'Release RA 7171 funds'

Ilocos Sur Rep. Grace Singson (second district, Lakas-NUCD) appealed to Malacañang in a privilege speech recently to release Republic Act 7171 funds to help tobacco farmers in the virginia tobacco-producing provinces of Northern Luzon to recover from destructive rains that devastated their crops last year and this year.

Singson said it is unfair to the farmers that the Department of Budget and Management should withhold the release of the funds due them, despite the fact that she has already gotten the approval of President Estrada.

She said she is being given the run-around by Budget Secretary Benjamin Diokno. She wondered if she is getting this "shabby treatment" because she does not belong to the party in power.

During the interpellation, Rep. Sergio Apostol lambasted the people in Malacañang for their insensitivity and neglect in promoting and strengthening local government units (LGUs) at the municipal level by depriving them of their just shares.

A total of P2.5 billion will be transferred to the provincial governments to be administered by governors if this plan pushes through.

However, Apostol said this will be unconstitutional since there is an existing law that stipulates the manner of distributing the respective shares of LGUs.