Santiago clarifies stance on PDAF realignment

This is to clarify some details in the news item titled “9 senators realign P1.8-billion pork” by TJ Burgonio and Gil Cabacungan (Front Page, 1/9/14).

The news article failed to mention that, in keeping with the recent Supreme Court decision on the Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF), Sen. Miriam Defensor-Santiago submitted her proposed budget amendment to the Senate committee on finance, transferring all the appropriations culled from the PDAF and then distributed by the House of Representatives to other agencies, such as the Department of Public Works and Highways, Department of Health, Department of Social Welfare and Development, Department of Interior and Local Government, Technical Education and Skills Development Authority, and Commission on Higher Education, to the Calamity and Contingent Funds.

She also proposed that under the Calamity Fund, another special provision should be included, setting aside P10 billion for the relief, rehabilitation and reconstruction of the provinces, cities and municipalities affected by the Bohol-Cebu earthquake and Supertyphoon “Yolanda.”

With regard to her own PDAF, she categorically said in one of her letters to Sen. Francis Escudero, chair of the Senate committee on finance, that she is against the PDAF in “any manner, shape, form, or under any name.”

—TOM TOLIBAS,

public affairs and media relations officer,

Office of Sen. Miriam Defensor-Santiago