Civil Society is very active in its massive campaign to repeal automatic appropriation of the debt service

My apologies to Civil Society for my earlier acidic remarks. They are very active and they are ON THE FLOOR with a massive campaign to repeal automatic appropriation of debt service in the national budget!


By Liling Magtolis Briones
From ABS-CBN Interactive
October 15, 2007



More than twenty years ago, Rep. Edcel Lagman teamed up with Freedom from Debt Coalition in a massive campaign to repeal automatic appropriation of the debt service, and cancel payments of illegitimate debt. The FDC president was a professor named Leonor Magtolis Briones.

During the Cory Aquino Administration, Edcel successfully led Congress in reducing the debt service several times and allocating the reduced amount to social development. President Aquino immediately vetoed these congressional initiatives.

When President Ramos came into power, Edcel Lagman succeeded in convincing his colleagues in Congress to create a Committee of the Whole just to discuss the matter of debt. In an unprecedented move, Professor Briones and Professor Winnie Monsod addressed the entire Congress and explained why it was necessary to repeal automatic appropriation of the debt service. There were no questions asked.

Freedom from Debt Coalition lobbied with individual congressmen and conducted briefings and dialogues. The latter promised support. The day before the voting, Speaker de Venecia called for a caucus of administration Congressmen. The next day, Congress was filled to the rafters with students, peasants and labor union members. Thousands more waited outside. One by one Congressmen cast their vote. Those who rejected the Lagman bill far outnumbered those who favored it. Many supporters disappeared for one lame reason or another.



Now, Edcel is himself Chair of the Appropriations Committee. With full support of his colleagues in Congress particularly the Minority Group, the Liberal Party, Freedom from Debt Coalition, and Social Watch which called for suspension of debt payments in its alternative budget , the national budget was passed on October 12, 2007.

According to the Inquirer the debt service was reduced by P17.3 billion.

Yes, the Debt Jedi have returned. This time, they are stronger and have much broader support. They have the support even of administration representatives.

Kudos to the 48 civil society organizations who joined forces with Social Watch Philippines and Freedom from Debt Coalition! Thank you to the champion of alternative budgeting, Teofisto “TG” Guingona III, Minority Group led by Reps. Ronaldo Zamora, and Darlene Antonino-Custodio, Rufus Rodriguez, as well as the Liberal Party group led by Reps. Lorenzo Tanada III, Hermilando Mandanas, Joseph Emilio Abaya and Liwayway Vinzons-Chato. A round of applause for the Appropriations Committee headed by Rep. Edcel Lagman and members like Cong. Eduardo Gullas, Carmencita Reyes and Thelma Almario.

For the first time in a long, long while, Congress is asserting its power over the purse. Even as it is dominated by the majority, it has refused to be a stamping pad of the Executive and has signaled that it intends to maintain the balance of power between the Executive and the Legislative. This is as it should be in a democracy.

Now, the debt issue is laid at the door of the Senate who can either stand by the original debt service or support the initiative of Congress. Eventually this issue will land with the Executive. Will history repeat itself? Abangan!

From a distance. Being away is an excellent opportunity to view the Philippines from a distance. I am here to attend the meeting of the Coordinating Committee of Social Watch which is composed of individuals from fifteen different countries. A global viewpoint certainly helps in analyzing Philippine developments from a larger perspective.

For example, the Alternative Budget Initiative organized by Social Watch Philippines is considered very significant in terms of the global movement for participatory budgeting. The united action of Congress on the debt service which was initiated by civil society, is a source of inspiration to other countries who are still struggling with heavy debt burdens.

Truly, the Philippines is a trailblazer in effective civil society action.

(Ms. Leonor Briones is a former National Treasurer of the Philippines. She is currently teaching public administration at the National College of Public Administration and Governance, University of the Philippines. She is also a Co-Convenor of Social Watch Philippines . She also writes a column for the Business Mirror)