MULING binakbakan ni Pangulong Benigno Aquino III ang Korte Suprema hinggil sa naging desisyon nito na unconstitutional ang ilang bahagi ng Disbursement Acceleration Program (DAP).
Sa idinaos na Daylight Dialogue sa Heroes Hall, Malakanyang ay muling ipinamukha ni Pangulong Aquino sa SC ang magulo at nakakalito nitong desisyon sa DAP lalo pa’t hindi man lamang pinag-ukulan ng pansin ang Administrative Code of 1987.
“The Supreme Court decision is deeply unsettling, not only because our honorable justices failed to take into consideration all our legal bases for DAP, but also and more importantly because their ruling will have a chilling effect on our economy—and consequently on millions of Filipinos,” ayon sa Punong Ehekutibo.
Binigyang-diin ni Pangulong Aquino na nakakahiya aniyang isipin na nagdesisyon ang SC sa isang usapin na malaki ang naitutulong sa ekonomiya ng bansa at sa kanyang mga boss.
Idagdag pa na hindi man lamang naisip ng mga mahistrado na sa kanilang naging desisyon sa DAP ay inilalagay nila sa state of paralysis ang bansa.
“Imagine: From 1990 to 1999, our average GDP growth was 2.8% from 2000 to 2009, it was at 4.5%. Under our watch, from 2010 to 2013, it shot up to 6.3%. They say that, for a country to lift itself out of poverty, it is necessary to have a growth rate consistent at 7% or more. We are getting there. Unfortunately, the effects of the Supreme Court decision run the risk of putting our country’s development in a state of paralysis—or worse, reversing the massive progress we have already made,” ayon sa Chief Executive.
Pinasaringan nito ang Korte Suprema na hindi ito katanggap-tanggap dahil bahagi ng mandato ng ehekutibong sangay ng pamahalaan ang mabigyan ng maayos na serbisyo ang kanyang mga boss.
“And more importantly, that doing nothing means depriving so many Filipinos of opportunities to grow and prosper. I find it difficult to accept the decision of the Supreme Court, when it goes against the benefit our countrymen. In fact, I believe that any reasonable person confronted with the same dilemma would come up with the same solution—or even a better refinement of what we did,” ani Pangulong Aquino.
Naging mabait lamang aniya siya ng sundin niya ang desisyon ng SC sa DAP kaya’t agad niyang ipinag-utos na suspendihin ang programa at proyektong pinondohan ng DAP.
Sa naging desisyon ng SC, tila walang opisyal ng pamahalaan ang kumpiyansang makapag-bid out ng programa at proyekto.
“When the threat of a lawsuit hangs over their heads. Thus: the infrastructure projects, essential social services, and other programs funded under DAP had to be suspended. Eventually, we may be able to find the funds for these projects. It would entail going to Congress, and requesting for supplemental budgets—an already-lengthy process that may even be extended by obstructionists and oppositionists. In the short-term, the decision will have the effect of once again slowing down government spending. In the long-term, it removes our flexibility to act effectively in response to changing market conditions, and seize, or even create opportunities in doing so. It condemns us to a spiral of inefficiency, uncertainty, and lack of confidence,” anito.
Pinili ni Pangulong Aquino na tumakbo sa pagka-pangulo noong 2010 sa layuning tanggapin at harapin ang bawat hamon, gawin ang kanyang makakaya upang paunlarin ang bansa subalit hindi aniya niya suportado ang anumang ruling o kautusan na malilimitahan ang serbisyong kanyang ibinibigay sa kanyang mga boss sa mabilis na paraan.
“I am certain that this audience—composed of development experts and leaders of industry—can agree with me,” anito.
Sa kabilang dako, ayaw naman ni Pangulong Aquino na dumating sa punto na magkabanggan na ang Malakanyang at ang SC dahil sa DAP habang mamamagitan naman ang dalawang kapulungan ng Kongreso.
Nais aniya niya na makatrabaho ang co-equal branches ng government sa pagbibigay serbisyo sa taumbayan.
“That is why, I still hold the hope that our colleagues in the Supreme Court never forget that, as they display the legal prowess and acumen that has served them well in their long careers, these abilities must also serve their 98-million countrymen. After all, good governance is not just about putting an end to corruption; it is also about finding ways to accelerate the development of our people. In this,each branch of government has no other goal than that which the World Bank and Dr. Kim share: which is—and we also share—to end poverty,” anito.
Samantala, batid ng Pangulong Aquino ang panganib ng walang ginagawa para siguruhin na may pagkain sa bawat lamesa ang kanyang boss, may trabahong maibibigay sa mga ito ang pamahalaan.
“We had to act. We knew that, if we were to bring about inclusive growth sooner rather than later, we needed to be proactive and pump-prime the economy. We chose to do this through a management tool now known as the Disbursement Acceleration Program or DAP,” diing pahayag ng Pangulong Aquino.
Sa ulat, mahigit sa 50% ng P144-billion na naipalabas sa ilalim ng Disbursement Acceleration Program ay napunta sa critical agency gaya ng Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas o Central Bank, Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) at National Housing Authority (NHA).
Maging ang World Bank ay nagsabi na malaki ang naitulong ng DAP sa paglago ng ekonomiya ng bansa. Kris Jose