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Palace: DAP projects have benefited Filipinos
July 3, 2014
Presidential Spokesman Edwin Lacierda on Wednesday said projects
under the Disbursement Acceleration Program (DAP) have benefited many
Filipinos and partly boosted economic growth.
He cited as examples the Nationwide Operational Assessment of Hazards (NOAH), the Doppler radar system and school buildings projects.
Launched by the Department of Science and Technology (DOST), project NOAH is a responsive program for disaster prevention and mitigation for the country’s warning agencies to provide a six-hour lead-time warning to vulnerable communities against impending floods.
Asked by reporters whether the Palace regrets having implemented the DAP, Lacierda said: “How does one regret a decision to help thousands of people, of our countrymen? How does one regret installing a Doppler radar warning system? How does one regret the setting up of school buildings? These are noble projects which benefited the people.”
The Supreme Court, on Tuesday, declared unconstitutional some provisions of the DAP.
Citing National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) Secretary Arsenio Balisacan, Lacierda also attributed the increase in the country’s gross domestic product (GDP) partly to DAP.
Further, Lacierda stressed that the SC ruling on DAP is not a ground for impeachment of President Benigo S. Aquino III.
He said since the SC declared unconstitutional only some provisions of the DAP, “so it appears, therefore, that the entire DAP is not unconstitutional.”
“In several administrations, perhaps you can go all the way back to the time of the previous presidency, you would have certain acts declared unconstitutional,” he added.
Lacierda said the Reproductive Health (RH) Law had eight provisions declared unconstitutional.
“We have several acts that have been declared unconstitutional in the past, not just in this administration, (but) it never reached the level of impeachability,” he said.
He cited as examples the Nationwide Operational Assessment of Hazards (NOAH), the Doppler radar system and school buildings projects.
Launched by the Department of Science and Technology (DOST), project NOAH is a responsive program for disaster prevention and mitigation for the country’s warning agencies to provide a six-hour lead-time warning to vulnerable communities against impending floods.
Asked by reporters whether the Palace regrets having implemented the DAP, Lacierda said: “How does one regret a decision to help thousands of people, of our countrymen? How does one regret installing a Doppler radar warning system? How does one regret the setting up of school buildings? These are noble projects which benefited the people.”
The Supreme Court, on Tuesday, declared unconstitutional some provisions of the DAP.
Citing National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) Secretary Arsenio Balisacan, Lacierda also attributed the increase in the country’s gross domestic product (GDP) partly to DAP.
Further, Lacierda stressed that the SC ruling on DAP is not a ground for impeachment of President Benigo S. Aquino III.
He said since the SC declared unconstitutional only some provisions of the DAP, “so it appears, therefore, that the entire DAP is not unconstitutional.”
“In several administrations, perhaps you can go all the way back to the time of the previous presidency, you would have certain acts declared unconstitutional,” he added.
Lacierda said the Reproductive Health (RH) Law had eight provisions declared unconstitutional.
“We have several acts that have been declared unconstitutional in the past, not just in this administration, (but) it never reached the level of impeachability,” he said.
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The Supreme Court (SC) acknowledged that the Disbursement
Acceleration Program (DAP) has yielded positive results that enhanced
the economy, but diverged in its interpretation of the Constitution on
the fine details of budget execution, Malacañang said.
In a statement issued during Thursday’s press briefing, Presidential Communications Operations Office Secretary Herminio Coloma, Jr. said, “We note that the Supreme Court affirmed the authority of the President as Chief Executive to implement the Disbursement Acceleration Program as a stimulus program to achieve economic growth and as an administrative system of prioritizing spending in the execution of the national budget.”
“It is in the interpretation of the Constitution and applicable laws on the fine details of budget execution that the views of the executive and the Supreme Court diverged,” he added.
Coloma further said that according to the Supreme Court, “the implementation of the DAP yielded undeniably positive results that enhanced the economic welfare of the country.”
The Court cited such infrastructure as roads, bridges, homes for the homeless, hospitals, and classrooms as among the “visible” results of the program.
Coloma meanwhile noted that in implementing the DAP, the executive branch “exercised good faith and due diligence, in accordance with existing laws and pertinent auditing rules and procedures.”
“We will review the decision further to gain a more comprehensive understanding of its ramifications and study the appropriate legal options,” the Palace official said.
The High Tribunal on Wednesday declared in a 92-page decision that the DAP has violated Section 25 (5) Article VI of the 1987 Constitution.
Among the acts violated were the cross-border transfer of savings of the Executive Branch to augment the appropriations of offices under the other branches of government; and the funding of projects, activities and programs not covered by any appropriation in the General Appropriations Act (GAA).
In a statement issued during Thursday’s press briefing, Presidential Communications Operations Office Secretary Herminio Coloma, Jr. said, “We note that the Supreme Court affirmed the authority of the President as Chief Executive to implement the Disbursement Acceleration Program as a stimulus program to achieve economic growth and as an administrative system of prioritizing spending in the execution of the national budget.”
“It is in the interpretation of the Constitution and applicable laws on the fine details of budget execution that the views of the executive and the Supreme Court diverged,” he added.
Coloma further said that according to the Supreme Court, “the implementation of the DAP yielded undeniably positive results that enhanced the economic welfare of the country.”
The Court cited such infrastructure as roads, bridges, homes for the homeless, hospitals, and classrooms as among the “visible” results of the program.
Coloma meanwhile noted that in implementing the DAP, the executive branch “exercised good faith and due diligence, in accordance with existing laws and pertinent auditing rules and procedures.”
“We will review the decision further to gain a more comprehensive understanding of its ramifications and study the appropriate legal options,” the Palace official said.
The High Tribunal on Wednesday declared in a 92-page decision that the DAP has violated Section 25 (5) Article VI of the 1987 Constitution.
Among the acts violated were the cross-border transfer of savings of the Executive Branch to augment the appropriations of offices under the other branches of government; and the funding of projects, activities and programs not covered by any appropriation in the General Appropriations Act (GAA).
Office of the President Website
Article links:
http://president.gov.ph/news/supreme-court-acknowledged-disbursement-acceleration-program-yielded-positive-results-palace/
http://president.gov.ph/news/palace-dap-projects-benefited-filipinos/
http://president.gov.ph/news/palace-dap-projects-benefited-filipinos/
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