Sec. Mar Roxas thanks Luzon mayors for their statement of support to Pres. Aquino regarding DAP controversy. (CDN PHOTO/PETER ROMANILLOS)
INTERIOR Secretary Manuel Roxas yesterday said the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) will temporarily place its DAP-funded projects on hold pending final resolution of the budget scheme’s constitutionality.
Roxas, who was in Cebu, told reporters they will halt all “unobligated projects, those that have yet to undergo bidding and has yet to be awarded”.
“We will have to stop this to respect and give way to the decision of the Supreme Court. But as to finished projects, the Supreme Court said it should remain.
We just can’t tear down the classrooms or housing units,” he said.Among those affected by the move is the proposed acquisition of 900 police cars which were to be distributed to police units in various cities and municipalities nationwide.
Roxas said the DILG was allocated P4.5 billion under the Disbursement Acceleration Program (DAP). Of the amount, P2 billion will go to PNP’s modernization program.
Another P2 billion was earmarked additional subsidy to local governments in the Autonomous Region of Muslim Mindanao (ARMM).What remains of the fund, he said, was used for other “small projects.”
Based on records from the Department of Budget and Management (DBM), the DILG has allocated P253 million for its performance-based management program fund for LGUs.
Another item titled Performance Challenge Fund was earmarked P250 million.
A fund for “LGU Support” was allocated P6.5 billion, “other various local projects at P6.5 billion and a Comprehensive Peace and Development Intervention program for ARMM for P8.5 billion
Other projects that were allocated for PNP include: construction of 20 police stations for P128 million, establishment of a high profile jail facility for P20 million and replacement of dilapidated units at P27 million.
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