GMA won't engage Noy in word war

MANILA, Philippines - Former President and now Pampanga Rep. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo will not engage President Aquino in a word war after the two exchanged barbs last week over the current state of the nation, her spokeswoman said yesterday.

Former congresswoman Maite Defensor, Arroyo’s spokesperson, said the former president would not comment on Aquino’s statement that being tagged as the former leader’s exact opposite was the best compliment he ever received.

“Former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo did not even say that President Aquino is her exact opposite. But learning what the President said, she will not even dignify it with a comment,” Defensor said.

The latest exchange between the two began last week when Arroyo warned of “danger signs” in the country’s economy due to what she described as lack of leadership in government.

She said she turned over to the Aquino administration an economy that had broken the boom-and-bust cycle in the face of a global recession.

Poor economic policies

She said the hard-fought gains are being eroded by poor economic policies and lack of leadership.

Former budget chief Joaquin Lagonera meanwhile scored Budget Secretary Florencio Abad for making erroneous claims on the country’s fiscal position left by the previous administration.

Abad said when the new government took over in July 2010, less than 40 percent was left of the P1.541-trillion budget for 2010.

He also stressed the need to replenish the P2-billion calamity fund because the previous administration had already used up 70 percent of the fund.

Practicality

“As a practical matter, more than half of the budget is disbursed in the first half of a fiscal year because that is the only way to fund the actual cash outlays needed to start the second half,” Lagonera said.

He said salaries for the bureaucracy for the entire year are disbursed in the first half, because of their priority status.

“On a cash basis, the outlays in the first half of 2010 were only slightly above 50 percent. This can be confirmed from the report of the Treasurer of the Philippines on the cash releases made during the first half of 2010.”

He said the calamity fund spending is authorized not only in anticipation of future typhoons, but also for repair and rehabilitation of damage caused by previous ones.

“Nobody can foretell the future as to when, where, and how much damage will come from typhoons and other calamities,” he said.

Lagonera said in 2010, the government still had to repair the damage left behind by typhoons “Ondoy,” “Pepeng,” and “Frank” the previous years.