Senate creates oversight committee on GOCCs

MANILA, Philippines – The Senate has approved a resolution that creates an oversight committee on public expenditures that would review the performance of the 157 government owned and controlled corporations (GOCCs) and monitor the mishandling of funds and unwarranted bonuses and commissions.

The creation of this new committee brings to 35 the number of oversight committees at the Senate alone.

The Senate under Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile had created two oversight committees, the select oversight committee on intelligence funds, programs and activities; and the oversight committee on public expenditures in the 15th Congress.

There are now 37 standing committees at the Senate, which was the subject of a tug-of-war for chairmanships at the start of the 15th Congress. The creation of the new oversight committee entails the allocation of an additional budget.

The new oversight committee on public expenditures shall be composed of a chairman and six members.   The chairman will be the designated chairman of the Senate finance committee, which is now being held by Sen. Franklin Drilon.

Drilon introduced the resolution creating the oversight committee.

Drilon has started public inquiries on the excessive use of GOCC funds following reports of unwarranted bonuses and perks. Among the agencies probed by the Senate finance committee were the Social Services System, and the Metropolitian Waterworks Service System.

The oversight committee shall require the submission of expenditure reports from government agencies to ensure transparency; review and evaluate expenditure reports vis-à-vis budget; approve the budget for the program of the oversight committee and all disbursements from the budget, including the compensation of all personnel; assess inherent weaknesses in existing laws and initiate necessary remedial legislation or executive measures; and others.

The oversight committee is empowered to require government agencies, and GOCCs to submit expenditures reports and all pertinent data necessary in ensuring transparency and accountability.

The committee could also write or summon any public official, private citizen, and other resource persons that could testify before it, require any person by subpoena duces tecum to produce reports and documents it may require.

The oversight committee shall have a secretariat that will be headed by an executive director. –Christina Mendez (The Philippine Star)