By Lilybeth G. Ison

At the start of deliberation for the proposed P1.645 trillion national budget for 2011 at the House of Representatives, Budget and Management Secretary Florencio Abad on Monday appealed to lawmakers to keep the P44 billion pro-poor fund allocations intact to help the government combat poverty and meet its Millennium Development Goals (MDG) target for 2015.

“Ang pakiusap namin sa mga mambabatas na kung pwede huwag na magalaw iyon lalo na na galing si Presidente sa conference on MDG. Meron tayong commitment sa mga kasamahan natin sa UN na by 2015, iyan iyong deadline ng pagtamo sa mga target sa MDG (Our appeal to the lawmakers is for them to keep intact (the pro-poor fund allocation). The President has just attended the conference on MDG and we have a commitment to our fellow nations in the United Nations to meet the deadline by 2015),” said Abad.

“Magtulungan na tayo na maabot natin iyon sa pamamagitan ng pagtitiyak na hindi mabawasan ang mga programa na makakatulong sa pagtamo ng target (Let’s help each other to reach that goal by not cutting the fund for the program),” he said.

Of the total P44 billion, some P29 billion was allocated for the conditional cash transfer (CCT) and its component programs such as the food-for-work, the barangay-based Kapit-Bisig Laban sa Kahirapan-Comprehensive and Integrated Delivery of Social Services (Kalahi-CIDSS), and the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program.

The remaining P15 billion fund was alloted for the private-public partnership (PPP) program of the government.

Abad said the government needs this fund as a counterpart amount for the investments that will come in from private investors.

With the potential investors who have expressed interest in the program, he said the government might even need to augment the P15 billion fund for PPP.

Investments in the country will mean more employment for a number of Filipinos as well as revenues for the government, he added. (PNA)
DCT/LGI

Fiscal weakness, loss of public trust and lack of popular support are the three major threats to the civil service that hamper good governance, the Civil Service Commission (CSC).

This was highlighted by former Health Undersecretary Dr. Mario M. Taguiwalo during the Consultation Workshop on Ethics and Accountability in Government conducted recently by the Civil Service Commission (CSC) at the PNP Multi-Purpose Center, Camp Crame, Quezon City.

Dr. Taguiwalo, a much sought after consultant on various developmental concerns and chairman of the Committee to Energize the Bureaucracy under the administration of then President Corazon Aquino, led a select group of 40 government executives from different agencies in discussing the prevailing issues on ethics and accountability in government.

During the event, Dr. Taguiwalo said that these threats to the civil service can be addressed if the current generation of Filipinos tails the path of ethics and accountability, or “daang matuwid”.

“Regardless of what has happened in the past and what continues to happen now, Filipinos from different sectors of society can do something to strengthen ethical accountability in the civil service,” he stressed.

He added that Filipinos themselves are the first beneficiaries of an ethically accountable civil service and are also the first victims of failure, breakdown and weakening of ethical responsibilities.

“Therefore, Filipinos have a prime interest in an ethically accountable civil service.” (PNA)

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Senator Francis “Chiz” Escudero on Monday gave President Benigno S. Aquino III a high mark in the government’s campaign against graft and corruption, four days before the President reaches 100 days in office.

”I will give him a grade of 9 out of 10 in his fight against corruption,” said Escudero, who supported the President in the May 10 national elections.

However, Escudero is not too generous to the President’s Cabinet members whom he gave only 6 to 7 passing marks.

”It cannot be denied that there are some (officials) around President Aquino who do not promote the interest of the people,” he said.

Senate Majority Floor Leader Vicente Sotto III gave President Aquino a mark of seven out of 10 while Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile said it is not his habit to grade a President of the country.

Senator Loren Legarda said it is premature to judge President Aquino’s leadership in just 100 days, calling on the Filipino people to continue their support to achieve total change in governance.

”There are so many challenges that the administration is facing right now and we want to help because the success of President Aquino is the success of the people. We don’t want to judge because it’s too early to do it. There are a lot of problems which need solution,” Legarda said. (PNA)

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