JUDICIARY’S BUDGET. Senate Pro Tempore Loren Legarda and Senator Raffy Tulfo discuss the proposed budget of the judiciary for 2023 during a Senate hearing on Thursday (Oct. 6, 2022). Legarda told Tulfo that there is no need to restore the PHP21.46 billion slashed from the judiciary’s budget since it can realign its savings to pursue future projects and other expenditures as the judiciary enjoys fiscal autonomy. (Screengrab from Senate of the Philippines Youtube channel)
MANILA – The annual budget of the judiciary cannot be lower than the preceding year’s allocation, Senate President Pro Tempore Loren Legarda said during a hearing on Thursday.
Legarda made the clarification after neophyte Senator Raffy Tulfo urged the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) to reconsider the judiciary’s proposed PHP74.18 budget for next year after it was reduced to PHP52.72 billion.
The judiciary was given PHP44.9 billion last year.
Legarda said the judiciary, composed of the Supreme Court and lower courts, can realign its “huge” savings to pursue future projects and other expenditures because it enjoys fiscal autonomy.
"Even if they are not utilized by the judiciary, the legislature never reduces the amount. Magugulat po kayo, anlaki-laki ng savings ng Judiciary (You will be shocked with the very big savings that the judiciary has). In short, merong mga (there are) unfilled positions because of difficulties beyond the DBM's scope and legislature," Legarda said in a Senate budget hearing.
"Judiciary shall enjoy fiscal autonomy. Appropriations for the Judiciary may not be reduced by the legislature beyond the amount appropriated for the previous year and after approval will be automatically and regularly released," Legarda added, reading Section 3, Article VIII of the Constitution.
Tulfo reiterated his call to restore the judiciary budget’s cut to help with its modernization and digitization.
"Masama ang loob ko nung nakita ko po ang budget sa judiciary na you cut it in almost a half. Kayo po ba ay merong experience o mga abogado, judges, consultant bago kayo mag-slash ng (I felt bad when I saw that you cut by almost half the budget of the judiciary. Do you have experience or lawyers, judges, consultants before you slashed the) budget of judiciary?” he asked the DBM officials.
Tulfo said he learned from the SC justices and judges that the courts are inclined to seek help from local chief executives to renovate buildings or build new ones because the judiciary was not given the budget it asked from the DBM.
The DBM told the panel that the judiciary could realign its savings for the renovation or building of new courts.
DBM Undersecretary Tina Rosa Marie Canda said the budget of the judiciary is "very centralized" and computed based on allocation per trial court.
"Regarding the creation of courts, that is being made by the legislature. Once a court is created, DBM provides and approves the plantilla for the courts," Canda said.
Unfortunately, she said, the judiciary has "very stringent" requirements when it comes to its plantilla positions, which makes it difficult to fill up its vacancies.
"They have a gap of around 40 percent," Canda said, citing the same case with the National Prosecution Service, which is under the administration of the Department of Justice.
According to the DBM's records, the judiciary has PHP8.494 billion in savings that it can utilize for court renovations and filling up vacancies.
Tulfo said he is willing to listen to the DBM and representatives of the judiciary to clarify the issue. (PNA)
