Akbayan Rep. Perci Cendaña on Tuesday hit out at the zero budget given to the Information System Strategic Plan (ISSP) of the Commission on Audit (COA) by Malacañang.
The opposition lawmaker said it was concerning that no funding was given to the COA’s information technology plan.
“COA requested P1.18 billion for its ISSP, covering IT and digitization initiatives that would speed up its work in auditing transactions involving public officials. The Palace’s decision to zero out funding for this important program will hinder COA in carrying out its work,” Cendaña said.
“This zero funding for a crucial COA program undermines its autonomy as a constitutional commission and hampers its work in safeguarding public funds,” he added.
He pointed out that while President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. made the commitment to fight corruption in his recent State of the Nation Address, the COA’s IT plan was not expressed in his proposed 2027 budget to Congress.
“Talk is cheap. If he wants to fight corruption, he needs to have a plan, if there is none, he must have a reason for that,” Cendaña said.
