Press Release
October 14, 2009

REMARKS OF SEN. AQUILINO PIMENTEL, JR. SENATE FLOOR DEBATE ON P12 BILLION SUPPLEMENTAL BUDGET, OCTOBER 13, 2009

It is the National Disaster Coordinating Council that is made as the lead agency to handle the appropriation we are talking about. I speak very candidly, Secretary Gilberto C. Teodoro, Jr. is the candidate of the administration for the presidency. He is the head of the NDCC, and you put P12 billion in his hands. What will people think about that. I am expressing this matter very candidly because, otherwise a very good bill can be derailed by misimpressions that are being created in the minds of the people.

And I think Mr. Teodoro who I know is a decent man should himself decline this proposition because it is bad for him. It is bad for the country and for our people.

The apprehension that the money would wind up being used as a slush fund for political purposes is very great and cannot be avoided considering the circumstances. If the NDCC were the only agency doing that, then we have no choice. But there are other agencies.

The Department of Social Welfare and Development... I would really think that would be most visible and most appropriate body to handle it.

Really, I want to emphasize this point. I am worried about the way this money is going to be disbursed, about the possible corruption that will creep into it. I am not charging any particular person that he will do the corruption. But knowing how pervasive is corruption in this country, we just cannot avoid talking about it, especially in disbursing such as a huge amount as P12 billion under emergency conditions.

Earlier, I think it was Sen. (Alan Peter) Cayetano who asked whether or not the usual bidding procedures will be followed. And my impression is that the usual bidding procedures may not apply. Perhaps for the immediately needed relief goods maybe we can dispense with that. But for the infrastructures that need time to deliver, perhaps using the advanced methods of bidding like the bidding procedures that we have already outlined in law could be resorted to. And of course the accounting must be very clear.

Therefore at the proper time, I would like to be able to present some safeguards regarding the way the money is spent so that hopefully, the money will reach the beneficiaries for which it is intended.

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