Business groups welcome PDAF abolition

 Economy
Aug 242013
 
Business groups welcome PDAF abolition

MANILA, Philippines – The country’s business groups welcomed President Aquino’s move to abolish the Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF) and called on the Congress to start adopting new measures in next year’s budget. Business groups such as Alyansa Agrikultura, Bishops-Businessmen’s Conference for Human Development, Employers Confederation of the Philippines, Financial Executives Institute of the Philippines, Institute of Corporate Directors, Makati Business Club, Management Association of the Philippines, People Management Association of the Philippines, Philippine Institute of Certified Public Accountants, and Semiconductor and Electronics Industries in the Philippines, Inc. said in a joint statement  that reforms in the PDAF need to be put in place as the fund which is supposed to complement national has been tainted with corruption.  “In this light, we commend the Aquino administration for taking a bold stance towards greater accountability and transparency. The business community fully supports the abolition of the PDAF, as well as the subsequent establishment of the new mechanism proposed by P-Noy that will address the needs of various localities and sectors,” the groups said.  The groups said measures to limit discretion and to open the entire process of allocating development assistance to public scrutiny would lead to a more judicious and transparent management of public funds.  The groups likewise called on the Congress to implement the reforms.  “We, therefore, urge the respective members of both chambers to adopt the new measures into the 2014 General Appropriations Act (GAA) and beyond,” the groups said. Business ( Article MRec ), pagematch: 1, sectionmatch: 1 Read More …

One Filipina’s social media activism (and how it shaped the Aug. 26 protest)

 News
Aug 242013
 
One Filipina’s social media activism (and how it shaped the Aug. 26 protest)

Kuwento By Boying PimentelPhilippine Daily Inquirer 3:34 pm | Saturday, August 24th, 2013 Roman Catholic priest Fr. Robert Reyes, second from left, prepares to run blindfolded along with supporters to protest the pork barrel scandal Friday in Manila. AP Peachy Rallonza Bretana’s social activism has followed a pattern: she saw something on Facebook and got really mad. That’s what happened when she came across the clip of the crying, dancing boy on Willie Revillame’s TV show two years ago. It happened again this month when she began reading the posts about some little known, somewhat obscure government program called the Priority Development Assistant Fund. “There’s not much difference in the way it started,” she told me in an email. “You see/read something on YouTube and online then you become so angry that you vent out your anger and disgust online by sharing to your friends. Both the Revillame case and this PDAF scam stemmed from the way they affected me on a personal level. “As in: Gigil na gigil ka sa galit.” Actually, there is one difference. The Revillame case, which sparked outrage so vehement it caused the show to be suspended and created a heightened awareness around the way children are treated on TV, was triggered by a clip that Peachy says was “instantly revolting.” The anger related to the pork barrel controversy, however, took a little longer to boil over. It started with a stream of news stories and blogs and the comments. Then the Commission on Audit Read More …

Senate majority agrees not to use 'pork' for now

 News
Aug 202013
 
Senate majority agrees not to use 'pork' for now

Eighteen senators from the Senate majority bloc have agreed not to use their “pork barrel” funds for now until stricter guidelines are put in place on the release of these funds, Senate President Franklin Drilon said Tuesday. In a statement, Drilon said this decision would be formalized during the next session in a resolution “expressing the sense of the Senate to cease from availing, accessing and utilizing their pork barrel funds.” “The majority senators’ decision to adopt the resolution is a manifestation of their interest in making the use of the PDAF [Priority Development Assistance Fund] more transparent and open for scrutiny of the public that will help prevent the abuses and inadequacies which were observed in the Commission on Audit (COA) report,” he said. Drilon was referring to a COA special audit report released last Friday stating that PDAF releases from 2007 to 2009 “were not efficiently monitored and tracked, if at all.” The report bared that over P6 billion in PDAF went to questionable NGOs during the period covered by the audit.  Drilon said that the majority senators agreed to let the Department of Budget and Management “promulgate stricter and more effective implementing guidelines on the release of the PDAF.” “The government must institute stricter guidelines on the utilization of the PDAF to avoid  exposing substantial government funds to untoward risks and ensure that the PDAF is disbursed only in favor of specific and effective pro-poor programs of the government,” he said. Each senator is entitled to P200 Read More …

