Aquino abolishes 10 offices

President Benigno Aquino 3rd has abolished the Office of the Presidential Adviser on Global Warming and Climate Change headed by former Sen. Heherson Alvarez and nine other offices created by the Arroyo administration that have been found to duplicate functions of other existing line agencies or departments.

Also ordered dismantled were the Mindanao Development Council, Office of the North Luzon Quadrangle Area, Office of External Affairs, Presidential Anti-Graft Commission, Minerals Development Council,Presidential Anti-Smuggling Group, Luzon Urban Beltway Super Region, Bicol River Basin Watershed Management Project and Office of the Presidential Adviser on New Government Centers.

The 10 abolished offices were all under the Office of the President (OP).

In a text message, Malacañang spokesman Edwin Lacierda on Thursday said that the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) had recommended that a zero budget be given to the 10 offices, hence their abolition.

“The DBM did so upon the marching orders of the President, who wants redundant, unnecessary offices eliminated. Since the OP [also] believes in the need to streamline our bureaucracy and cut unnecessary spending, we adopted the DBM’s recommendation,” he explained.

With a zero budget next year, the dismantling of the 10 offices takes effect in 2011.

Meanwhile, eight offices under the Office of the President were retained: Office of the Presidential Adviser on Peace Process, Presidential Anti-Organized Crime Commission, Presidential Visiting Forces Agreement Commission, Commission on Information and Communications Technology, Edsa People Power Commission, Commission on Maritime Affairs, Philippine Truth Commission and newly formed Presidential Communications Development and Strategic Planning Office.

The elimination of the 10 offices was a cost-cutting measure adopted by the Office of the President and would save the government P304.62 million.

OP takes lead

Executive Secretary Paquito Ochoa said that the Office of the President was cutting back its proposed budget for 2011 by 4.3 percent to P4.075 billion.

This slash, he added, was in line with President Aquino’s efforts to streamline operations in the executive department.

Ochoa said that the Office of the President’s maintenance, operating and other expenses—pegged at P2.64 billion in 2010—have been reduced by 6.2 percent to P2.48 billion for 2011.

The budget for personal services has been slightly lowered to P1.57 billion from P1.58 billion, despite implementation of the second tranche of salary increases.

“Our philosophy is to streamline the operations of the Office of the President so that we can cut unnecessary spending and use our resources where they are needed most,” Ochoa said.

He added that funds for professional services or consultancies have been cut by P152.7 million, from P390.8 million in 2010 to P238.1 million next year.

“The President wants to lead by example. He cannot ask other agencies to cut costs if his own office is not prudent in the use of the people’s money,” Ochoa said.

The Executive Secretary presented the OP’s expenditure plan for next year during a budget hearing at the House of Representatives on Thursday. –CRIS G. ODRONIA REPORTER wITH REPORTS FROM LLANESCA T. PANTI AND DARWIN G.AMOJELAR