- 5 hours ago
ON RECORD SA UNANG HIRIT na pinag-usapan ang mga nakitang “red flag” ng ilang civil society organizations sa 2027 national budget at tinawag pa nga itong “flood control season 2”!
Para ipaliwanag sa atin ‘yan, nakausap natin si Mary Abigail Modales, National Coordinator ng People’s Budget Coalition. Panoorin ang buong interview.
Para ipaliwanag sa atin ‘yan, nakausap natin si Mary Abigail Modales, National Coordinator ng People’s Budget Coalition. Panoorin ang buong interview.
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00:00Tila hindi tinatablan ng hiyak.
00:02This is a repeat of the flood control.
00:05What is operandi?
00:06So hindi natin prioridad ito, pero bakit natin pinapondohan?
00:09Ang budget po ay makapolitiko, hindi ito makatao.
00:19Salamat Maris.
00:21Para naman sa mga kababayan natin, saan kaya sa tingin nila dapat ilaan ang ating budget?
00:26Number one, yung health.
00:27Health namin, lalo na kaming mga senior.
00:31Kailangan nilang ibigay sa mga kailangan ng mahirap.
00:36Yung agriculture, kasi kailangan natin yun.
00:39Pangalawa yun sa mga tinatamahan ng mga sakuna, bagyo, lindol, gano'n.
00:44Magulo eh.
00:46Napakalaki, pero sa napunta?
00:48Meron ba kami?
00:53Sa health ba niyan, sa agriculture ba niyan, basta huwag sa bulsa nila?
00:56Yan, ang mga issues sa budget, ang bayan.
01:00Ihimayin natin kasama ang national coordinator ng People's Budget Coalition, Mary Abigail Modales.
01:06Abigail, good morning.
01:07Good morning, sir.
01:08Welcome sa On Record.
01:09We are On Record now.
01:11Kahapon nga, Abigail, nagkaroon ng public hearing ang Senate Committee on Finance,
01:14kasama ang mga civil society organizations.
01:17Kasama kayo, yung People's Budget Coalition.
01:19Balitaan mo kami, what can you tell us about what happened at that hearing?
01:22Ang pinaka-importante po na nangyari sa hearing na yun,
01:25na nagsilbing resource persons ang mga miyembro at representante ng civil society.
01:31Okay.
01:31Not merely observers or watchers in the budget hearing,
01:35but actual resource persons that spoke about their lived experiences and actual na mga pangyayari on the ground.
01:42First time to?
01:42So, this is the first time, after a decade, nauna actually yung the DA,
01:49nagkaroon ng budget hearing for the Department of Agriculture.
01:52Likewise, the civil society was invited as resource persons.
01:55But now, there is actual CSO engagement na all the CSOs that are,
02:00na nagbabantay sa budget were invited.
02:02Ayan, maganda.
02:02It's a step in the right direction, Ika nga.
02:05Pero, Abigail, primarily, ang kino-callout ng People's Budget Coalition,
02:09nakasentro dito sa, ito po ah, 7,054 projects na isiningit doon sa house version,
02:16ito yung mga insertions, nagkakahalaga P190 billion pesos.
02:20Tell us about this, Abigail.
02:21Hindi ho natin sinasabi dito na lahat ng insertion ay senyales ng corruption.
02:27Pero, kailan ba ito nagiging red flag at bakit yung fina-flag?
02:30And, klarong-klaro na isa siyang red flag kapag kamukha na siya na nangyari ng flood control noong 2024.
02:37Okay.
02:37And ito yung same modus na ginawa nila, Zaldico, tsaka Speaker Romualdez,
02:43na nag-insert kasi nag-insert ng mga bagong proyekto.
02:46Wala sa National Expenditure Program.
02:48Pero paglabas ng house version of the budget,
02:51ang daming insertions na una, walang demand.
02:53Walang demand doon sa komunidad para sa infrastructure project na ito.
02:57Second, walang publicly listed or publicly available documents detailing the project specifications.
03:04Whereas, when the DPWH proposed their budget for this year,
03:08kumpleto, they released it, they launched a new website or a portal kung saan mo makikita.
03:14And now, the DPWH budget is mangled.
03:16Kasi nag-insert na na, nag-insert without seeing the specified details for this project.
03:22So, ibig sabihin, kung baga nagbabudget tayo, limitado ang budget ng bansa eh.
