Makati returns P54.7M PDAF to government

MANILA, Philippines - The Makati City government on Wednesday said it has remitted to the Bureau of Treasury the amount of P54.7 million representing unutilized Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF) coursed through the city.

Makati Mayor Jejomar Erwin Binay said the remittance is in keeping with the Supreme Court decision dated November 19, 2013 declaring the PDAF as unconstitutional.

“The city government of Makati decided to remit the unutilized PDAF in compliance with the decision of our Supreme Court.  Makati is, after all, just the custodian of the fund.  The legislators are the ones who decide where they want to use their PDAF,” Binay said in a statement.

Based on the list submitted by the Makati City Treasurer to the national treasury, the unutilized PDAF came from the Office of the Vice President, former and current legislators, namely, Senator Edgardo Angara, former Senator Teresa Aquino-Oreta, former Senator Aquilino Pimentel, Senator Antonio Trillanes IV, Emeline Aglipay, Agapito Aquino, Arlene Bag-ao, Mar-Len Abigail Binay, Laarni Cayetano, Neri Javier Colmenares, Zenaida de Castro, Emerenciana de Jesus, Cinchona Gonzales, Monique Yazmin Lagdameo, Teodoro Locsin Jr., Loreta Ann Rosales, Mark Aeron Sambar, Patricia Serenas, Mariano Michael Velarde, Renee Velarde, and Joel Villanueva.

The Bureau of Treasury meanwhile has issued Official Receipt No. 4704994 dated June 13, 2014 to the city government of Makati for its check remittance amounting to  some P54.759 million in unutilized PDAF allocations.