Press Release
July 26, 2014

Nancy: Vital projects shelved to raise P237B for DAP

Why go through the pain of strict budget deliberation, and in the middle of the year, cancel vital projects, declare savings, and create new projects that are not in the General Appropriations Act?

Senator Nancy Binay expressed confusion over the government's true intent when it pooled P237.51 billion under the controversial Disbursement Acceleration Program (DAP) for purposes of accelerating the economy but consciously abandoned vital projects lined up for implementation.

Binay underscored this issue after she asked transportation Sec. Joseph Emilio Abaya about the P549 million budget to rehabilitate the Ninoy Aquino International Airport Terminal 1 (NAIA I) which was shelved, together with allotments of other Congress-approved DOTC projects that were withdrawn by Department of Budget and Management (DBM) and were pooled to be part of the controversial DAP.

"Ang nakasulat po dito upgrading and rehabilitation of passenger concourse, waiting area, restroom and lobbies. This project was shelved.Nakaikot na ho ba kayo sa mga [airports]? This was supposed to be airports nationwide," Senator Binay asked Abaya during the hearing.

Budget Sec. Butch Abad and Abaya reasoned that these projects were stopped and abandoned because of technical impediments and the projects were taking time in their implementation Binay said she is confused by Malacanang's definition of "economic stimulus" by withdrawing allotments from vital projects and diverted to zero-impact projects.

The DBM impounded and diverted P14.5 billion earmarked to rehabilitate, upgrade 22 key airports and seaport projects, but the funds went to programs identified by Malacanang that have little or no economic impetus at all.

"What's the point of having strict budget deliberations only to have projects withdrawn halfway-through its completion and have its budget reallocated for other programs?" asked Binay.

"Parang ang lumalabas yung mga proyektong pinag-aaralan ng Kongreso ay nababalewala dahil hindi rin naman ito pala itutuloy ng mga nasabing ahensya," she added.

Aside from the rehabilitation of NAIA Terminal I, other DOTC projects that were apparently shelved were improvements in airports, seaports and lighthouses all over the country.

"Ang nakatakot po dito ay may kakayanan ang DBM na itigil ang mga proyekto ng mga ahensya ng pamahalaan. Malaking isyu na nga yung pagdeklara sa mga ito na savings kahit na nakalaan na ito sa ibang proyekto. Pero ang pagbawi sa mga vital project para makalikom ng pondo para idagdag sa DAP ay hindi katanggap-tanggap," Binay said.

Among programs that were also given priority by DBM was the Department of Health's proposal to fund stem cell research. The lady senator also questioned this as the funding might have been allocated to buy hospital beds which public hospitals nationwide need.

"Kailangang ipaliwanag ng DBM ng mabuti kung paano nito pinapamahagi at ginagamit sa pagpopondo ng mga programa ng ating pamahalaan. Base sa hearing kahapon, malinaw na may pagkukulang sa pag-aaral at foresight ang mga programang pinaglalaanan. Kailangang linawin kung saan ginagamit ang kaban ng bayan sa DAP," Senator Binay said.

News Latest News Feed