Dispatch from Crame No. 976:
Sen. Leila M. de Lima on the recent disqualification of the Philippines from the Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC) grants

11/20/20

Amid the COVID-19 pandemic, the devastation left by the typhoons in the past few weeks, and the overall failing economy of our country, the disqualification of the Philippines as a possible recipient of a new 5-year grant from the Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC) must be cause for serious concern.

It is quite disconcerting that we were disqualified from the grant mainly because we failed in the Control of Corruption, Rule of Law, Freedom of Information and Health Expenditures criteria, among others.

Also, it probably didn't help that back in 2016, Duterte boastfully declared that he "welcomes" being stricken out from the MCC and other foreign grants and incentives, claiming that "we do not need it".

Ano ngayon ang napala natin dahil sa kayabangan ng Pangulo na ito?

So, sa tuwing sinasabi ni Duterte na "wala" na tayong pera para matulungan ang mga kababayan nating nasalanta ng bagyo o nagkasakit dahil sa pandemya, alalahanin natin na ipinagpalit ng rehimeng ito ang bilyon-bilyong pisong tulong dahil mas busy silang magnakaw sa PhilHealth, magpagawa ng "Golden Kaldero", mag-hokus-pokus sa nakalaang budget sa mga proyekto ng "Build, Build, Build", at ilegal na magpapasok ng mga Tsino kapalit ang "Pastillas".

Isama na na rin natin ang pagpapalobo ng bilyon-bilyong contingency fund ni Duterte - na hindi pa rin malinaw kung saan ginagamit.

Hanggang kailan magbubulag-bulagan at masisikmura ng marami sa atin ang mga kabulastugan ng rehimeng ito? Ano pa ang kaya ninyong pasaning pasakit? Paano natin patuloy na naatim ang mga kalapastangang ito? Kailangan nang magsalita, manindigan at kumilos. ###

Access the handwritten copy of Dispatch from Crame No. 976, here: https://issuu.com/senatorleilam.delima/docs/dispatchno976