GMA spent P1.45 billion for local, foreign travels in 2007, 2008 - Binay

MANILA, Philippines - President Arroyo had outspent the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) in travel expenses in just two years, Makati Mayor Jejomar Binay said yesterday.

Binay, president of the United Opposition (UNO) and running mate of former President Joseph Estrada, said Mrs. Arroyo spent P1.45 billion for her local and foreign travels in 2007 and 2008.

“Official documents show that Mrs. Arroyo has breached her own travel budget annually, with her wanderlust costing taxpayers more and more money every year,” Binay said.

Binay said that in 2007, the President requested only P300.2 million for travel expenses but spent more than double that amount.

He said Mrs. Arroyo spent P693 million in 2007 and P762.3 million in 2008.

The DFA, he said, only spent P407 million for the travel expenses of ambassadors, consuls general, and other diplomatic personnel in 2008.

“This is loose change compared to the P762.3 million travel bill that Mrs. Arroyo and her hangers-on had incurred,” Binay said.

He said the President’s travel expenses were also way higher than the P153-million spent by the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) in 2008.

“She inflicts forced savings and orders the realignment of the budgets of the different departments but she throws caution to the wind as far as travel for her, her hairdresser, security detail, doctor and other aides is concerned,” Binay said.

Binay also criticized the President for “manipulation of education statistics.”

The latest report of the United Nations showed that Philippine education is now lagging behind African nations Tanzania and Zambia.

Binay said that instead of increasing the number of teachers, Mrs. Arroyo increased the teacher-to-student ratio to one teacher for every 45 students.

“Not content with this statistical ignominy, she proceeded to institutionalize the double and triple classes, with some classes ending near midnight. Arroyo is trying to resolve the educational crisis by resorting to statistical manipulation, which is really dagdag-bawas,” he said.

Binay said the projected lack of teachers was 64,060 but Mrs. Arroyo asked Congress to appropriate funds to hire only 10,000 for a net shortage of 54,060.

“It means two million students will have to teach themselves,” Binay said.