(Eagle News)–Senator Nancy Binay is seeking for an increase in the budget for environmental surveillance of the Research Institute for Tropical Medicine.
Binay wants P248 million for the RITM, which she said was key in detecting the re-emergence of the polio virus.
She said this was despite the fact its budget for environmental surveillance was cut from P198 million in 2019 to P118 million for next year.
“Bakit na instead of lauding the RITM for their good work, pinipilay pa natin ang kakayahan nilang tuparin ang mandato nila?” Binay said, calling the cut untimely and unsound.
“Huwag nating hintayin na may dumating pang bagong epidemya, pero hindi natin ito malalaman kung tatanggalan natin ang RITM ng suporta para sa kaukulang surveillance,” Binay added.
