Senators seek accountability over P1.4-T in projects flagged as stalled, idle
MANILA, Philippines — Two senators on Thursday said government agencies should be held accountable for P1.44 trillion in infrastructure projects flagged by the Commission on Audit as delayed, abandoned and idle.
"We have P1.44 trillion funds for various infrastructures sitting somewhere while thousands of families have no homes and food this Christmas," Senate Minority Leader Franklin Drilon said.
"We have these mammoth funds for projects that are stalled for years while the government is saying it is scrimping on funds to provide immediate aid to typhoon-affected cities, municipalities and provinces."
In its consolidated annual financial report for national government agencies for 2020, COA said various infrastructure projects implemented by 17 agencies "were either not executed in accordance with the plan, with noted deficiencies, not completed on time [or] not completed at all, which may result in waste of government funds or delayed enjoyment of project benefits."
"This is sheer delinquency and criminal neglect," Drilon, a former justice and executive secretary, stressed. "What a total waste of public funds."
He added that the 17 flagged agencies could face administrative and criminal complaints.
Sen. Panfilo Lacson, a candidate for president, in a separate statement, said the Office of the Ombudsman, the Department of Justice, the National Bureau of Investigation and the Philippine National Police should "give utmost importance and attention to the regular and special [COA] audit reports if we intend to be serious in stamping out corruption in the country."
"So much is lost to corruption, oftentimes committed with impunity by shenanigans who continue to laugh their way to the banks while we, the taxpaying public, are left with the proverbial empty bag," he stressed. "We owe it to the next generation of Filipinos to act now with strong political will in addressing corruption."
'Realign funds to assist 'Odette' victims, procure COVID-19 vaccines'
Drilon called for the P1.44 trillion to be recalled and rechanneled to fund assistance to victims of Typhoon Odette as well as the immediate rehabilitation of the areas damaged by the storm.
"We borrow funds to cover the deficits in the budget. We borrow funds for vaccines. We have no funds for the typhoon victims," he lamented. "But the COA finds P1.44 trillion in idle funds? These funds should be immediately re-aligned to provide funds to typhoon victims."
Social, health sectors take 'backseat' to Build, Build, Build
The majority of the flagged items were Build, Build, Build projects that to be implemented by the Department of Transportation with 15 projects totaling P1.313 trillion and the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) with 3,283 projects worth P108.32 billion, among others, Drilon noted.
He went on to decry the social and economic costs caused by the stalled projects.
"Instead of using our limited funds to augment the budget for social and health service sectors, the government has devoted so much of its resources to the infrastructure and defense sectors," Drilon said. "Our social and health services took a backseat precisely to fund these infrastructure projects that the COA found delayed and idle."
"[T]he government must examine its prioritization, once and for all, because much of the spending stimulating are meant to boost the supply side, particularly the infrastructure project, and the social amelioration portion is not given the stimulus necessary in order that there can be spending on the part of the poor sector of our society brought by the pandemic." — Bella Perez-Rubio with a report from The STAR
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