when we craft the committee report. We will submit it to the finance committee for decision.

Q: How much is the budget for this year for family planning commodities?

DRILON: I do not know.

Q: But you are in favor na magkaroon ng allocation for that?

DRILON: As I said, I will decide on that when we look at the entire picture.

Q: Sabi ni JPE hindi raw kaya i-monitor yung pamimigay ng condoms?

DRILON: This has been there in the past. This is not a new item. If I recall correctly this is the same item.