03:27So, hindi natin prioridad ito, pero bakit natin pinapondohan?
03:30Tama.
03:30Yung mga proyektong yan, ano?
03:32And, sobrang limited na nga ng fiscal space natin.
03:34We have 16% allocation room or fiscal space.
03:38Ito yung porsyento ng budget na pwede mong ibigay sa social protection,
03:43where we can decide where it goes.
03:45Kasi may mga loans tayo, meron tayong mga automatic appropriations.
03:49But, with the limited fiscal space, nagdagdag pa sila ng insertions.
03:53And after the insertions ng Barcy sa house budget,
03:57we only have around 7.5% na lang sa budget room.
04:01Ito na, pag-uusapan na rin ang red flag, sabi Gail.
04:03Bago pa yan, nung isang linggo,
04:05pumarap yung PBC sa budget hearing ng DA,
04:07kung saan tinawag din yung red flag ang ilang farm-to-market roads.
04:10Ito yung medyo nakakatawa eh.
04:12Karamihan po sa mga coordinates kasi,
04:13hindi existing sa agricultural land,
04:16or worse,
04:17nasa dagat.
04:18Tell us more about this.
04:20Ito po, ilang mga specific examples.
04:22Sige, go ahead.
04:23Meron tayong nakita na 23 million project in Nueva Ecija.
04:28Dapat na doon siya,
04:28pero ang coordinates niya nasa Benham Rise.
04:31We also saw a 30 million road project sa Cebu,
04:35pero ang coordinates niya nasa Celebesi.
04:37And meron din project sa Quezon Province
04:40worth 55 million pesos na nasa malapit sa Brunei.
04:44And these are just some of the findings that we found.
04:47Sa ano pa lamang po,
04:48ito, farm-to-market roads.
04:49We also had projects in DPWH
04:51na ang coordinates na sa labas din ng Pilipinas.
04:53Okay.
04:54Ang naging paliwanag dito ng DA,
04:58ay po lang,
04:59baka naman nagkamali sa pang-type ng coordinates.
05:01I'm sure there's an explanation to this.
05:04Are you buying that explanation?
05:05Una po ay buwis natin ang ginagamit dito sa budget na ito.
05:08Walang lugar ang typo sa mga budget documents.
05:11Okay.
05:11Pangalawa,
05:12national expenditure program pa lamang.
05:14Nandun na po yung proyekto sa Nueva Ecija
05:16at saka Quezon Province.
05:18Had they opened the doors to civil society
05:20during the budget engagement process in the house,
05:23they would have known that these are the wrong coordinates.
05:26But,
05:27they closed the doors to civil society
05:29and they refused to see our findings.
05:32May binabanggit po nila na,
05:33sige po,
05:34pag-usapan natin,
05:35pag-usapan daw namin ngayon
05:36kung ano yung mga programa na ito.
05:39But,
05:39even before the Senate budget process,
05:42we've been knocking on their doors
05:43because these are our findings,
05:45but they refused to listen.
05:47Ayan,
05:47dito kayo ngayon,
05:48bibigyan namin kayo ng tablado
05:49dahil,
05:50again,
05:51we are not accusing anybody of anything,
05:53pero may mga tanong po eh.
05:54May mga tanong po,
05:55pera po ng bahay nito,
05:56pakigyan niyo po sana yung tanong
05:58at binibigyan din namin kayo
05:59ng pagkakataon na sagutin
06:00itong mga tanong ng mga kababayan natin.
06:02Itong tinukuin ninyong red flag
06:04sa may mga insertion,
06:05tinatawag itong,
06:06tinatawag itong posible
06:08na flood control season 2.
06:10How do you mean this
06:11and how should we prevent this
06:13kung sakaling it's turning out to be like that?
06:15It's about to become
06:17a flood control season 2
06:19because they have,
06:21they went against the
06:23proposed budget of the DPWH.
06:25The agency has spent its time
06:28and effort
06:28to make sure
06:29that there is a cleaner
06:31DPWH budget.
06:32Wala pong pinalusot
06:33ang DBM dyan.
06:35Pinakita,
06:36binantayan nila
06:37ano yung mga
06:37specified list
06:39of allocation
06:40and
06:40kung saan mga lugar ito.
