Bicol Saro Partylist Representative Terry Ridon clarified Wednesday, December 31, that members of the House of Representatives received 13th and 14th month pay as bonuses, similar to other tenured government employees, and not the ₱2-million bonus claimed by Batangas 1st District Representative Leandro Leviste.
“Ang bonus po diyan ay iyong 13th and 14th month bonus na ibinibigay sa lahat ng kongresista na nakukuha po ng lahat ng kawani ng gobyerno,” Ridon said in a radio interview.
He explained that other December fund releases were for office maintenance and operating expenses, not personal use.
“Lahat po ‘yan [na December fund releases] ay para sa mga opisina, sa mga pangangailangan ng bawat distrito at constituents, ng party-list para sa kanilang mga aktibidad at programa,” Ridon noted.
Rejecting insinuations of misuse, Ridon stressed, “Pero ang malinaw, hindi po ito pinepera ng mga kongresista. Hindi po ito para sa mga bahay [ng kongresista]. Hindi po ito para sa mga kapritso o bakasyon ng mga kongresista na insinuation ni Congressman Leviste. These fund releases are for our constituencies.”
He added that the House budget is subject to Commission on Audit procedures.
“The districts have constituencies, same with party-list House members who serve certain sectors such as senior citizens of regional parties, and there are oversight and post-audit mechanisms for this,” Ridon said.
“If there are irregularities in such spending, that will be flagged by COA in its annual audit report,” he added.