Manila, Philippines- Malacañang welcomed Thursday the Senate resolution recommending to President Benigno S. Aquino III the suspension of the perks and bonuses expected to be received this year by officials and board members of government-owned and -controlled corporations (GOCCs) and government financial institutions (GFIs).

The resolution of the Senate finance committee headed by Senator Franklin Drilon jives with the President's desire to weed out corrupt practices in the government, said Presidential Communications Operations Office (PCOO) Secretary Herminio Coloma.

“This will certainly be taken into account once this resolution is formally received. It will be thoroughly studied — the spirit of the resolution is in keeping with the President’s desire to weed out corrupt practices in government and so we really welcome the Senate resolution and appropriate action will be taken on it,” Coloma said.

“If you will recall, during his State of the Nation Address, he cited the specific case of Metropolitan Waterworks and Sewerage System (MWSS) and that specific case may have triggered a more comprehensive investigation by the Senate Committee on Finance headed by Senator Drilon. And as we now know, the truth about compensation in GOCCs has surfaced and this follows the report of the Commission on Audit that was given weeks ago regarding compensation of top officials of GOCCs,” he added.

Coloma said Aquino has exposed the previous government's failure to rein in high-ranking executives of GOCCs and GFIs.

“So from the time that the President spoke about it in the SoNA more than a month ago, our people have now become more aware that this is a bigger problem that the independence of the GOCCs that had not been reined in during the previous administration has produced a very unwelcome and a very unwholesome situation where especially employees and retirees of such corporations are deploring the fact that while their basic benefits have not been given, the high-ranking executives of these corporations have in fact been receiving fat bonuses and allowances,” he said.

However, Coloma said a lifestyle check on GOCC officials may not be needed for the meantime since government officials are required to periodically file their Statement of Assets, Liabilities and Networth (SALN).

"We have administrative mechanisms on checking their lifestyle," he said noting that many of the GOCCs are under administrative supervision of the Office of the President.

The Senate finance committee last Tuesday asked Aquino "to suspend all the fat, excessive, and obscene bonuses and other benefits" that officials and board members of GOCCs and GFIs are expected to approve this year.

Presidential spokesman Edwin Lacierda said the Department of Budget and Management and Department of Finance will be coming up with a report on the matter.

"Right now, the Department of Budget and Management and the Department of Finance are studying the ways, reviewing the different salaries and the compensation allowances of the various GOCC’s. They’ll be coming out with a report on the matter,” Lacierda said in a press briefing.

This would start the six-year Aquino administration on the right track in so far as government finances are concerned, Drilon said.