|
Friday, April 30, 2004
Rasul bats for increased Armm national budget
By Jess E. Alcoran
KOALISYON ng Nagkakaisang Pilipino (KNP) senatorial bet Amina Rasul vowed to work for an increase in the budget intended for the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (Armm).
Rasul told newsmen during a press conference at Lantaka Hotel Thursday that the Armm only gets less than 1 percent of the national budget in a year.
She said at first it was .5 percent and has increased over the year.
The highest budget that the Armm gets out of the total national budget is .9 percent.
Rasul lamented that the budget is good only for the salaries of the Armm employees and the members of its police force.
Rasul considered the .9 percent as too small for Armm. She said whatever amount is collected out of the local revenues in Armm, it all goes to the national government, to the national coffer, and only then Armm will be given the share through the Internal Revenue Allotment (IRA).
Clearly, Rasul said, there is not enough money to address the poverty situation in troubled Mindanao. "So the budget for Mindanao is a priority."
Rasul said there is a need to look at areas, which, if developed, have the most impact on uplifting poverty situations.
"Mindanao is clearly an agricultural land. If we have to develop Mindanao's agricultural potential, we have to be very serious in providing farm to market roads, post harvest facilities, the processing facilities, capital and credit for entrepreneurs who will go into processing," Rasul stressed.
If given the mandate Rasul, who is the daughter of former Senator Santanina Rasul, said that she would revive the creation of the Ministry of Fisheries.
Her mother, former senator Rasul, was the chair of the committee on agriculture.
(April 30, 2004 issue)
Write letter to the editor.Click here.
Join the Sun.Star message board.Click here. |
|
[return to top]
[home]
[network page]
|
LOCAL NEWS
BUSINESS
OPINION
SPORTS
LIFESTYLE
FEATURE
|
