Senators question P26.7 billion ‘ayuda’ fund

MANILA, Philippines — About P26.7 billion worth of financial assistance under the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) was questioned by senators yesterday during the continuation of a public hearing on the people’s initiative or PI.

Sen. Imee Marcos, who presided over the probe by the committee on electoral reforms and people’s participation, said she was surprised to learn of the P26.7-billion Ayuda Kita sa Kapos program. The DSWD said AKAP was not in the national expenditure program.

Marcos said a text message she received stated that “all soft projects including AKAP must go through the office of the Speaker, AKAP, AICS, TUPAD, MAIP for the PI and other efforts.”

Marcos, who sponsored the DSWD budget for 2024, was referring to Assistance to Individuals in Crisis Situations (AICS), Tulong Panghanapbuhay sa Ating Disadvantaged/Displaced Workers (TUPAD) and the Medical Assistance to Indigent Patients (MAIP) programs.

There was no immediate comment from Speaker Martin Romualdez.

“I understood AKAP was under the DSWD budget. If you recall, in the Senate, I handle the DSWD budget. But like the Comelec’s mysterious additional P12 billion, this P26.7 billion in the budget of the DSWD is alien to me,” Marcos said.

Sen. JV Ejercito said he was also surprised to hear about AKAP, a program unknown to senators who deliberated on the General Appropriations Act of 2024.

DSWD Undersecretary Fatima Aliah Dimaporo said that “AKAP is just as foreign to us.”

“It is not an exclusive project or program for Congress, but it is technically foreign in the sense that it has no guidelines yet, so it does not exist as a program,” Dimaporo said when asked by Sen. Ronald dela Rosa if Congress decided to fund the project or if the DSWD requested it.

When Marcos asked whether AKAP was included in the national expenditure program, Dimaporo replied, “No.”

“Do we allot enormous sums of money such as this almost P27 billion for a project or a program that is undefined, unnamed, unfamiliar with no guidelines whatsoever with no target beneficiaries, and is just left open? Is this the usual practice in the DSWD?” Marcos further pressed.

“Not necessarily, so sometimes DSWD has these magical projects that no one has ever heard of before?” she further said.

Budget and Management Secretary Amenah Pangandaman told The STAR that the P26.7-billion AKAP in the 2024 budget has no IRR yet.

“This is another cash subsidy program of the DSWD for those impacted by the country’s rising inflation. All other programs likened to ayuda has already been comprehensively released,” the DBM secretary explained.

PIRMA donors not ID’d

People’s Initiative for Modernization and Reform Action (PIRMA) lead convenor Noel Oñate said they will not name the donors who shelled out money to fund the P55-million “EDSA pwera” television advertisement because of privacy concerns, adding that these contributors have decided to withdraw and take back their donations.

“Our contributors are invoking their right to privacy… they were concerned about their privacy and security,” Oñate said as Marcos pressed him for the list of donor names. He said P27.5 million of the P55 million came from him and only half came from donations.

“There is no issue on security and privacy. It should be a pride as committed citizens; you are advocating constitutional change. It should be an activity they take pride and honor  in,” Marcos reminded Oñate.

Sen. Risa Hontiveros maintained the need to release the list of the names of donors like political candidates who are required to submit statements of contributions and expenditures after the end of the election period.

Also during the hearing, Marcos revealed that PIRMA has been non-existent for 20 years, based on records at the Securities and Exchange Commission.

Holding documents, Marcos asked Katrina Jean Miranda of the SEC if “PIRMA no longer exists as of Feb. 10, 2004?” and Miranda replied, “Yes madam chair, certificate of registration revoked since Feb. 10, 2004.”

Miranda said that PIRMA was registered on March 12, 1997 and “they have not submitted any reportorial requirement with the SEC based on records.”

The SEC officer also added that Noel Oñate, Atty. Anthony Abad and even the counsels appearing at the Senate hearing were not listed as officers in the SEC records.

For her part, Sen. Nancy Binay pressed PIRMA to reveal its organizational structure, as she reiterated that a people’s initiative campaign could not be undertaken without a working organization.

“Maybe just for submission, because for this type of initiative there needs to be an organizational chart, right? So maybe we can ask Mr. Oñate or Atty. Abad, what is your organizational set up when it comes to the people’s initiative,” said Binay.

“For example, here in Caloocan, in NCR: a certain proponent, Jose Isagani Gonzales, is this Gonzales a member of your group?” she asked.

