It will be the same budget in a year when politicians will start preparing for the 2016 elections.
In a statement, Briones expressed concern that the budget for 2015 might be mobilized in preparation for the 2016 elections, with practically half the budget estimated as lump sums and automatic appropriations.
"This is similar to the 2012 budget that preceded the 2013 elections. The government cranks up spending for infrastructure and construction the year before elections. Concrete projects create the impression of growth, though it is a challenge to sustain this growth for the next years," she said.
"In Philippine politics, elections are all about money. Government spending places incumbent politicians and their parties at an advantage over their opponents for the upcoming elections. Projects are credited to officials as part of their track record as the ruling parties would spend for projects in their allies' jurisdictions. Opposing parties can be deprived of this spending, putting them at a disadvantage," Briones added.
Lump sums are budget items that are not detailed, such as the Special Purpose Funds in the General Appropriations Act.
"Only P1.739 trillion is covered by the GAA. The rest are Automatic Appropriations and therefore, not scrutinized by Congress. The President's Special Purpose Fund is P378.603 billion, the Unprogrammed Expenditures is P123.056 billion, Internal Revenue Allotment is P389.860 billion, interest payments (debt servicing) is P372.863 billion," Briones said.
"This does not include Malampaya Funds which is also automatically appropriated, and off-budget funds like the Motor Vehicles Users' Charge and those coming from PAGCOR," she added.
"The presence of lump sums in the budget, especially for one that precedes the elections, makes public funds all the more vulnerable," Briones said.
ABAD: NOT PORK BARREL
Budget Secretary Florencio Abad allayed Briones' concerns.
"She's always been saying that. I think she should just read how can calamity fund be pork barrel. How can pension and gratuity be pork barrel? These are not pork barrel," Abad said.
The bulk of the 2015 national budget will be poured into 42 provinces in the country that the government identified as having the most number of poor families, high poverty incidence, and disaster prone.
The 42 are:
Apayao,
Cagayan,
Isabela,
Ilocos Norte,
Abra,
Ilocos Sur,
Benguet,
Nueva Vizcaya,
Pangasinan,
Zambales,
Pampanga,
Aurora,
Quezon,
Rizal,
Laguna,
Cavite,
Camarines Sur,
Catanduanes,
Northern Samar,
Eastern Samar,
Masbate, Iloilo,
Antique,
Negros Occidental,
Cebu,
Leyte,
Southern Leyte,
Bohol,
Dinagat Islands,
Surigao del Norte,
Surigao del Sur,
Agusan del Sur,
Camiguin,
Zamboanga del Norte,
Zamboanga del Sur,
Zamboanga Sibugay,
Sulu,
Lanao del Sur,
Maguindanao,
North Cotabato,
Davao del Sur, and
Sarangani.
Some of these provinces, like Cebu, Pampanga, and Pangasinan, are known to be vote-rich.
Abad, however said "[the 2015 budget] is a very rational budget aimed at the priorities of government. The budget is guided by budget priorities framework."
"It's a performance-informed budget not only based on output but outcome… not dictated by partisan consideration," he said.
The ruling Liberal Party is expected to field its own candidates for the 2016 presidential election. While the official campaign period begins February 2016, the political reality is that politicians prepare at least a year before the elections.
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