Press Release
March 1, 2013

CAYETANO: COA REPORT SHOWS WHY 6.6 NOT FELT BY PEOPLE

Senator Alan Cayetano said today that the Commission on Audit (COA) report on the Priority Assistance Development Funds (PDAF) expenditure of certain senators exposes why the milestone economic growth of 6.6% achieved by the Aquino Administration has not been felt by the people.

"The people that I have spoken with while I've been going around the country - farmers, fisherfolk, construction workers, market vendors - say that they have yet to feel the 6.6% economic growth achieved by the PNoy administration. Now we know that one of the reasons is that the funds that had been allocated for them by the government were diverted," Cayetano said.

Cayetano lauded COA for exposing that almost P200 Million from the PDAF of certain senators went to a bogus organization. "It is unfortunate that it still boils down to corruption," Cayetano said. "But at least, through these reports that are made public, we are on the first step towards correcting the system. And with this change, I remain positive that soon our people will feel the benefits of economic growth in terms of lower prices, and increased jobs and wages."

Reacting to accusations by the United Nationalist Alliance (UNA) that it was the Liberal Party (LP) that blew up the expose, Cayetano said that the issue is beyond politics because it concerns the people. "Ito ay pera ng tao, hindi ng pulitiko. (This is the money of the people, not of politicians.) Regardless of the personalities involved, we need to take measures to ensure that this kind of irresponsible and corrupt handling of the PDAF - or even the MOOE, for that matter - does not happen again, because corrupt practices like this hinder the people from feeling the benefits of economic growth."

Cayetano stressed that there is a need to focus on the true issues at hand instead of casting blame on each other. "Issue hindi intriga. PiTiK, hindi pitikan," he said as he asked both the candidates and the people to focus instead on addressing the country's concerns related to PiTiK: Presyo, Trabaho, Kita.

Cayetano went on a Listening Tour of Bulacan today, with stops at the Office of the Governor and Barasoiain Church, as well as for a meeting with senior citizens of Bulacan. He joined the Team PNoy rally in San Fernando and Guagua, Pampanga.

News Latest News Feed