THE PHILIPPINE STAR ',. .
n|Blff,lS * ruEsoaY I FEBRUARYIe,2ole
Palace defends DBM amid
corruption allegations
Malacaff ang defended yes- Presidential spokesman Philippines would
terday the Departrnent of Bud- Salvador Panelo said he could
get and Management (DBM) not understand the connection
{rom allegations that the gov- between unsettled obligations
emment o\^/es several private and corruption.
contractors billions of pesos " Malnbo uata iaon (That's
because of corruption. unclear). Why would the gov-
House appropriations com- ernment owe the contractors
mittee chairman and Cama- because of comrption?" Panelo
rines Sur Rep. Rolando Anda- said. "There seems to be no
ya Jr has claimed that the DBM connection. There is cprrup-
and the Department of Public tion if contractors resort to
Worlc and Highways (DPWH) bribes to get something. But
owe contractors around P100 if the govemment owes them
billionbecause of a system that something, I do not see the
forces them to give kickbacks connection with corruption."
in order to get payment for Panelo said a contractor
completed projects. would not receive full pay-
Citing unnamed sources, ment if he fails to finish the
Andaya said the release of proiect assigned to him.
payment from the DBM to the He said the contractors, not
DPWH varies per engineer- Andaya, should file a com-
ing district, depending on the plaint if they think the govern-
amount of kickback. ment did something wrong.
He claimed that officials "Congressman Andaya can-
were given the discretion to not be lanyering for these con-
choose rvho among the con- tractors. If the contractors have
tractors would receive pay- someth.ing to complain, they
ments, forcing contractors to should themselves file the com-
rcsolt to bribery. plaint and address their con-
cems to the respec-
tive department or
to the DP\4IH," the
spokesman said.
OBS rating
Despite the at-
tacks on the DBM
and the delay in the
2019 budget, the
agency expressed
confidence that the
get a higher are prepared by the DBM.
budget transparency rating in In 2017, the Philippines trans-
the biennial Open Budget Sur- parency sco:e in dre OIS vras 67
vey (OBS). points out of 100. This was higher
Budget Secretary Benjamin than lrLdonesia (64), Japan (60),
Diokno said the DBM expects South Korea (60) Thanand (56)
to meet its targets in terms of Malaysia (46), Timor-Leste (42)
budget transparency this year Cambodia (20) \nemam (15) and
and further improve its OBS Myanmar (7).
score for 2019. The DBM said this score
"We expect a higher rating indicates that citizens have
this year given the timely pub- access to substantial budget
lication of the Mid-Year Report infotmation, which enabL.s
in 2018. The DBM has exerted them to participate in decision-
efforts not only by making the making and hold the govern-
budget available to the public, ment accountable.
but also making budget docu- The agenry added the Philip-
ments comprehensive and pines was the only Asian coun-
citizen-friendly," Diokno said. try which received moderate
According to the DBM, the scores for public participatioo
Intemational Budget Parlner- joining New Zealand, Australia
ship (IBP) that spearheads and the United Kingdorn.
the OBS every two years has Congress ratificd the P3.757-
collected data in over 100 trillion 2019 budget e'arly this
countries for the 2019 survey. month after months of delay.
The IBP said governments The delay rvas due to Con-
have until the end of this year gress' opposition over the sl.tft
to take steps to improve bud- to a cash-based appropriations
get transparency, pa*icipation scheme as well as the alleged
and oversight. "insertions" in the budget of
The OBS evaluates budset the DPWH.
transparency based on t"he Diokno earliersaid the Pres-
comprehensiveness and public ident is waiting for Congress
to transmit the enrolled copy
availability of eight key budget
documents, including the Pre- of the General Appropdations
Budget Statement, Executive Act before it will be reviewed
Budget Proposal, Bnacted and signed into law.
Budget, Citizens Budget In- The government is operat-
Year Reports, Mid-Year Report, ing on a reenacted budget for
Year-End Report and Audit the first quarter of the year.
Report. - Alexis Romero, Mary
The first seven documents Grace Padin
I*e,,eg