A large chunk of the Philippines’ calamity funds has been spent on a congressional district that seemed to have been unaffected by powerful storms that hit the country.
This was revealed by President Benigno Aquino III said during turnover ceremonies at the Philippine Army headquarters in Taguig City on Friday.
Of the P1.4 billion already spent for calamities this year, "20 percent" — or P280 million — "went to that single district," Aquino said, refusing to identify the location.
"It seems there is a particular district that benefited and was not affected by Basyang or even Ondoy (Ketsana) and Pepeng (Parma)," Aquino said.
When asked to identify the district, Aquino said: "Can I tell you on Monday?"
On Monday, the President will deliver before Congress his first-ever State of the Nation Address (SONA) as the 15th Philippine president.
Basyang (Conson) hit Metro Manila and Central Luzon last week, while Ondoy and Pepeng swept through the country in September and November respectively, killing hundreds of people and causing billions of pesos in damages.
Earlier, the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) revealed that the Aquino administration inherited a calamity fund that has been almost depleted roughly six months into the year.
According to Budget Sec. Butch Abad, the Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo administration had used up to 70 percent, or P1.4 billion, of this year's P2-billion calamity fund, leaving the Aquino administration with only P592 million.
During the same speech he delivered in Taguig City, President Aquino told members of the Philippine Army to continue performing their duties despite the depletion of calamity funds, which Aquino said was a result of corruption in the past administration.
"Halos nilimas na ang pondo na sana dapat ay magagamit sana natin sa darating na panahon," Mr. Aquino said.
(Most of the funds that could have been used for future needs have been siphoned off.) - Mark D. Merueñas, LBG, RJAB Jr
