AdDU hosts forum on Good Governance

The Ateneo de Davao University hosted a forum on Good Governance dubbed as “NahuliDAP ang Pork” last October 20 at the Finster Hall Auditorium.

Former National Treasurer of the Philippines, Prof. Leonor Briones served as the main resource speaker highlighting the issue of Disbursement Acceleration Program (DAP) and the background behind its distribution to different legislators.

Briones said people must keep watch of the legislators to avoid the same abuse when the Pork Barrel Scam came out in the open.

“The legislators are public servants. Meaning they are our servants. We must be watchful in their quarters,” Briones said referring to the House of Congress and House of Senate.

She also explained that the three branches of the Government namely: the Executive headed by the President, the Legislative or Congress and Senate, and the Judiciary headed by the Supreme Court are co-equal in their power and responsibility that’s why they will check and balance in the implementation of laws concerning the appropriations of government funds sourced from taxes.

It can be remembered that the Supreme Court has declared DAP as unconstitutional, earning the ire of the President himself who asked for a Motion for Reconsideration for that matter.

Briones said DAP was distributed in a non-democratic process. The president decides and the congressmen received the DAP from the so-called ‘savings’ in the appropriations of the national budget to accelerate spending and improve the economy.

But, she added it is difficult to identify who is accountable in the distribution of DAP since the legislators are saying they do not know where DAP is coming from and they only accepted it without identifying the source.

Briones said the DAP was used by legislators to put up establishments like hospital buildings, school buildings, among others in their districts but the funds used were supposed to be used for same projects from other agencies and districts thus depriving them of what is due to them.

Briones asked the audience present to be vigilant especially that congress is passing the 2015 national budget which will include DAP in a different ‘definition’.

“It is a challenge for us. Let us keep watch,” she said. (@johnfrancesf)