Vice President Jejomar Binay speaks to senior citizens in Amapola St., Barangay Pembo, Makati, Thursday. The city government of Makati has been under public scrutiny amid new allegations of having “ghost” senior citizens who reportedly receive benefits. (MNS photo)
MANILA (Mabuhay) — Vice President Jejomar Binay on Wednesday accused the administration of President Benigno Aquino III of deliberately underspending funds to save up for the 2016 presidential elections.
Binay made the allegation during his visit at the Bais City public market in Negros Oriental.
During his visit, Binay promised that he will work for higher salaries for teachers and government employees if he is elected president in next year’s election
He also promised to provide better benefits for senior citizens, just like what he started in Makati City, where he served as mayor for several years.
Presidential spokesperson Edwin Lacierda, meanwhile, dismissed Binay’s allegation.
“Huli sa balita si VP Binay tungkol sa underspending,” Lacierda said in a text message to Palace reporters.
The Department of Budget and Management (DBM) recently reported that national government spending continued to pick up with another two-digit year-on-year growth of 16.6 percent in September to conclude a quarterly growth of 19.3 percent.
Spending for September reached P186.3 billion, surpassing the P160 billion disbursements in 2014 by 16.6 percent. Third quarter spending performance was P558.5 billion, which was P90.2 billion higher than the P468.4 billion gained during the same period last year.
Budget Secretary Florencio Abad said he expects the momentum to be sustained until the end of 2015, citing payments of contracts for big capital projects, and the pressure for political leaders to finish infrastructure projects before the May 2016 elections.
Lacierda said Binay is sourgraping because he failed to get the president’s endorsement.
President Aquino has anointed former Interior Sec. Mar Roxas of the ruling Liberal Party (LP) as his successor in 2016.
“Ganyan talaga pag hindi na endorso ng pangulo, ang dating pinupuri, pinupuna. What is certain is that si VP Binay, gumanda ang buhay nya dahil hanggang ngayon hindi nya maipaliwanag ang alegasyon ng korapsyon laban sa kanya,” he said.
Binay, who was a member of the Aquino cabinet, is facing a string of corruption allegations during his term as city mayor of Makati.
Binay resigned from the Cabinet last June. (MNS)