Nograles to DAR chief: I am not pitting the poor against the poor

House appropriations committee chair Representative Karlo Nograles on Tuesday denied the claims of Agrarian Reform Secretary Rafael Mariano that he "pits the poor against the poor" by pushing the re-channeling of unused funds of the department to finance the Universal Access to Quality Tertiary Education Act.

"Actually, nagpapasalamat po ako kay DAR (Department of Agrarian Reform) Secretary Mariano na ni-recognize ang Universal Access to Quality Tertiary Education Act as pro-poor na talaga namang ginawa para ang mga hindi kayang bayaran ang tuition ay ngayon makakapagtapos na ng kolehiyo o tech-voc para sabay-sabay ang pag-angat ng mga kabataan," Nograles said.

In a statement on Monday, Mariano claimed that Nograles "pits the poor against the poor" by suggesting the reduction of the department's proposed P10.28-billion budget to fund the new law granting free tuition to students in state universities and colleges.

“Free tuition is equally important as students are enabled to exercise their right to education. Agrarian reform is founded on the right of landless farmers and farmworkers to directly and indirectly own the lands they till,” Mariano said.

But Nograles belied the allegations of Mariano.

“I am not pitting the poor against the poor. I am maximizing the use of funds to benefit as many Filipinos as we can," he said.

"Ang free tuition fee po ay para po sa lahat at ito ay pro-poor, pro-farmer. In fact, kung susuriin n'yo po, ito rin ay pro-construction worker, pro-tricycle driver, pro-vendor at iba pa,” he added.

Instead of complaining that the DAR may suffer budget cuts due to its low absorptive capacity, Nograles said Mariano should help the government to to ensure that the new law will be properly implemented.

He also advised the Cabinet official to perform better so that all the funds given to the department will be used efficiently.

Based on the National Expenditure Program the department submitted to the Congress, the DAR had unused appropriations of P6.3 billion in 2016 and P3.5 billion in 2017.

Nograles said it is his job, as chair of the appropriations committee, to ensure that all public funds are allocated where they can be more efficient.

"Anong gagawin ko? May nakita akong ganyang perang hindi ginagamit. Tapos meron tayong kailangang pondohan na libreng tuition. Hindi ba dapat imbes na masayang lang ang perang hindi naman ginagamit pakinabangan na lang ito ng ating mga kabataan?" he said.

"Trabaho ko po sa Appropriations na intindihin kung effective ba ang pagtakal natin ng pondo sa kada pangangailangan. Nakita po natin na may sumobra sa isa na hindi nila nagagamit. Masama po ba na ilagay ko ang labis nila sa isang bagay na kinakapos naman?" he added.

Aside from DAR, Nograles said the funds needed for the implementation of the free college education law may be sourced from the budget cuts of the Department of Information and Communications Technology and the Department of Transportation. — RSJ, GMA News