The Commission on Human Rights (CHR) is set to receive no funding for capital outlay under the National Expenditure Program (NEP), while its overall proposed budget has been significantly reduced.
The agency initially sought ₱2.74 billion for its operations, but the executive branch’s NEP allocation was set at ₱1.27 billion. CHR Chairperson Richard Palpal-latoc said the amount represents a 53% reduction from the commission’s original proposal.
Despite the absence of capital outlay funding, Palpal-latoc said the CHR would continue carrying out its constitutional mandate, although the budget cut could affect several areas of its operations.
“Bagama’t zero po yung aming capital outlay, patuloy pa rin naman po ang komisyon sa pagtupad sa kanyang tungkulin at mandato. Gayunpaman, dahil wala pong allocation for the capital outlay, maapektuhan ang aming serbisyo in terms of ICT (Information and communications technology), yung aming mga infrastructure facilities, workplace, so of course kailangan ng aming mga empleyado ng maayos na workplaces, lalong-lalo na yung mga regional offices, yun po maapektuhan po siya,” Palpal-latoc said.
Capital outlay refers to government spending for long-term assets, goods, and services, including infrastructure and equipment.
The reduction drew concern from members of the House Committee on Appropriations, with Akbayan Party-list Representative Perci Cendaña questioning whether the allocation reflected the administration’s priorities.
“Ang budget ang pinaka-concrete expression of priority and in this case, given the massive cut in the proposed and the actual NEP proposed budget, mukhang hindi talaga priority ng administrasyong into ang human rights,” Cendaña said.
Cendaña also questioned the CHR’s request for additional funding outside the NEP allocation to cover the salaries of its job order personnel.
Palpal-latoc explained that the commission could still pay the workers, but doing so would require it to redirect funds from its Maintenance and Other Operating Expenses (MOOE) budget.
Such a move, he said, would reduce the funds available for the agency’s regular programs and operational activities because a portion of the allocation would instead be used to cover personnel wages.
Cendaña, meanwhile, said he would seek the restoration of the CHR’s budget to the full amount originally requested when the appropriate stage of the budget process comes.