They're blatantly lying to hide budget plunder

Ang sinungaling ay kapatid ng magnanakaw.

- JARIUS BONDOC

The budget shows it. Health Sec. Ted Herbosa chairs PhilHealth. Secretaries Amenah Pangandaman of Budget, Ralph Recto of Finance, Benny Laguesma of Labor and Rex Gatchalian of Social Welfare are board directors. Malacañang-appointee Emmanuel Ledesma is president.

Herbosa says PhilHealth can operate even though Congress scrapped its P74-billion budget for 2025. Supposedly its P284-billion savings can cover members' benefits and overhead.

"Our financial position is strong and sufficient," Ledesma adds.

President Bongbong Marcos agrees with them, claiming that PhilHealth has P500-billion reserves.

If that's so, then why did they propose the P74 billion to Congress in the first place? And why did Congress axe it after months of hearings?

They all know government's budgeting process. It's posted in DBM's website. They went through it as former legislators. They do it every year.

The DBM secretary heads the Development Budget Coordination Committee. Members: Finance and NEDA secretaries, BSP governor and the President's rep.

Budgeting steps:

(a) DBCC plots targets, expenses, revenues;

(b) DBM calls for budget submissions;

(c) Agencies prepare detailed proposals;

(d) DBM technical panels hear agency justifications;

(e) Agency heads confirm budgets;

(f) DBCC collates all, including Congress and Judiciary's;

(g) President and Cabinet review all;

(h) President gives budget to Congress within 30 days from SONA;

(i) House appropriations subcommittees scrutinize each agency;

(j) Senate finance subcommittees do the same;

(k) Bicameral conference committee reconciles differences;