The imperative of budget cut

By Reni M. Valenzuela

Sharpen your scissors. Cut budget and cut to the chase, but do the cutting to all.

If the Office of the Vice President has been known and proven to be doing nothing, but just for the VP to wait for bad luck to befall upon the President so he/she can succeed being the constitutional “spare tire,” then VP Sara is justified in saying that her office can live without a budget or with P1 budget.

But I beg to disagree with her, with due respect, because she still has an office to maintain and skeletal personnel to pay. And in that case, I think the budget of P1 is not enough. However, the P733.2 million approved OVP budget (after the cut) by the House of Representatives is still way too big. Slash more.

Be done with “trapo” (traditional politics) and old school, dumb thinking and ways in approving budgets. Be renewed and reborn instead in order for Filipinos (not crooks) to see and experience heaven on account of our National Budget. “Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see (and enter) the kingdom of God (not Quiboloy kingdom),” – John 3:3

I am tempted to say kudos to the posture and resolute acts of Congress in cutting the budget of the OVP, but no, not yet. Make the cutting real wise, clean, unsuspecting and truly laudable. Don’t stop at the Office of the Vice President. Do it to every single, solitary office of the government, lest you’d be found out to be just playing “politics” for reasons of partisanship and a political ambition of “whoever.”

Malacañang or the Office of the President indeed needs a huge budget, but why did you approve its mind-boggling proposed budget without cut, without a single, probing question at that, and in a manner much quicker even than Speedy Gonzales, with all the unprogrammed “allocations” and dubious confidential/intel funds intact. Because of that, I should say, VP Sara is or may be justified again in saying, “It’s all just politics.”

While it is prudent to scrutinize and cut budgets, it is imprudent (and anomalous) to do it just to one department or office. I repeat, dear legislators, cut the budget and cut to the chase, but do the cutting to all – and in so doing, you will cause the BBM administration to shine even more, together with the whole country.

Prove yourselves to be evolving (truly) as wise, upright, courageous and conscientious government officials in the legislative branch of our democratic government. If that happens, I would surely be driven quickly into my closet and cry a bucket in thanking and worshiping God for being gracious to you and the Filipino people —  the poor, hungry, jobless, helpless, marginalized, victims and destitute in particular.

The imperative of budget cut means more than cutting budgets. Cut politics too.

Cut it sirs/madams, and cut it both.

Email: renivalenzuelaletters@yahoo.com