MANILA, Philippines — The Office of the Ombudsman on Monday asked lawmakers for an additional P1.258 billion to its 2021 budget after its proposed funding was cut by the Department of Budget and Management (DBM). During the Senate deliberations on the budget of the Office of the Ombudsman, Assistant Ombudsman Weomark Layson presented to the chamber’s finance committee the office’s P3.36 billion proposed budget for 2021. ADVERTISEMENT“The budget is P742 million or 22.07 percent lower than the current program of P4.105 billion,” Layson pointed out. “We would like to request the restoration of the [Office of the Ombudsman’s] proposed budget of a total of an additional of P1.258 billion,” Layson went on. Ombudsman Samuel Martires, who participated in the hearing online, also lamented the budget cut suffered by his office.

Source: Philippine Daily Inquirer September 14, 2020 13:07 UTC