KOKO: RATIONALIZE CREATION OF OVERSIGHT COMMITTEES

Senator Aquilino "Koko" Pimentel III, PDP Laban President, has urged the Senate to review the creation and budgeting of oversight committees to rationalize the process and thereby save taxpayers' money. In filing Senate Resolution No. 930, Pimentel noted that in year 2012, no less than 35 Oversight Committees were created by the Senate alone, which were given annual budgets ranging from a low of P5 million to a high of P38 million.

The senator pointed out that the "oversight function" of the Legislature is inherent in law-making.

Pimentel suggested that a possible better alternative to the creation of Oversight Committees separate and independent of the Regular Committees is to incorporate the oversight function into the usual functions of the Regular Committees.

This, he said, would save millions of taxpayers' money.

"Even an increase of a modest amount in the standard budget of a Regular Committee in order to accommodate the additional oversight function will still save taxpayers' money," he added.

Pimentel claimed that his proposed alternative would be fairer in the sense that all oversight functions would be funded equally and equitably.

The review and subsequent rationalization of the manner with which the Senate has been creating and budgeting for Oversight Committees will "not only minimize internal squabbling over Senate resources but more importantly, help ease the Filipino taxpayers' burden by the more efficient use of taxpayers' money," Pimentel said.