06:43But,
06:43when it went to the
06:45House of Representatives
06:46na budget,
06:47ang dami po nilang binawas
06:48from the original proposal
06:49of the agency,
06:50ang dami po nilang binagdag
06:51na mga local infrastructure
06:53and softport
06:54na tiyatawag po namin
06:55mga ayuda.
06:56So,
06:57that's why this is a repeat
06:58of the flood control
06:59because similar
07:01modus operandi
07:02from the previous flood control.
07:04Bigyan natin
07:04ng benefit of the doubt.
07:06Baka sabihin ng congressman,
07:08distrito ko to eh.
07:09Ako ang kinatawan
07:10ng mga taong ito.
07:11Mas alam ko
07:11kung anong pangangailangan nila.
07:13Then,
07:13release the demand
07:14on the infrastructure.
07:16Dapat ipakita nila
07:17na totoong may demand
07:18at pangangailangan
07:19dun sa community.
07:19Ang problema po namin,
07:21wala na nga pong
07:21publicly available documents
07:23where we can
07:24see
07:24what the project
07:26is all about.
07:26Wala pang
07:27published demand,
07:28actual need
07:29for the project.
07:30Then,
07:31we are happy
07:32to be proven wrong
07:33kung siyasabi nila
07:34na ang pangangailangan
07:36ng community
07:37o distrito nila
07:38ay totoo
07:38at existing.
07:40Then,
07:40show it.
07:41Then,
07:41they should release it
07:42and publish it.
07:43Ayan, mga kong,
07:43hindi nyo ho in-involve
07:44sa budget process eh.
07:46Gusto sana nila
07:46mag-participate.
07:48The doors were closed
07:49on them.
07:50Ito tayo ngayon.
07:51Balikan lang din natin
07:52itong breakdown
07:52ng NEP 2027
07:54versus the GAP
07:552027.
07:57Ito ho yung
07:57ano eh,
07:58ito yung proposal
07:59ng executive
08:00at yung lumabas
08:01sa house version.
08:03Pinakabalaki dyan
08:04yung in-increase
08:05yung Congress
08:06halos 18%.
08:07Anong sinasabi
08:08ng datos sa ito
08:09base sa inyong observation?
08:11Maliban po kasi
08:12sa mga insertion
08:13sa hard fork
08:14which is the
08:14infrastructure project,
08:16nagkaroon din po
08:17ng malaking insertion
08:18pagdating sa soft fork
08:20o ayuda.
08:21Sa NEP po,
08:2271.8 billion
08:23ang ayuda projects.
08:26Sa house version naman po
08:28ay 136.9 billion,
08:30higit na 60 billion
08:31in difference.
08:32So lumobo ang hard
08:34or hard fork o infrastructure,
08:36lumobo din po
08:37ang insertion sa ayuda.
08:38Kaya may malaking difference po
08:40sa Congress budget
08:41NEP versus house version.
08:43And does this have
08:44anything to do
08:45with the fact
08:46na 2027 next year,
08:48the eve of the year
08:50before the elections?
08:50Isa po sa posisyon
08:52ng koalisyon ay
08:53ang budget ko
08:54as it is
08:55ay makapolitiko.
08:56Hindi ito makatao
08:58dahil ito ay
08:59it answers to
09:00the discretion
09:02of the politicians
09:03kung saan nila
09:04o kanino nila
09:05ibibigay
09:06itong mga budget na ito.
09:07So we agree po
09:08doon sa contention
09:09na this might
09:10really be a budget
09:11that is preparing
09:12for the coming election.
09:14Punta tayo dito
09:15sa mga na-flag
09:16ng PBC na appropriations.
09:17May apat na agencies
09:19on departments
09:20kayo na Finlag
09:21DPWH, DA
09:22sa kanilang
09:23farm-to-market roads,
09:24DOH,
09:25yung health facilities
09:26at NIA irrigation.
09:27Why these four?
09:28Anong meron
09:29sa apat na to?
09:30Ang isa sa mga
09:32yung main
09:35na pagkakapare-pareho nila
09:37ay
09:37these line items
09:39pertain to
09:40hard infrastructure.
09:41So mga buildings,
09:43mga bridge,
09:44mga daanan.
09:45And we see
09:46that itong mga
09:48infrastructure na ito
09:49ay binibigyan
09:50ng prioridad
09:50over what is
09:51actually needed
09:52in this specific agency.
