PNoy vetoes 'unrealistic' Magna Carta for the Poor

President Benigno Aquino III has vetoed the proposed Magna Carta for the Poor, saying the government lacks sufficient funding to make the law a practical solution to the problem of poverty in the country. “Sa madaling salita, pwede akong nagpa-cute. Pwede kong pinirmahan itong batas na ‘to, pogi tayo, pero alam ko hindi mami-meet ng gobyerno,” Aquino said Monday on the sidelines of the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines’ 5th anniversary celebration in Pasay City. More than one-quarter or 26.5 percent of the Philippine population fell below the poverty line in 2009, according to latest government data. The government has defined the poor as those earning below P7,017 a month for a family of five, or below P16,841 per capita a year. Aquino said had he signed the bill, the government risks being sued for unfulfilled promises. “Kunwari, ‘yung head ng NHA (National Housing Authority): ‘Bakit wala akong bahay?” he said, citing one of the government's agencies as an example. Under the bill, the government has to ensure five basic rights for every Filipino: food, employment, quality education, shelter, and health services. But Aquino said the government cannot provide even just one of those services, given the current state of its finances. “Kaya ba nating gawin ito?" he said, adding that the budget for this year is only about P2 trillion. "On housing alone, ‘di ba, [nakalagay sa batas] ‘right to shelter demandable now’—ibig sabihin parang ibigay mo ngayon—magkano ‘yung shelter for five million social housing units? Hindi naman marangyang bahay ito e, social housing units. Ang gagastusin natin is P2.320-trillion,” Aquino explained. “Isa pa lang doon sa limang karapatan, hindi na kayang punuin ng budget," he noted. "Ngayon, ‘yung budget natin, ang pwede lang i-program off the P2 trillion is roughly about P600 billion. Wala pa ‘yung right to food, wala pa ‘yung right to work, wala pa ‘yung right to health, wala pa ‘yung right to education,” he added. Instead of approving the Magna Carta for the Poor, Aquino said he has instructed his cabinet to draft a Malacañang version of the bill to send to the incoming 16th Congress. “Ang corrective action natin dito, dinirect natin ‘yung social cluster to draw up a substitute measure that we will give to the next Congress and, hopefully, that they will act upon with haste,” he said. Aquino said he wants a legislative measure that will enable the government to provide the needs of the poor while sustaining the country's economic growth. “Ang importante doon may phrase na nakalagay ‘progressive realization of the same.’ Ibig sabihin n'on, habang dumadagdag ang kakayahan ng gobyernong maibigay itong mga karapatan na ‘to, dapat ipinagkakaloob ‘yung karapatan,” the President said. — KBK/YA, GMA News