Gatchalian on rightsizing bill: No studies to justify 'vast' powers for President

Senator Sherwin Gatchalian on Wednesday expressed concern on the Rightsizing Bill being pushed by the Marcos administration in the Senate.

During the Kapihan sa Senado forum, Gatchalian took notice of the lack of cost-benefit analyses and relevant studies which would justify what he called the "vast authority" that the proposed law provides to the President to rightsize the bureaucracy.

"For now, malaki ang aking concern because mayroong administration bill... pero wala namang cost-benefit analysis, walang impact study... parang suntok sa buwan ito eh," Gatchalian said.

(Right now, I have a major concern because there's an administration bill... but there's no cost-benefit analysis, no impact study... it's like shooting for the moon.)

"Very clear, magde-delegate ng power ang Kongreso sa Presidente para mag-rightsize or gawing optimal ang government bureaucracy... Ibig sabihin, bibigyan siya ng kapangyarihang magtanggal, mag-abolish ng mga offices, mag-merge ng offices, mag-downsize or rightsize ng mga offices, or mag-increase din ng...tao sa iba't-ibang offices," he said.

(The bill is very clear. Congress will delegate power to the President to rightsize or optimize the government bureaucracy. This means that the President will be given the authority to eliminate or abolish offices, merge offices, downsize or rightsize offices, or also increase staff in various offices.)

For the senator, it is important for the impact of this proposed law to be clear at the onset, considering the power that the President will get after the enactment of the bill.

"Dahil dito sa batas na ito mabibigyan ng karapatan ang Pangulo ngayon na tanggalin ang mga offices na 'yun kahit created by law. So ibig sabihin, talagang napakamakapangyarihan 'yung delegated powers na ibibigay sa Pangulo," he said.

(Because of this law, the President will be given the authority to remove those offices, even if they were created by law. This means that the delegated powers given to the President are indeed very powerful.)

"Kaya importante na klaro pa lang sa una kung ano ba ang magiging benepisyo nito para sa ating lahat... we also have to remember na itong mga kapangyarihang ito ay pwede ring maabuso kung may power to merge ka, the power to abolish ka, kung mayroon kang hindi nagugustuhang tao o ahensya, pwede mong tanggalin.  So dapat klaro at mag-ingat din tayo para hindi magamit sa pag-aabuso itong kapangyarihang ito," he added.

(That's why it's important to be clear from the start about what benefits this will bring to all of us. We also have to remember that these powers can be abused. If you have the power to merge or the power to abolish, you could remove people or agencies you don't like. So it should be clear, and we must also be careful to prevent these powers from being abused.)

Agree to rightsize, but...

While he expressed concern on the bill which is authored by no less than Senate President Francis "Chiz" Escudero, Gatchalian said he agrees "in principle" that there is a need to rightsize the government  bureaucracy.

Gatchalian also warned that this push to rightsize the government might gravely affect the rank and file employees.

With this, the senator said he talked to Escudero about inviting a representative of rank and file employees in a committee hearing so they can give their position on the proposed law.

Last Tuesday, Escudero led the consultative meeting on Senate Bill 890 or the proposed Rightsizing National Government Act, which he authored.

According to Escudero, SB 890 will be prioritized by the chamber and a substitute bill will be submitted next Monday.

"We have more or less three weeks left before we go on break for the elections, so we need to work fast if we want to have this measure approved this 19th Congress," Escudero said.

Congress will resume sessions on January 13 and will adjourn again from February 8 to June 1 to give way for the 2025 midterm elections' campaign period.

After the campaign period, Congress will resume session on June 2. On June 13, the 19th Congress will adjourn sine die.

The Department of Budget and Management (DBM) defended Tuesday the proposed rightsizing bill, saying the government could save up to P8.7 billion if the President is granted the authority to implement such changes in the bureaucracy. — VDV, GMA Integrated News