09:56Ihabol ko lang
09:57itong tanong na to.
09:57May mga
09:58districts,
09:59may mga
09:59certain
10:00representatives
10:01na nabigyan
10:02ng napakalalaking
10:03mga insertions,
10:04malaking increase
10:05from the NEP
10:06to the GAB.
10:07Sino-sino
10:07itong mga to?
10:08Ang unang-una po
10:10dyan,
10:10Ilocos Norte
10:111st District
10:12under Representative
10:12Ferdinand Marcos.
10:14Ang mga pangalawa po
10:15dito ay
10:15ang 2nd District
10:16Office
10:17ng South Cotabato.
10:18Nandito po si
10:19Representative Hernandez
10:20at Dibutuan.
10:21Kahit yung top 1 po
10:23natin,
10:24meron po siyang
10:25405 projects
10:26na hininsert
10:27worth
10:274.37 billion pesos.
10:30Representative
10:31Sandra Marcos,
10:32anak ng pangulo.
10:33Yes.
10:33Again,
10:33we are not
10:34accusing anybody
10:35of anything,
10:35pero again,
10:36these are
10:37legitimate questions
10:38mula po
10:39sa mga kababayan
10:40dahil pera nila
10:41ang pinag-uusapan
10:42natin dito.
10:43As a final point
10:44siguro,
10:44Abigail,
10:45let me be blunt
10:45with this question.
10:47With all these items
10:48that you are calling out,
10:49tapos binaril pa
10:50ng Korte Suprema
10:51yung walang pakundang
10:52pagsigit
10:53at paggamit
10:53ang program
10:54de appropriations,
10:55tama bang isipin ko,
10:57tama bang isipin
10:58ang mga kababayan
10:58natin na
10:59mainit-init pa nga
11:00itong flood control
11:01scandal,
11:02bitin pa yung marami
11:03sa mga napaparosahan,
11:04pero eto na naman sila,
11:06tila walang kabusugan.
11:07At ano bang pwedeng gawin
11:09ng mga kababayan natin
11:10para to keep them in check?
11:11Una,
11:14we've published
11:15all the findings
11:16of the People's Budget Coalition
11:17and bettergov.ph.
11:19Ito po ay pwedeng
11:20ma-access sa website.
11:21Just go to
11:22bettergov.ph
11:23at doon po nila
11:24makikita yung
11:25pagbabantay
11:26at analysis.
11:26Lahat po nito
11:27yung geotagging,
11:28yung locations,
11:30yung farm to ocean
11:32na coordinates
11:33na pinakita po natin
11:34kanina,
11:35they will be able
11:35to see here.
11:36At kailangan
11:37po talaga
11:38ng civil society
11:39at ng mga kababayan natin
11:40more than ever
11:41ay magbantay
11:42dahil itong mga
11:43representante natin
11:45ay tila hindi
11:45tinatabla ng hiya.
11:47Yun na lang po,
11:48yung konsensya
11:49hinahanap namin,
11:50yung hiya
11:50hinahanap namin,
11:51but really,
11:52even with our calls
11:53during the House
11:54budget process,
11:56that is our observation.
11:58They still
11:59proceeded
12:00with the insertions
12:01and what we need
12:02to do as civil society
12:03and as normal citizens
12:05ay bantay po natin
12:06sa napupunta
12:06yung buwis natin
12:07dahil
12:08botong natin to,
12:09buwis natin to,
12:10budget natin to,
12:11dapat alam natin
12:12saan napupunta.
12:12Nabanggit na ho ni Abigail
12:14kanina eh,
12:15we will be very happy
12:17to be proven wrong.
12:18Kung ano man po
12:18yung hinala namin,
12:19kung ano man yung mga
12:20tanong namin,
12:21kung masasagot ninyo,
12:22why not?
12:23Please.
12:24Ang gusto lang naman natin,
12:25yung pondo ng bayan,
12:26mapundo sa bayan.
12:28Maraming salamat,
12:29Mary Abigail Modalias,
12:30National Coordinator
12:31ng People's Budget Coalition,
12:33ang tinaguriang
12:33mga angry nerds
12:35na sila po
12:36ang tagapagmantay
12:36ng ating budget.
12:39Ang mga Asian pinag-uusapan,
12:41lilinawin at ihimayin natin
12:42on record
12:43sa unang hirin.