Hataman: DOTr gets biggest increase in 2020 budget, Calls for more railway allocation for Mindanao

With a P79 billion jump in its budget, the Department of Transportation (DOTr) is the “biggest winner” in next year’s government expenditures, but it must submit “ironclad guarantees” that it can spend this amount on time, a House leader said today.

Deputy Speaker and Basilan Rep. Mujiv Hataman said the department’s budget spiked from P54.23 billion this year to P133.43 billion in 2020, an increase of almost 150%.

“But appropriating funds is different from spending it. And I hope that the good Secretary Tugade has found the formula in the fast use of appropriations because many people are depending on the on time completion of the projects of his department,” Hataman stated.

“At sa ating nakikita sa kanilang budget, mahigit P106.7 billion po ang mapupunta sa railway projects para maibsan ang traffic at hirap ng ating mga commuters dito sa Metro Manila at sa ilang bahagi ng Luzon at Mindanao,” he added.

However, Hataman lamented that only P96.1 million was allotted for railway projects in Mindanao.

“Halos 150% ang itinaas ng budget ng DOTr, pero P96.1 million lang ang para sa Mindanao Railway Project. Sana lakihan ang budget para sa Mindanao at kailangan din namin ng mass transport infra para sa aming mga kababayan,” Hataman stated.

Of the P106.7 billion budget for railway projects, P84.7 billion will go to the North-South Commuter Railway System; P9.8 billion for the Metro Manila Subway Project Phase I; P6.1 billion for the Subsidy for Mass Transport (MRT3); P5.1 billion for the Rehabilitation of MRT Line 3; P877 million for the PNR South Long Haul Project; P96.1 million for the Mindanao Railway Project; and P74 million for the LRT Line 1 Cavite Extension Project.

“These are priority projects of the Duterte administration na sa DOTR nakalagay. Talagang mahalaga ang mga ito. Kaya dapat ma-implement ng maayos ito and on time,” Hataman said.

“But kapansin-pansin nga yung para sa Mindanao. Though hindi kasama dito ang right of way acquisition, baka naman pwede madagdagan ito. If there are slow-moving projects in Luzon, ilagay ito sa Mindanao. We can use the money to spur further development.” he further explained.

Appropriations of the DOTR in 2018, according to records of the Department of Budget and Management, was P83.2 billion, but only P30.1 billion was disbursed by the end of that year out of the P74.9 billion the agency managed to obligate.

“Magandang record na ito kung tutuusin. It’s a big improvement. Pero ang gusto sana nating makita ay ang full utilization ng pondo. Madaming magagandang projects ang hindi napopondohan ng maayos pero may allocation naman,” Hataman noted.