UP-MSI defends institute from DENR exec Antiporda's 'bayaran' tag

The UP Marine Science Institute (UP-MSI) has defended its institution from the allegation made by an official of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR).

In a statement on Thursday, UP-MSI clarified that the DENR paid the institute only around P363 million for the last 10 years, not P500 million as claimed by Undersecretary Benny Antiporda.

“The correct amount is PhP364,073,909.40 total for the last decade, spanning ten collaborative projects between the UPMSI and the DENR as well as co-sponsorship support for a scientific symposium,” it said.

“This is hardly the half a billion the Undersecretary has been claiming. It is simply the cost of the collaborative projects for which the DENR had the need for the expertise of the UPMSI,” it added.

At a public press briefing on Wednesday, Antiporda slammed the University of the Philippines for allegedly milking public funds since 2016. He made the statement when asked about the offer of UP Diliman Institute of Biology to help in the rehabilitation of Manila Bay.

“Kalahating bilyon ang binayaran sa kanila simula 2016 hanggang taong ito. Kalahating bilyon na puro lang konsultasyon, walang infrastructure. Kalahating bilyon ang binayaran natin sa UP na 'yan,” Antiporda said.

Experts from UP have been among the critics of the DENR's "white sands" project in the Manila Bay.

“Hindi niyo karapatan batikusin ito dahil bayaran kayo. ‘Yun lang po ang masasabi ko sa UP. Uulit-ulitin ko: Bayaran kayo,” Antiporda snapped.

In September, the UP-MSI released a statement presenting a study on the rehabilitation of the Manila Bay.

“Bakit kayo naniningil sa gobyerno? Matapos kayong pag-aralin ng taumbayan, matapos kayong maging iskolar ng taumbayan, sisipsipin niyo ang dugo ng ating kababayan sa dami ng kinuha niyong pondo,” he added.

According to UP-MSI, the P364 million was utilized for the following:

• nationwide standardized assessments of National Integrated Protected Areas Systems sites
• enhancing capacity for management and rehabilitation of marine ecosystems
• strengthening understanding of Philippine waters from the West Philippine Sea to the Philippine Rise in the Pacific

UP-MSI said the amount covered the cost of scientific research and investigation, from the use of laboratories and research equipment and facilities to field work and support to research assistants.

Aside these, it added that the funds also supported capacity-building of national government agencies and Higher Education Institutions personnel.

“These costs are typically shouldered by clients requesting the UPMSI’s services, as the Institute has no access to funds that would support the conduct of scientific inquiry on top of the research it is already doing,” it said.

UP-MSI pointed out that its research and development activities are project-based, with very specific fund disbursement guidelines and limitations.

It also said that its internal Maintenance and Other Operating Expenses (MOOE) are limited to maintaining the laboratory facilities and field equipment in Diliman and the Bolinao Marine Laboratory.

Antiporda has called on the Commission on Audit to look into the payments of the government to the university -- a call the UP-MSI welcomed.

“The UPMSI welcomes being audited by the Commission on Audit at any time,” the UP-MSI said. --KBK, GMA News