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Tobacco funds reprogrammed for CUC
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Posted on Jul 14 2005
Gov. Juan N. Babauta has reprogrammed Tobacco Control Funds totaling some $95,000 for the Commonwealth Utilities Corp. amid the current power crisis.
In a letter disapproving a bill that sought to tap into the funds, Gov. Juan N. Babauta said the bill does not meet the requirement on the use of Tobacco Control Funds set forth in Public Law 13-38.
He also cited the lack of funds owing to the reprogramming for CUC.
“I cannot approve this measure due to the fact that the funds identified are not available for appropriation. The funds have been reprogrammed to the CUC Emergency Fuel Contingency Account,” said Babauta.
House Bill 14-187 aims to appropriate$15,000 for the Joeten Kiyu Public Library so it can buy educational materials relating to drugs, alcohol, and tobacco use prevention among the youth and $80,000 for the Public School System’s substance abuse prevention program.
“I can’t believe the governor’s lame excuse to veto a good bill,” said Senate minority leader Pete P. Reyes, believing that the bill appropriately identifies projects for the use of the Tobacco Control Funds.
In his veto letter, Babauta said that, although the administration supports the preventive programs, “these programs do not meet the requirements set forth by P.L. 13-38.”
This law, he said, specifically committed the funds to four purposes:
* Department of Public Health, to monitor cancer and tobacco-related illnesses;
* pre-natal and maternal care that incorporates smoking cessation;
* school-health education relating to the hazard of tobacco use, administered by DPH and PSS; and
* smoking cessation and prevention programs, advertising and education, administered by DPH.
“What’s the difference? The bill meets the purposes cited by the law,” said Reyes.
Sen. Diego Songao said the main reason for the disapproval may be the lack of funds.
“Then, why not send us a letter simply stating that there’s no funds, and yet he authorized its reprogramming for CUC, which has no relationship whatsoever to tobacco use. There’s absolutely no logic here,” said Reyes.
The governor, who currently has emergency powers over CUC, has discretionary authority to tap all available funds to address the power crisis.
