PROJECTS / DENIED BY PALACE
[PHOTO - President Noynoy
Aquino photo: AP / Aaron
Favila]
MANILA, OCTOBER 8, 2011 (STAR) by Christine F.
Herrera - Canceled rehabilitation work could have spared Bulacan and other
typhoon-devastated areas from damage from Pedring and Quiel, opposition lawmaker
says
THE opposition tore into President Benigno Aquino III on Thursday for
canceling P1.9 billion in Japanese-funded flood-control projects in 2010 that
could have reduced the typhoon damage suffered by Bulacan, Nueva Ecija, Nueva
Vizcaya, Pampanga, Pangasinan and his own home province of Tarlac.
"Had the flood control projects not been capriciously canceled on the sole
fact that they were initiated by the previous administration, then the recent
flooding could have been prevented or mitigated," House Deputy Minority Leader
Danilo Suarez said.
He demanded in a resolution that the House investigate the cancellation of
the projects in the areas hardest hit by typhoons Pedring and Quiel.
Of the P1.9-billion financing, P934.1 million was earmarked to prevent or
ease the impact of floods in Bulacan, Nueva Ecija, Nueva Vizcaya, Tarlac,
Pampanga and Pangasinan, and in the provinces hosting dams.
In 2009, shortly after the onslaught of Tropical Storm Ondoy and Typhoon
Peping, the Arroyo administration negotiated a loan with the Japan International
Cooperation Agency to rehabilitate the flood-control facilities in the affected
provinces.
"The Aquino administration said the P1.9- billion loan contract was
expensive," Suarez said.
"So it canceled the projects without even considering the impact of its
decision."
Suarez said the P1.9 billion that the government would have spent paled in
comparison to the estimated P9.5 billion in damage to agriculture and
infrastructure caused by the two latest typhoons.
The typhoon-stricken areas that the President visited on Wednesday, including
his home province Tarlac, were the same areas where he had canceled
flood-control projects, Suarez said.
He said Moncada and Bamban in Tarlac were supposed to get P32 million for
flood control, while Hagonoy and Calumpit in Bulacan were supposed to receive
P41 million. San Jose del Monte, also in Bulacan, where the President spent
three minutes in an evacuation center, was supposed to receive P9 million.
Pangasinan, site of the San Roque Dam, was allocated P319.4 million with
Asingan getting P91.4 million and San Manuel P228 million.
Some P198 million was allocated for Pampanga, with Arayat getting P77
million; Candaba, P78 million; Floridablanca, P27 million; and Guagua and Lubao,
P16 million.
Nueva Vizcaya was allocated P96 million, with P68.6 million earmarked for
Bambang and Kapaya and Dupax getting P27.4 million.
Nueva Ecija was supposed to receive P37 million, Aliaga P18 million, and
Bungabon and San Leonardo P19 million.
Zambales was alloted P61.5 million, with San Felipe and Iba getting P42.5
million and San Marcelino P19 million.
The other provinces hit by Ondoy and Peping in 2009, such as the Cordillera
Administrative Region, Ilocos Norte, Cagayan and Batangas, also were covered by
the flood-control projects that Mr. Aquino canceled.
Suarez cited in his resolution a July 28, 2010 press release that said Public
Works Secretary Rogelio Singson canceled 19 negotiated post-Ondoy rehabilitation
projects worth P934.1 million.
The 19 were part of the 139 projects, or 42 contract packages, financed by
the Japanese loan for the urgent rehabilitation of flood-control facilities
worth P1.9 billion nationwide.
"Let us see how the Aquino government would explain the impact of the
cancellation of the JICA projects," Suarez told the Manila Standard.
"In its wish to save money, the government incurred more damage to crops and
infrastructure, not to mention costing lives, by ignoring the benefits that the
flood-control projects would bring.
FROM PHILIPPINE STAR
Palace denies canceling flood control projects By
Aurea Calica (The Philippine Star) Updated October 07, 2011 12:00 AM Comments
(118)
MANILA, Philippines - Malacañang yesterday denied allegations the Aquino
administration canceled 19 projects meant to mitigate flooding and which Quezon
Rep. Danilo Suarez wanted the House of Representatives to investigate.
Presidential spokesman Edwin Lacierda said the administration, particularly
President Aquino, could not be blamed for the massive flooding that was caused
by typhoons "Pedring" and "Quiel" last week.
Suarez urged a congressional investigation over allegations that the
President canceled several urgent flood control projects that could have
prevented or minimized flooding in Central Luzon.
Suarez said the 19 projects that were stopped had approved negotiated
contracts which were started after typhoons "Ondoy" and "Pepeng" had flooded
Metro Manila and nearby provinces in 2009.
The total cost of the projects was P934.1 million, and were part of the 139
projects or 42 contract packages funded by the Japan International Cooperation
Agency (JICA) loan for the urgent rehabilitation of flood control facilities
costing P1.9 billion, Suarez said.
According to Suarez, Public Works Secretary Rogelio Singson himself confirmed
the cancellation of the projects in a press release of the department on July
28, 2010.
Because of this, the House of Representatives is set to investigate the
revocation of the projects and look into the "effects of the cancellation of the
post Ondoy and Pepeng short-term infrastructure rehabilitation projects
(POPSTRIP) on the flood control program of the government," Suarez said.
"One cannot help but think that if these projects were not capriciously
canceled on the sole fact that they were initiated by the previous
administration, then the recent flooding could have been prevented or
mitigated," he said.
Lacierda stressed there was no truth to allegations that Singson canceled the
19 projects. He said the projects in fact proceeded.
"What was canceled by Secretary Singson were the 19 negotiated contracts.
What was changed was the mode of procurement – what Secretary Singson did was to
cancel them and opened them for public bidding," he said.
Lacierda said the projects had been bidded out. "Some of the projects have
been completed and some are still ongoing. In fact, we saved around over a
billion pesos on those projects," he said.
"In any event, Secretary Singson is ready to present the details and the
documentation on that," Lacierda said.
Lacierda said some lapses were found in the negotiated contracts so they were
just corrected. "What Secretary Singson did was to make sure that it was
properly done," he said.
Lacierda said they wanted to make sure that the projects are lawful and
properly done.
Another lawmaker, Kabataan party-list Rep. Raymond Palatino, scored Aquino
for vetoing the disaster preparation allocation in the P5-billion calamity fund
for 2011. – With Paolo Romero
Chief News Editor: Sol Jose Vanzi
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