Meanwhile, Alex Avisado, Oñate’s counsel, said that Red Tuazon, who is in charge of operations for PIRMA, would be able to answer all questions on PIRMA personnel and volunteers.

Hearings outside Metro Manila

The Senate is considering to hold public hearings on the effort to amend the economic provisions of the 1987 Constitution outside Metro Manila, according to Sen. Sonny Angara.

Angara, who is leading the Senate sub-committee on constitutional amendments on Charter change, said public hearings outside the Senate premises would help facilitate wider participation and representation in the ongoing debates.

The senator disclosed that Senate President Juan Miguel Zubiri was open to the idea of holding hearings in the Visayas and Mindanao. He further proposed potential locations for these hearings, including cities such as Cagayan de Oro, Cebu, Iloilo or Bacolod.

Angara, however, emphasized the need to consult senators and ensure their availability to avoid wasted efforts and maximize the effectiveness of future hearings by seeking input from all stakeholders.

Workers vs Cha-cha

Workers are joining forces with religious and other sectors in forming a coalition against Charter change to be launched today, dubbed Koalisyon Laban sa Chacha.

The coalition comprises more than 30 member groups committed to upholding the Constitution and opposing any forms of Charter change, especially those that aim to “deceive and undermine the will of the people.”

Workers belonging to the Nagkaisa labor coalition, which will be part of Koalisyon Laban sa Chacha, marched to the Senate yesterday to voice out their objection against Cha-cha.

Cause-oriented groups are set to hold a nationwide campaign against efforts to amend the 1987 Constitution through a people’s initiative.

The groups will hold a press conference tomorrow in Makati, where they will declare their opposition to Charter change.

Bagong Alyansang Makabayan president Renato Reyes said they will also discuss details of their activities for the anniversary of the Edsa

People Power Revolution on Feb. 25.

Among the other organizations expected to attend are representatives from the Movement Against Tyranny, National Council of Churches of the Philippines, Catholic Educators Association of the Philippines, Caritas/NSSA, Episcopal Church in the Philippines, United Church of Christ in the Philippines, Bunyog ng Pagkakaisa, Sanlakas, Federation of Free Workers, Kilusang Mayo Uno, Alliance of Genuine Labor Organizations, Ugnayan ng Manggagawa sa Agrikultura, National Union of Students of the Philippines, Gabriela, Pinaghiusa IP Network, Kilusang Magbubukid ng Pilipinas, 1Sambayan and No to Cha-cha Coalition.

Resilience, flexibility

Amending the Constitution’s restrictive economic provisions would help build the country’s resilience to future shocks, the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) said.

In an interview aired over PTV4, NEDA Undersecretary Rosemarie Edillon said the agency sees the need to amend the restrictive economic provisions of the 1987 Constitution to allow flexibility in responding to future shocks.

The NEDA also sees the need to open certain sectors like education to allow the economy to continue to grow.

“If we can fix that, we can attract especially the kind of investment like high paying jobs, what we call high quality jobs. This will be one of our big edge over many countries,” she said.

While there is a move to amend the Constitution’s restrictive economic provisions, making it easier for businesses to start operations in the country and improving the quality of labor and infrastructure remain vital to attracting foreign investments, GlobalSource Partners country analysts former Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas deputy governor Diwa Guinigundo and Wilhelmina Manalac said in a media brief.

No more brain drain

The infusion of massive foreign capital made possible by amending the prohibitive economic provisions in the 1987 Constitution could generate jobs so that Filipinos will no longer have to leave their families behind for greener pastures abroad, Marikina 2nd District Rep. Stella Luz Quimbo said yesterday.

“Now, we all know that our kababayans leave their families, their spouses and children, only because of the absence of local jobs here. The scarcity of local employment simply means there’s not enough capital,” she explained.

“So, the opening up of our economy by way of, again, signaling to the world that we are already a flexible economy – that has always been our problem, the restrictive economic provisions in our Constitution, as compared to other countries,” Quimbo asserted.

Rep. Joey Salceda, chairman of the ways and means committee of the House of Representatives, underscored the importance of updating several provisions in the Constitution.

Salceda also said that while Congress has amended certain laws, these changes were insufficient to attract foreign investors because of restrictions in the Constitution. — Mayen Jaymalin, Emanuel Tupas, Louella Desiderio, Delon Porcalla, Sheila Crisostomo