Nograles allays fears on misuse of stimulus package

MANILA, Philippines Some lawmakers led by Speaker Prospero Nograles on Tuesday branded as baseless Senator Manny Villars fear that the multibillion-peso economic stimulus package in the 2009 budget maybe used by the administration to "buy" support for moves to amend the 1987 Constitution. Nograles in a text message to media said that Villars apprehension has no basis at all. As a senator, he has enough staff and power to look into how the funds for stimulus are spent. We need the stimulus more than the criticism or the speculations about it," Nograles said. For his part, Isabela Rep. Giorgidi Aggabao, vice chair of the House Committee on Constitutional Amendments, said its too early to speculate on the economic stimulus package, as it has yet to take shape. (It's) too early to say because we do not yet know the exact form of the plan. Will it come in the form of more government spending in infrastructures? Will it be in cash aid to the poor? Will it be in tax cuts? Neither form nor substance of the plan is certain yet," he said. Northern Samar Rep. Paul Daza said that projects intended to help the poor should push through with or without Charter change. At least in Samar, we have already identified national priority projects that remain to be fully-funded. Whether Cha-cha happens or not, we are pushing for these projects," said Daza who admitted signing the resolution seeking the convening of Congress as a Constituent Assembly. Meanwhile, Cavite Rep. Elpidio Barzaga asked politicians aspiring to become president on 2010 elections not to politicize the stimulus package. If projects will prime up the economy, why stop them? We should draw the line on politics and not equate every act of President Arroyo to Cha-cha. Let's look at the issues squarely and weigh the economic benefits to our people. This is the only way we could move forward," he said. - Fidel Jimenez, GMANews.TV