Group hits P-Noy's 'anti-poor' fund

MANILA, Philippines - Militant groups on Monday said the P20-billion fund to fight poverty in the country is anti-poor and will only worsen  patronage politics as projects will be carried out by local government officials identified with the ruling Aquino party in Malacañang.

The groups, led by fisherfolk organization Pamalakaya, criticized the anti-poverty program Bottoms-Up-Budget of President Benigno Aquino III, alleging that the fund to be allocated to local government units of the country's poorest provinces would result in further corruption.

"For President Aquino the intention is not to help the poor, but to maintain the political support of local government officials to ruling Liberal Party. The P 20 billion BUB program is a trade off in exchange of local officials' support to Mr. Aquino in the next three years or until 2016," Pamalakaya vice chairperson Salvador France said.

He added that the BUB program will usher an intensified era of patronage and blackmail politics at the local level, because local execs identified with Aquino will use the money to buy political loyalty and support.

Budget Secretary Florencio Abad Jr. said the projects to be funded by the P20- billion anti-poverty program include projects for pre-schools, health centers, water supplies, reforestation and flood mitigation.  He said the anti-poverty programs to be funded by BUB funds will be decided from the ground instead of being dictated from the top.

Abad said the program would be carefully planned by a local poverty reduction action team to be composed mostly of civil society organizations and chaired by Interior and Local Government Secretary Mar Roxas II.

"It is good thing Secretary Abad mention the name of Secretary Roxas. Now it is clear to us, the BUB project is in preparation for the presidential bid of Mar in 2016," France said. - Dennis Carcamo