Nene wants GMA to account for P55-B discretionary funds

MANILA, Philippines – Senate Minority Leader Aquilino Pimentel Jr. asked President Arroyo yesterday to make an accounting and explain how her administration is spending the more than P55-billion fund for relief operations and other social programs of Malacañang.

Pimentel said there are complaints from areas ravaged by typhoon “Frank” over the delay in the delivery of relief goods from the government that has aggravated the suffering of disaster victims.

He received reports that relief goods distributed to affected families from the National Disaster Coordinating Council and Department of Social Welfare and Development were inadequate.

There is no reason why the government could not provide adequate assistance to the typhoon victims since the government is expected to generate about P20 billion in incremental revenues this year from the soaring prices of imported petroleum products which are subjected to the 12-percent value added tax, said Pimentel.

“Mrs. Arroyo has an obligation to account for the funds intended for calamities and other contingencies that were entrusted to her office this year,” Pimentel said.

These funds include the P9-billion calamity fund, the P4.7-billion President’s Social Fund (P1.7 billion from the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp. and P3 billion from the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office), P800-million Contingent Fund and P650-million intelligence fund.

Pimentel said the President has the discretion to disburse the P30-billion unprogrammed fund, the P5-billion Kilos Asenso Fund and the P3-billion Kalayaan sa Barangay Fund under the 2008 national budget.

“With these ample funds that are under the disposal and discretion of the Chief Executive, the government is capable enough to extend emergency relief and rehabilitation assistance to the communities that were battered and devastated by typhoon Frank and other calamities,” Pimentel said.

“There is no reason for the disaster-stricken towns and cities and the affected residents to feel they are neglected by the national government, deprived and starved of much-needed funds, as well as food and medical assistance.”

Pimentel said an accounting of the funds used for the relief operations should be made in the spirit of transparency.

He said Mrs. Arroyo controls the fund and has the discretion to release them and choose their recipients. Pimentel said he is appalled by the President’s insistence on having the final say even in the release of the Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF) that is earmarked for projects identified by senators and congressmen.

He said the selective freeze on the development funds of lawmakers has made a mockery of the so-called congressional power over the purse.

“The President is abusing her power by arbitrarily withholding the PDAF allocations to lawmakers from the opposition, which is obviously meant to get back at them for exposing and denouncing the scandals, venalities and misuse of power by her administration,” the senator said.