TO give the Commonwealth Healthcare Corp. $5 million, the bicameral budget panel may not follow Gov. Benigno R. Fitialâs proposal to restore government employees 80 working hours.
House Ways and Means Committee Chairman Ramon S. Basa and Senate Fiscal Affairs Committee Chairwoman Jovita M. Taimanao separately told Variety yesterday that they may raise the number of working hours from 64 to 76 or 78 only and not 80.
They said this is the only way to provide CHC, which used to get $38 million a year, with a $5 million subsidy.
CHC officials said the subsidy should at least be $10 million.
Basa, R-Saipan, said since the bicameral conference committee started more than a couple of weeks ago, discussions have focused on the six priorities â" CHC, the Public School System, Northern Marianas College, Medicaid, medical referrals and the government employeesâ working hours which have been cut to 64 due to lack of funding.
The first compromise the Senate and House conferees made was on the CHC and PSS budgets. The Senate conferees agreed to the House recommendation to raise the proposed subsidy for CHC from $1.9 million to $5 million.
In turn, House conferees gave in to Senateâs proposal to give PSS $33 million.
In an interview yesterday, Basa said they agreed that after addressing the appropriations for CHC, PSS, Medicaid and medical referrals, they cannot jeopardize the budgets of the other agencies.
Basa said they agreed to increase working hours from 64 76 or 78 instead of 80.
âThat was the hardest part. But it will be our last resort,â he added.
Basa said once theyâre done with the draft fiscal year 2013 budget bill today, they will ask Speaker Eli D. Cabrera, R-Saipan, and Senate President Paul A. Manglona, Ind.-Rota, to call for back-to-back sessions tomorrow.
But in a separate interview, Taimanao, Ind.-Rota, said they might complete the budget draft on Saturday and hold back-to-back sessions even during the weekend.
She said the members of the bicameral panel agreed to give more to CHC, PSS, Medicaid and medical referrals but could not find any other budget items to cut except for the governorâs 80-work-hour proposal.
However, Taimanao said they will also provide agencies the flexibility to fund their working hours. Any department or agency that can afford 80 hours may do so, she added.
âAgain we went to make it flexible for the departments. The flexibility of adjusting other department working hours to 76 or 78 is to help CHC,â she said.
The bicameral committee meeting yesterday, Basa and Taimanao said, went well. Everybody was trying to come up with the draft budget bill as soon as possible.
They also talked with Office of Management and Budget Special Assistant Vicky Villagomez to verify the figures of the governmentâs retirement contributions.
The Senate conferees on the budget panel are Senate Vice President Jude U. Hofschneider, R-Tinian; Sen. Ralph DLG Torres, R-Saipan; and Sen. Frank Q. Cruz, R-Tinian.
The other House conferees are Speaker Cabrera, Speaker Felicidad T. Ogumoro R-Saipan, and Rep. Ray N. Yumul, R-Saipan.