No pork for lawmakers until scam investigation ends – PNoy

 News
Aug 192013
 
No pork for lawmakers until scam investigation ends - PNoy

Amid reports of a pork barrel scam that allegedly pillaged billions of pesos worth of public funds through bogus non-government organizations, President Benigno Aquino III said that the release of the Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF) has been put on hold pending the completion of an investigation into the scam. “Ang statement ni Secretary [of Department of Budget and Management Florencio] Abad, walang ni-release [na PDAF] for the second half,” said Aquino in an exclusive interview with GMA News’ Maki Pulido, aired over “24 Oras”. “Tapusin muna ang inbestigasyon,” added Aquino, “And check kung meron pa ngang loopholes na dapat maisara.” One way government will determine whether there are loopholes is through “performance-based” indicators. “Simpleng bagay lang: may paglalaanan? Ano ang resulta,” the President explained. “Yung budget release nila (mga mambabtas) are based on their performance.” He added that there should also be a “time limit” on the implementation of the project allotted with state funds. If the funds are still unused within a certain amount of time, it would be returned to the government savings. “And savings will realign to those departments that are ready to utilize the said funds,” Aquino said. Abolition Meantime, Aquino argued that the pork barrel should not be abolished, even with allegations that it was misused by lawmakers. He maintained that the PDAF does do some good. “Huwag naman madamay ‘yung mahusay at matino ‘dun sa taong mapagsamantala. ‘Yang PDAF, lalo na sa hard aspect, nakakatulong matugon ng mas mabilis ‘yung pangangailangan ng komunidad,” Read More …

DA chief Alcala denies knowing pork queen Napoles

 News
Aug 092013
 
DA chief Alcala denies knowing pork queen Napoles

Still denying his department’s alleged involvement in the supposed pork barrel scam, Agriculture Secretary Proceso Alcala on Friday said he doesn’t personally know Janet Lim-Napoles, the businesswoman at the center of the issue. “Hindi ko po kilala ‘yan. Never ko pong nakilala siya, hindi ko po siya nakilala,” Alcala said in an interview on GMA News TV’s “News To Go” when asked if he knew Napoles. Napoles was accused of being the mastermind of a P10-billion pork barrel scam involving ghost projects allegedly used for kickbacks by lawmakers. Whistleblower Merlina Suñas earlier said the Department of Agriculture (DA) has been instrumental in the funneling of state funds to dummy organizations — an accusation Alcala ordered investigated. Alcala said agriculture officials who’ll be found guilty of involvement in the anomaly will be facing the full force of the law. “Ang bilin ko kung may tauhan na talagang nadawit o sinadya na palusutan ang ganitong bagay ay dapat na humanda siyang managot sa batas,” he said. In the same interview, Alcala reiterated that the DA initially refused to take projects funded by lawmakers through their pork barrel, or Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF), to avoid being dragged into controversies. “Buhat po noong ako ay ma-appoint from 2010 hanggang July of 2012 wala po ni isang PDAF na dumaan sa kagawaran kasi marami pong sabi-sabi na hindi po tama, hindi maganda ito kaya iniwas ko ang department kasi masyadong marami na pong problema ang department nang abutin ko. So two years po mahigit. Read More …

Explain why you availed of 'pork,' Palace urges militant solons

 News
Aug 042013
 
Explain why you availed of 'pork,' Palace urges militant solons

Malacañang on Sunday challenged militant lawmakers who are calling for the abolition of the Priority Development Assistance Fund, commonly known as pork barrel, to explain why they availed of their share in the first place. Deputy presidential spokesperson Abigail Valte gave this reply to the House of Representatives’ Makabayan bloc, which called for the unconditional abolition of the pork barrel. “They should be the ones to explain why they are calling for abolition yet they avail of the funds under PDAF,” she said on government-run dzRB. She also said there is no need for the lawmakers to plead with the Palace to give their share of the pork barrel funds to them. “I don’t think pleading is needed considering most of it has been released in the past year,” she said. A report on the Philippine Daily Inquirer cited documents from the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) showing five members of the bloc have received P481 million since President Benigno Aquino assumed office in 2010. — LBG, GMA News

Solon seeks suspension of PDAF implementation for 3rd quarter of the year

 News
Jul 302013
 
Solon seeks suspension of PDAF implementation for 3rd quarter of the year

If Buhay party-list Rep. Lito Atienza could have his way, “pork barrel” implementation for the third quarter of the year should be suspended pending the investigation on the alleged misuse of pork barrel funds, or formally known as Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF). Instead, legislators should focus on their job, which is crafting laws, Atienza said in a statement Tuesday. “We recommend that we suspend the implementation of the PDAF,” Atienza said. “(Instead we should) buckle down to our real work of legislation.” “We are all honorable men and have been elected to legislate, get the country moving towards economic growth and not get involved with the delivery of basic services that could be best done by local government units,” the former Manila mayor said. He said P200 billion in PDAF could have easily built 10 million homes for the poor and one million classrooms, and provide facilities like CT scan, dialysis and MRI equipment to public hospitals. “But when we look back at how this money has been utilized, all we see are waiting sheds, basketball courts, covered courts and now the scandalous allegations of giving money to non-existent NGOs,” Atienza said. House members get P70 million in PDAF every year while senators has an allocation of P200 million. House Majority Leader Neptali Gonzales has yet to give a comment on Atienza’s proposal. In a text message to GMA News Online, Budget Secretary Butch Abad said they will implement it if the Congress adopts it. “If Congress adopts the Read More …

Bam, Trillanes, Grace Poe won't mind abolishing 'pork barrel'

