Raising the threshold depends on “how the proposed tax reform program will shape up in the future,” Mr. Diokno said in his first weekly press briefing.

For 2017, the proportion of infrastructure spending is 5.2% of the gross domestic product (GDP). This is equivalent to roughly P890 billion.

The previous administration of Benigno S. C. Aquino III had set aside P760 billion of the total budget for the current year, or about 5% of GDP. But, Mr. Diokno said the past government tended to “fudge” the infrastructure spending data by including capital outlay, or new fixed assets.

“In the past, the DBM has fudged the data on infrastructure. It would include airplanes, police cars… so in this case, in the case of Duterte, the 5.2% will be pure infrastructure,” he said.

Data are still being cleaned up, but Mr. Diokno said: “Their infra-to-GDP ratio would be around 2-3% only, and this is a major jump.”

Asked how the threshold could be raised, he cited the plan to have “non-stop construction” for major projects in urban areas.

“Definitely, we’ll try to shoot for it as soon as we can, depending on as usual absorptive capacity of the agencies,” he said.

DITCHING BUB, KEEPING 2TBA

Another major change to the spending program will be the removal of the Bottom-Up Budgeting (BuB) program, which allots resources for projects chosen by grassroots communities but is criticized as a form of political patronage.

Mr. Diokno said the BuB program is “really a political tool.” He added that the setup, currently allocated P100 billion, “fritters away important government resources” that could be used for “more effective projects.”

He noted that local government units already get their share of the revenue collection through the automatic grant of Internal Revenue Allotment (IRA). Yet, they barely perform the devolved responsibilities of providing basic health services and social welfare that the national government ends up taking over.

Instead, the BuB will be limited again to fourth, fifth, and sixth-class municipalities, as opposed to the eventual expansion of the program under the previous administration to cover all cities, towns and even barangays.

“I think that’s a no-brainer. It’s a waste of funds,” Mr. Diokno said.

At the same time, the budget would carry over a feature first implemented under the Aquino administration — the use of the Two-Tier Budgeting Approach (2TBA).

2TBA separates the budget preparation into two stages: the first one is dedicated to discussion and deliberation of ongoing projects and programs, and the second is dedicated to new and expanding proposals.

This would “improve the effectiveness and transparency of public spending.”

LEGISLATORS’ PROJECTS NOT ‘PORK’

During the same briefing, Mr. Diokno also said he wanted the budgets under the Duterte administration to be “strictly compliant” with the Supreme Court rulings against the Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF), and the Aquino administration’s Disbursement Acceleration Program (DAP).

He also refuted news reports that the unconstitutional “pork barrel” is being revived somehow by allowing legislators to identify projects in their respective districts.

Mr. Diokno stressed that what the Supreme Court declared unconstitutional is the act of allocating funds “after” the enactment of the General Appropriations Act.

But pre-enactment, lawmakers may name projects as the budget goes through the motions. “We consider that during the budget preparations,” he said.

“They have the right to identify projects they see the people need,” Mr. Diokno said. “Do you favor a system where absolutely wala silang pakialam (they don’t care)?”

He said that it could not be considered a form of pork barrel, because the funds are released to the projects’ implementing agencies, and not the legislators themselves.

But at the same time, Mr. Diokno said a proposed Budget Reform Act is being drawn up so budgetary practices will go beyond the Duterte administration.

In it, he said the definition of “savings” and “discontinued projects” will be more attuned to the Supreme Court rulings instead of “circumventing” it like in the past.

APPROPRIATIONS SO FAR