Loren: P1.3-B in trip overspending
could have bought the poor 1.04M sacks of rice

Senator Loren Legarda said today that the P1.3 billion that had been overspent for President Arroyo's numerous local and foreign trips over an eight-year period could have bought many hungry Filipinos 1,040,000 sacks of rice.

"That money should have been used by government to alleviate widespread hunger among Filipinos, especially those who are in the countryside," said Loren, who described as "fantastic" Malacañang's defense for the overspending.

She said that the Palace's claim that some $7 billion in aid, trade, investment and other benefits had been the direct result of President Arroyo's trips is highly debatable.

"The Palace can rattle off fantastic figures about the purported benefits, but they cannot change the fact that the Office of the President failed to stick to the budget allotted by Congress for the trips," Loren stressed.

She pointed out that Congress sets the budget for the President's trips in keeping with its mandate to protect taxpayers' money from being spent with wild abandon.

Referring to the reported pricey dinners had by the President's entourage during a recent visit to the United States, Loren said that it must be proven that taxpayers' money was not used through the scrutiny of the receipts.

"The burden of proof lies with the executive department because as many Filipinos go hungry, they cannot understand how their President can indulge abroad," she said.