Aquino checking Arroyo’s calamity fund use

The Aquino government is now figuring out how the previous administration already used almost 70 percent of the country's P2 billion calamity fund for 2010. Budget Secretary Florencio Abad said Friday about P1.4 billion of fund had already been used in the first half of the year. “Nagtataka kami kung bakit ganun lang kalaki yung inilaan para sa calamity fund samantalang ngayon pa lang tayo pumapasok sa panahon ng tag-ulan at baha (We are wondering why the amount is that big considering we are just entering the season of rains and floods)," he said in a television interview with GMA’s Arnold Clavio. Based on a report received by his department, P1.4 billion was used to finance the rehabilitation and recovery program to address the damage caused by last year’s cyclones Ondoy (Ketsana) and Pepeng (Parma) and other typhoons that hit the country in the past years. “Ang nag natitira ay kulang kulang P600 million. Pinag-aaralan naming mabuti kung saan talaga inilaan ito (There's less than P600 million left. We are studying where to allocate this fund)," Abad said. Earlier this week, a disaster management official expressed alarm over the lack of funds to deal with cyclones expected to pass the country this year. The DBM secretary said people have the right to know where the funds went. “Kailangan din naman na ipaalam sa mga mamamayan dahil maraming nagtatanong. Noong bumagyo ng malakas e ninerbyos ang iba sa kanilang lugar at tinatanong paano kami ngayon kung sakaling biglang tamaan ng malaking kalamidad. (We have to let the citizens know because many are asking. When there was a typhoon, some became nervous, wondering how their areas would cope if a calamity happens" he said. "Dapat ipaliwanag sa kanila kung ano ang pinaglalaanan ng pondo ng gobyerno dahil pondo naman ng mamamayan yun (We have to explain it to them where the funds of the government will go because that is the fund of the people)," he said. The Aquino government is still studying how it will replenish the calamity fund without adversely affecting the budget of other agencies. “Hindi natin alam kung gaano karami, gaano kalakas at gaano kalaki ang pinsala ng mga bagyo na papasok sa taong ito. Unang bagyo pa lang ang naranasan at ayon sa PAGASA e marami pang kasunod ito (We do not know how many and how strong or how big the damage the typhoons will bring this year. This is the first typhoon and PAGASA says more are coming," Abad said. At least 18 more cyclones are expected to enter the country this year. Asked if the fund could be sourced from the Priority Development Assistance Fund or pork barrel of the lawmakers, Abad replied in affirmative. “Nabanggit ni President Aquino sa pakikipag-usap sa NDCC na merong 66 na probinsiya na panganib sa kalamidad. Siguro pwede pakiusapan magtulungan ang national at local government dito sa mga posbileng tamaan ng kalamidad (The President mentioned he spoke with the NDCC and there are 66 provinces that may be affected by calamities. Maybe we can ask the national and local government to work together when a calamity strikes)," he said. –VVP, GMANews.TV