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Saturday, September 03, 2005
Districts receive P25M from DBM for infra charges
Some of Cebu’s congressional districts have received P25 million each that the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) released for infrastructure projects.
The funds were allegedly dangled to the 230 members of the House of Representatives, for them to vote against the impeachment complaints against President Arroyo.
But Deputy House Speaker for the Visayas Raul del Mar (Cebu City, north) questioned the logic of the allegations, since the funds are for overdue payments for projects.
“That’s due to every member of Congress,” del Mar said.
Only Clavel
Of the eight Cebuano lawmakers, only Rep. Clavel Asas-Martinez (Cebu, 4th district) voted in favor of President Arroyo’s impeachment.
Sun.Star Cebu tried to get Martinez’s comment on the releases but she did not answer calls to her mobile phone.
Del Mar, however, said he has not yet received confirmation from the Cebu City district engineering office that it got the amount.
The fund forms part of the P5.75 billion that DBM released this week to the congressional districts listed by the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH), for ongoing and finished projects in 2004.
DPWH 7 fiscal comptroller Tessie Bernido said that based on the reports she received, some of the projects have been completed, while some are still ongoing, but already 75 percent complete.
Priority
These are mostly priority projects, like roads and bridges.
She also said there is no trend in the release of payments for projects, which depends on the availability of funds with the DBM.
A list of 2004 projects covered by the Priority Development Assistance Funds of some Cebuano lawmakers shows that Rep. Simeon Kintanar (Cebu, 2nd district) funded three road concreting projects, worth P200,000 each.
Rep. Eduardo Gullas (Cebu, 1st district) identified P4 million worth of projects, such as the construction and repair of barangay roads and bridges.
Budget Secretary Romulo Neri reportedly said a lot of contractors have not received the payments. He also brushed off insinuations that the releases are the administration’s way of getting the support of congressmen to vote against the impeachment. (CYR)
(September 3, 2005 issue)
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