Zubiri, Romualdez agree on ceasefire; Imee sets probe
MANILA, Philippines — Sen. Imee Marcos knew about the P26.7 billion allocated for the Ayuda sa Kapos ang Kita program (AKAP) under the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) as she signed the bicameral conference committee report when the Senate approved the 2024 national budget.
This was the assertion of members of the House of Representatives yesterday in defense of Speaker Martin Romualdez amid accusations that the cash assistance program for the “near-poor” was at his beck and call.
Senior House Deputy Speaker Aurelio Gonzales Jr. showed Congress reporters a copy of the page where the senator affixed her signature in the bicameral conference report containing funds for AKAP.
“AKAP is part of the 2024 national budget. The Senate gave its stamp of approval when it passed the then proposed P5.768-trillion outlay for this year in plenary last Nov. 28,” Gonzales recalled.
Media reports showed 21 senators voted “yes” in the plenary for the national budget, with one abstention and no negative vote.
Marcos, who defended the DSWD budget for 2024 in the Senate, said she did not notice the item as she pointed out that her signature on the document was electronic, and there was no proper discussion about AKAP during the bicameral conference.
She said she would set a separate probe on the issue.
Gonzales said the Senate ratified the bicameral conference report on the budget, which was signed by committee members led by finance panel chairman Sen. Sonny Angara and his counterpart, House appropriations committee chairman and Ako Bicol party-list Rep. Zaldy Co.
Reps. Geraldine Roman of Bataan, Raul Angelo Bongalon of Ako Bicol and Rodge Gutierrez of 1-Rider party-list appealed to Marcos to stop maligning the Speaker and “putting political color” into the project, whose implementation will be carried out by the executive, and not legislative, department.
For his part, Co has confirmed the existence of such fund, but denied insinuations the program has been re-directed toward the people’s initiative, whose signature verification process has since been archived by the Commission on Elections.
Announced by the House leadership in November 2023, the AKAP was specifically designed to provide a one-time, P5,000 cash assistance to Filipino families affected by global inflation and the surge in commodity prices.
The DSWD, meantime, also confirmed AKAP is one of its cash assistance programs designed for those classified in the “near poor” segment in order to prevent their spiraling below the poverty line.
Quoting Secretary Rex Gatchalian, DSWD spokesman Romel Lopez clarified this “near poor” segment includes minimum wage earners vulnerable to economic shocks such as runaway inflation that can easily send them back to poverty.
Congress Ceasefire
Senate President Juan Miguel Zubiri and Speaker Romualdez have agreed to a ceasefire after several weeks of trading barbs over the people’s initiative pushing for Congress to vote as one or jointly, diminishing the power of the Senate.
Zubiri said that he and the Speaker agreed to work professionally to stop the trading of barbs and work together to pass laws that would benefit Filipinos.
The Senate President told reporters the agreement and shaking of hands happened right in front of President Marcos during the celebration of the 100th birthday of Chief Presidential Legal Adviser Juan Ponce Enrile yesterday.
“Good news, we spoke with the Speaker earlier, we said let’s work professionally, stop the word war and let’s continue to work for the benefit of the administration for our countrymen,” he said.
“It’s not good if we always face each other and fight. So, we committed to talk to each other, hopefully next week, for a secondary meeting,” he said.
Sen. Ramon Revilla Jr. said the agreement is a good start because it is time to think about the Filipinos who are affected by the bickering of the two houses of Congress.
Imee wants Probe
Senator Marcos wants to investigate the origins of the P26.7-billion AKAP ayuda fund that was added to the DSWD’s budget for 2024.
Outlined in the 2024 budget under the DSWD, AKAP earmarks P50 billion for direct support to families earning less than P23,000 monthly, ensuring the necessary aid for those not covered by the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps) due to their income bracket.
In an interview during the Kapihan sa Maynila forum yesterday, Marcos said the DSWD should clarify where it came from and how the agency intends to use it.
“It should be explained thoroughly. Let’s find out about that P60 billion, it would be a big help to PUV (public utility vehicle) drivers. The P60 billion could help single parents,” Marcos said.
“Where does it (money) come from? How is it sourced and then DSWD, if they don’t know, how can they implement it? Even DBM (Department of Budget and Management) does not know how to release because there is no clear IRR (implementing rules and regulations), I just need clarification,” the senator added.
The copy of the 2024 national budget indicated that there was P26.7 billion for the AKAP.
A document, however, showed Marcos was one of the senators and congressmen who signed the special provisions.
“Are you sure? Everyone signed the special provisions. I will find out because we all have electronic signatures,” she added.
As chairman of the Senate committee on social justice, welfare and rural development and sponsor of the DSWD 2024 national budget, Marcos said she did not notice the amount during the Senate deliberation.
The senator also lamented that no proper discussions were done during the bicameral conference committee of the Senate and the House of Representatives, which turned out to be just a photo opportunity.
“I have no clue. We have respect for the House. We have a bicam but it ends up being picture taking. The discussion ends up in small committees. I’m just surprised why it came out in GAA (General Appropriations Act) 2024. My own committees, Comelec and DSWD, are being used,” she said.
During the continuation of a public hearing on the people’s initiative (PI), the senators questioned the P26.7 billion worth of AKAP financial assistance under the DSWD.
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 for the AKAP. The DSWD said that the 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.”
She was even more surprised by the amount of P26.7 billion allocated for it.
She noted that according to the information she obtained, there was a plan to use the program “to deliver more signatures for the people’s initiative.”
“It is said that AKAP money will be downloaded to the LGU as a reward for those who signed PI and that MOA (memorandum of agreement) stated that they will just buy rice... this is a huge prize of P60 billion. The P27-billion funds with the DSWD, we are still looking for it. Why it would be released for the bribe of PI,” Marcos said.
Questionable
The current push for Charter change (Cha-cha) is “questionable” and the Constitution is not a “political plaything,” Kidapawan Bishop Jose Colin Bagaforo, head of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines-National Secretariat on Social Action, Justice and Peace, said yesterday.
“We view attempts to alter the Constitution, especially with questionable motives and limited public participation, as threatening our nation’s well-being,” Bagaforo said in a statement yesterday.
“The 1987 Constitution is not a political plaything. It was crafted after a dark period to serve the Filipino people, upholding human dignity, human rights and the common good. We echo the CBCP’s stance: any revision must adhere to these moral principles,” he explained.
Bagaforo was one of the religious leaders who joined the coalition, made up of people’s organizations and religious groups, that is against the revived efforts to make changes in the Constitution.
The National Council of Churches in the Philippines (NCCP) also rejected the current push for Cha-cha, saying it will not help people.
“It will open up the economy to further foreign exploitation and foreign military basing. The former will further mire the people in poverty while the latter will compromise Philippine sovereignty,” said Jennifer Ferariza-Meneses, NCCP’s vice chair for women.
The coalition also believes that there is no need to amend the Constitution, but there is a need for its full implementation.
It also refuted claims of lawmakers campaigning for Cha-cha that the Constitution is to blame for chronic poverty and that its economic provisions are too restrictive on foreign investments.
Caritas Philippines executive secretary Fr. Antonio Labiao said that instead of tinkering with the Constitution, the government should focus on the eradication of corruption, protection of the environment, breaking political dynasties and ensuring electoral integrity.
Sen. Risa Hontiveros said the coalition represents the “true unity” of people’s organizations and religious groups against Cha-cha.
Aside from Caritas Philippines, co-convenors of the coalition are the K4Philippines Intercessors Movement, NCCP, Tindig Pilipinas, Nagkaisa Labor Coalition and Akbayan Youth. – Cecille Suerte Felipe, Evelyn Macairan