 News
Jul 302013
 
Bam, Trillanes, Grace Poe won't mind abolishing 'pork barrel'

At least three senators have expressed readiness to let go of their “pork barrel” funds amid the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP)’s call to junk these controversial allocations. At a press briefing Tuesday, Senator Paolo Benigno “Bam” Aquino IV said there is “weight” in the call by Roman Catholic Church officials to junk the priority development assistance fund (PDAF). “Kung wala namang pork barrel, I don’t think any of us will be lesser legislators … If tomorrow, the President or the Senate President will call for the abolition of the pork barrel, I won’t mind,” Aquino said. The neophyte lawmaker said he plans to use his PDAF to fund programs that will create job opportunities for ordinary Filipinos.  “Ako naman, if the pork barrel is there, we will use it for right purposes,” he said. Earlier in the day, Bam, who is President Aquino’s first cousin, said he opposes proposals from some of his fellow lawmakers to stop the release of “pork barrel” funds to non-government organizations (NGOs).   At a separate briefing, Senator Antonio Trillanes IV said he also won’t mind having these discretionary funds abolished, since it is the Executive Department which benefits from the PDAF anyway.   “Either way, okay lang. Kung mayroon, e di gagamitin natin nang maayos. Kung wala, tuloy lang tayo sa trabaho natin. Itong pork barrel, this is a policy tool of the president to get his legislative agenda done,” Trillanes said. On Monday, incoming CBCP president and Lingayen-Dagupan Archbishop Socrates Villegas Read More …

Palace on 'missing' SONA items: PNoy can't include everything

 News
Jul 232013
 
Palace on 'missing' SONA items: PNoy can't include everything

PNoy: Napakasarap maging Pilipino sa panahong ito. President Benigno Aquino III delivers his State of the Nation Address at the House of Representatives on Monday, July 22. Joe Galvez Several issues were obviously left out of President Benigno Aquino III’s fourth State of the Nation Address (SONA), but a Palace spokesperson on Tuesday said this was only natural. “Given the limited amount of time… Meron nga pong suggestion na baka daw po dapat mag-checklist na lang si Pangulo, tapos banggitin lahat ng sektor. Pero kung gagawin po natin ‘yon ay baka dalawang araw din po tayong nagso-SONA,” deputy presidential spokesperson Abigail Valte told reporters during a press briefing on Tuesday.   She likewise said it was the “judgment” of the President which items can and can be mentioned. But she quickly noted that non-inclusion in the SONA does not mean that the issue is being ignored by the administration. “Hindi naman po ibig sabihin na hindi nabanggit ay wala po tayong ginagawa o kaya’y hindi po ‘yan importante din sa atin. Binanggit po ‘yon ng Pangulo, in reference to the supposed MRT scam and ‘yung PDAF scam. Malinaw naman po ‘yung sinabi ng Pangulo na iniisip ‘nung iba na wala tayong ginagawa kasi hindi natin nababanggit, pero hindi naman po totoo ‘yon,” she said. Among the issues which were not mentioned by Aquino in his speech is the country’s row with China, which Foreign Affairs Sec. Albert del Rosario said was a good call. —KG, GMA News

Trader linked to P10-B pork barrel scam turns tables on whistleblower

 News
Jul 152013
 
Trader linked to P10-B pork barrel scam turns tables on whistleblower

The businesswoman implicated in the P10-billion ghost project scam involving legislators’ pork barrel funds has fired back with her own accusations against a probable witness in the case. “Hindi po. Ako ay isang mother ng mga anak ko. Si Benhur ‘Kilap Kilap’ Luy ang scammer,” Janet Lim Napoles said in a one-on-one interview with GMA News’ Vicky Morales on Saksi on Monday.  This was Napoles’ response to allegations that she is the “mother of all scams,” after being implicated in multi-billion peso ghost projects being probed by the National Bureau of Investigation. Her accuser, Luy, said Napoles’ company JLN Corporation was tapped in ghost projects of the government, including the fertilizer fund scam, the Malampaya fund scam, and several other projects implemented with money coming from the Priority Development Assistance Fund. The ghost projects were pegged in one report as totalling P10 billion worth, and the scam had allegedly been going on for 10 years. “Wow, napakalaki niyan, P10 billion. Buong release na ‘yan ng Kongreso at Senado. So bakit for 10 years ngayon lang sila nagsalita?” Napoles said, frowning.  Sitting with her legs crossed and her hands on her lap, Napoles appeared calm. However, her voice rose as she called for proof of the accusations against her.  “Kaya nga ho, nakakahiya. Nananawagan naman ako kay Ma’am na sana mapatunayan muna ng mga whistleblower bago naman po idamay nila, dinungisan ang isang institusyon na Senado, dahil lang sa mga whistleblower na gustong magtago, magkubli ng katotohanan,” Napoles said, referring to Senator Read More …

 Older Entries  Newer Entries