Group questions PNoy's P2-B DAP allocation for Tarlac road projects

A civil society group has questioned President Benigno Aquino III's allocation P2 billion from the controversial Disbursement Acceleration Program (DAP) fund for the repair and rehabilitation of roads and bridges in Tarlac, his home province.

 

Based on documents gathered by Social Watch Philippines, the President made the allocation in 2012 for “national road projects in the province of Tarlac.” The agency tasked to implement it was the Department of Public Works and Highways.

 

“The projects will complete the rehabilitation and paving of all arterial and secondary national roads and bridges in the province of Tarlac. The total requirement was increased from P1.1B to P2B after DPWH reviewed and adjusted the costing,” the document shown to GMA News stated.

 

Professor Leonor Briones, former national treasurer and lead convenor of Social Watch, said the fund came from DAP, which is being questioned for its perceived lack of transparency and vulnerability to corrupt practices.

Critics of the program have tagged the DAP "the President's pork barrel".

 

Budget Secretary Florencio Abad earlier said DAP was funded by realigned savings and that it was meant to ramp up spending and help accelerate economic expansion.

 

“What is clear is that it (P2 billion allocation for Tarlac roads) is his preference and that is what we are questioning. That is what we are critical of. Now you have a P2-billion case in your hands but if you look at the other levels of expenditures, lahat makukuwestyon mo yan,” Briones said in an interview with GMA News' Maki Pulido.

 

The P2-billion road projects for Tarlac were among the projects other civil society groups wanted the Commission on Audit to look into.

 

DPWH Secretary Rogelio Singson said there was no favoritism in the President's allocation of the fund.

 

“Hindi naman. I think Secretary Abad felt that there are major interventions needed in Tarlac. Yung tulay and then flood control,” he said.

 

“The P2-billion infrastructure development was recommended by the DPWH because of the underdeveloped [infrastructure] in Tarlac, which is at the crossroads of the Region 3 development. The program was strongly endorsed by the Tarlac officialdom,” he added.

 

“Please note that during the three years that the President was senator, then Senator Aquino got zero share of the P200 million yearly PDAF allocated to senators because of his oppositionist stance,” Abad further said.

 

Presidential Communications Operation Head Herminio Coloma Jr. refused to comment on the matter earlier confirmed that Tarlac received a substantial allocation.

 

“Ang mga request para dito ay nanggaling sa gobernador ng Tarlac, Victoria at Rep. Henry Cojuangco. Meron din namang karapatan ang mga mamamayan ng Tarlac—dahil sila ay nagbabayad ng buwis sa pamahalaan—na makatikim ng biyaya sa pamamagitan ng mga mahuhusay na kalsada o imprastruktura,” Coloma said at a press briefing in Malacañang on Feb. 6.

 

Briones said the P2-billion allocation is a good example of the lack of regularity of DAP.

 

“Hindi puwede na ang Presidente ay makikialam, mag-aappropriate, magdedesisyon ng pag-aallocate ng pondo. In the same manner na walang pakialam ang Kongreso (sa implementasyon ng budget),” she said. — Amita Legaspi/JDS, GMA News