I am concerned with the impression made by news reports that the Makabayan bloc, of which I am a member, is involved in the implementation of an irregular National Dairy Authority (NDA) project.
In the NDA report, it is indicated that my office was allotted P2,496,000 worth of milk feeding grants. But the bidding procedure problems cited by the Commission on Audit (Table 14–Procurements from Non-small Farmers/Dairy Cooperatives without Public Bidding) can be traced to NDA executives only. My office was never a part of the bidding process and, in fact, was not shared any information related to the process.
We were asked to identify schools/beneficiaries for the milk-feeding program of the NDA. We identified the beneficiaries of the NDA allotment: two schools in Central Luzon, namely Gueco Elementary School in Angeles City, and Iram Elementary School in Olongapo City.
In the first week of July 2013, the NDA informed my office that the program was going to start and I attended its launching
on July 24, 2013.
I take this opportunity to clarify that my office was unaware that the allocation for the project came from the Disbursement Acceleration Program or DAP. My
office was merely told that the project was only one of the many NDA projects for implementation. After I became aware of the seeming irregularity as to the source of the funds for the project, I immediately wrote the NDA, telling them my office was upholding the Supreme Court decision on the DAP and that we were no longer going to pursue the project meant for a school in Sorsogon. The NDA has the documents on the project’s implementation and our subsequent pullout from the program.
I hope this erases any impression that I was involved in the implementation of an NDA project that the COA found irregular. I stand firm with the Makabayan position that the DAP is unconstitutional and the biggest fund management irregularity of this administration.
—REP. EMMI DE JESUS,
Gabriela Women’s Party