Noy: Graft in previous administration hampering progress

BACOLOD CITY, Philippines – It seems like the ghosts of the past administration still haunts the country.

Almost two years after assuming the presidency, President Aquino said the alleged corruption of his predecessor is hampering the progress of the nation.

Aquino lambasted former President and now Pampanga Rep. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo during his speech at the Liberal Party (LP) provincial convention in Talisay City, Negros Occidental yesterday, saying his administration still uncovers problems left by the previous administration that needs to be fixed.

Among the problems that the present administration uncovered was the “Tulay ng Pangulo” program, which involves 400 anomalous bridges costing P11 billion.

Under this project, Aquino said the Arroyo administration had ordered pre-fabricated bridges from a foreign company and then determined later which bridge would be used in which area.

He said he was able get the foreign company to agree that the government would only pay for the bridges that have been used, thereby saving funds.

Aquino added that the contract for the said bridge projects was signed on June 28, 2010, two days before he assumed the presidency on June 30.

The President also took the occasion to enumerate the gains of his administration.

He said the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) is now better equipped and the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) is now better prepared to respond to those affected by calamities.

He added that the National Housing Authority (NHA) also targets the completion of 8,000 houses by August to be occupied by residents from calamities-stricken areas.

Aquino said the Department of Agriculture has announced that the country will not only be self-sufficient in rice by 2013 but will export rice next year. The country was importing 1.3 million tons of rice before.

“As for the conditional cash transfer program that had only 800,000 members in the previous administration, it now has three million families as members as of last March,” he said, adding that he is looking at 4.6 million poor families to benefit from the program.

Aquino, who is LP chairman, administered oaths to 230 new party members composed of incumbent government officials and sectoral groups on the last day of the LP convention yesterday.

He was accompanied by Transportation and Communications Secretary Manuel “Mar” Roxas III, LP president; Sen. Franklin Drilon, LP vice chairman; Interior and Local Government Secretary Jesse Robredo, LP executive vice president; Deputy Speaker and Quezon Rep. Lorenzo Tañada III and former Akbayan party-list Rep. Risa Hontiveros.