October 13 - 27, 2006
Siklab Newsmag
PONDO NG OWWA, UBOS NA NGA BA? Party list solons are pushing for the thorough investigation of the allegedly drained Overseas Workers Welfare Administration’s (OWWA) funds to have transparency and accountability in the administration of the OFW funds. Bayan Muna Reps. Satur Ocampo and Joel Virador said that based on Migrante International’s and various nongovernment groups’ reports, the OWWA’s funds have been transferred to or diverted into programs and projects that are insignificant or irrelevant to our Overseas Filipino Workers. Rep. Virador cited as an example the allegedly illegal transfer of P350 million OFW health care funds to Philhealth, unliquidated $293,500 fund released to Ambassador Roy Cimatu for the evacuation of OFWs from Iraq and the P500 million investment made by the OWWA in the Smokey Mountain Development and Reclamation Project in 1995. The solon emphasized the government’s obligation to protect such funds for the welfare of the OFWs.
P17.1B UNLIQUIDATED CASH ADVANCES The Philippine government has acquired a total of P17.124 billion in unliquidated cash advances as of 2005, according to Senator Franklin Drilon who quoted from a report by the Commission on Audit (COA). It was disclosed during the finance committee’s hearing on the proposed 2007 budget by Malacañang. The senator noted that of the P17.124 billion, P2.8 billion pesos from cash disbursing officers P2.6 billion are unliquidated by employees, , and P1.9 billion from collecting officers failing to remit. In addition, the executive department has not accounted for P1.5 billion, which include P39.76 million from the Office of the President and P25.39 million from the legislature. Also, the Commission on Elections (Comelec) has P2.731 billion unaccounted cash advances. As this case is particularly alarming, Senator Drilon said that such a failure to account for this big amount of money “raises the question of legitimacy of these expenses.” The senator further said that the amount could have been spent in building around 68,000 classrooms at P250,000 pesos per classroom. He asked the COA to improve its rules to solve the problem and even proposed to withhold the salaries of those with unliquidated cash advances. Drilon also urged Malacañang and the Department of Budget and Management to respect the “fiscal autonomy” of the constitutional offices of the COA, the Civil Service Commission, Comelec, the Ombudsman, and the Commission on Human Rights.
BINARAT ANG DOH Binarat umano ng Kamara de Representante ang DOH’s proposed budget of P10.999 billion. The P95.96 billion under the 2007 national budget has been approved instead. This was revealed by a Party List Representative who also said that this decision only shows that the Philippine government does not prioritize its people’s health. Based on the list submitted by Health Sec. Francisco Duque III to the House committee on appropriations, it shows that only 26 centavos per day is allocated by the Congress for the health of every Filipino. Because of this, a congressman encourages Filipinos to take care of their health or heed Senator Juan Flavier’s (former DOH secretary) advice: “Bawal magkasakit.” Oo nga naman! Ano nga ba ang mangyayari sa ilang sentimo kada araw na nakalaan sa kalusugan ng bawat mamamayang Pilipino?
MAGING PATAS KAYO (BE FAIR)! Nanawagan si dating Immigration Commissioner Rufus Rodriguez sa mga opisyal ng Malacañang to exercise fairness and practice transparency before, during and after the final review of former President Erap’s newsreel documentary “Ang Mabuhay Para sa Masa”. Rodriguez said that he has received information that President Arroyo, through Executive Sec. Ermita, issued Memorandum Circular 226 creating a five-member Ad Hoc committee with the President herself as the chairman, a vice-chairman representing the press secretary, with three other members representing the National Youth Commission. The said documentary has been banned by the Movie and Television Review and Classification Board (MTRCB). Rodriguez said that they see no reason why the documentary should be banned.
BIO-FUEL BILL This bill seeks to alter within four years one-tenth of the national gas consumption with ethanol, beginning with the imperative blending of gasoline with 5% bio-ethanol in the first couple of years of the effectivity of the law. Bukidnon Rep. Juan Miguel Zubiri, the author of the bill, said that it provides incentives which include tax privileges to producers of cheap, clean and value-added tax-free gas from cane and coconut. This alternative source of energy is viewed as something that can favor the consumers, most especially, the poorest.
P187-M FOR 187 NA MAMBABATAS Bayan Muna Rep. Teddy Casiño said that Malacañang paid 187 solons para ibasurang muli ang second impeachment complaint against GMA. According to Casiño, each of the 187 solons will get P1-M through the P187-M financial grants of Commission on Higher Education. None of the solons who favor the impeachment will benefit from the said money. The CHED told Casiño that there’s nothing he can do about it because Malacañang dictated who were to be given the said amount. The CHED also emphasized that the P187 million called as the E_FAST (Emergency Financial Assistance for Students) has begun since the early part of this year. However, Casiño is not convinced that such a financial grant which is good for only one year can help a student of a bachelor’s degree.
MAYOR BINAY AND WIFE, KINASUHAN One count of graft has been filed against Mayor Binay, while four counts have been filed against his wife who also served as Makati’s mayor. These were due to irregularities in the purchase of about P232-M worth of furniture and office partitions. According to the Commission on Audit (COA), the government has lost more than P100 million due to the anomalous contract. Ito na ba ang sinasabi ni suspended Pasay City Mayor Peewee Trinidad na susunod na si Binay sa kanya?