PRESS STATEMENT ALYANSA AGRIKULTURA ALARMED BY ANOMALIES -Opposes DA Control of P148 Billion in 2014 unless Overhaul Implemented The Alyansa Agricultura is alarmed by the recently exposed Department of Agriculture (DA) anomalies. Unless an overhaul and massive reform is implemented, the Alyansa is opposed to DA’s control of the P148 billion in public funds next year: P78 billion from the proposed 2014 DA budget, and P70 billion from the coco-levy fund. The Alyansa is a farmer-fisherfolk coalition of 42 federations and organizations representing all major sectors of agriculture. It has engaged DA primarily through the legally mandated public-private sector National Agriculture and Fisheries Council (NAFC). It has also engaged the government on behalf of small farmers and fisherfolk through the Congressional Oversight Committee on Agriculture and Fisheries Modernization (COCAFM) and the Agriculture Fisheries 2025 (AF2025). Through these engagements, the Alyansa finds the DA budget formulation and implementation ineffective and defective. With only three years to go under the Aquino administration, DA deep reform is urgent. The lack of private sector participation in the DA budget formulation and implementation process goes against the legally mandated National Agriculture Fisheries Council (NAFC). It also runs counter to the DBM Memorandum 118 of April 25, 2013 which states: “Empower citizens to participate in and demand for sustained goal governance at the national and local levels.” With the DA budget of P14 billion in 2004, agriculture growth increased by 5%. With a budget of P65 billion in 2013, agriculture growth is 1% so far. This has been preceeded by growth rates of 0%, 0%, 2%, and 3% in the last four years. This is a huge disappointment to the agricultural sector. Considering that two-thirds of the poor depend on farming and fishery for income and sustenance, it is imperative that we achieve global competitiveness in the agricultural area for inclusive growth. While other countries we compete with give their agriculture sectors subsidies, our government has denied us these subsidies. In addition, through its faulty funding mechanisms, the DA allowed the channeling of scarce resources meant for poor farmers and fisherfolk to unscrupulous NGOs, POs and individuals. The Alyansa knows of several anomalies, among which are the following: (1) DA’s release of still undetermined millions of pesos to questionable NGOs and POs because of the DA’s lax and poor accreditation system; (2) The release of P117 million to NGOs and POs by the NAFC, a purely advisory body, which does not have the mandate to release such funds; (3) The irresponsible release of funds from the DA-supervised National Irrigation Administration (NIA), with an annual budget of more than P20 billion. President Benigno Aquino referred to NIA when he said last July 2: “There are cases where the accomplishment was only 60 percent, but funds released were supposedly for a fully completed project.” (4) The dismissive way in which DA treated the legally-mandated budget formulation and monitoring role of the NAFC. It did not even allow the NAFC Budget Committee to meet for one year and three months, a clear repudiation of transparency; and (5) The refusal of a senior DA official to allow the participation of the NAFC Budget Committee in the investigation of the PDAF anomalies, after the request for a thorough investigation was given in two NAFC Committee Meetings. It is because of incidents like the above that the Alyansa opposes DA’s management of the P148 billion of the people’s money unless massive reform with private sector participation in instituted. Without transparency, there can be no meaningful participation. We fully support the DA if it corrects the great wrong it has done. One such action is to allow the NAFC Budget Committee to participate in the investigation on corruption, and file the appropriate charges against the suspected guilty parties. It should also institute massive and deep reform, especially in the budget formulation and monitoring process, where significant private sector participation is a necessity. This should be guided by a yet unformulated strategic agricultural roadmap to achieve global competitiveness, food security, and higher incomes for our small farmers and fisherfolk. If DA does not do this, the Alyansa states its strong opposition to DA’s control of the P148 billion budget of the people’s money in 2014. This is because the current system will spell disaster for our farmers and fisherfolk in a competitive global economy where other countries are supporting, not killing, their agriculture. If there is no significant change, then the government’s call for inclusive growth will be all sound and no substance. President Arsenio Tanchuling: 0920 924 4302 Chair: Ernesto Ordonez: 0917 792 0848
Posted on: Wed, 16 Oct 2013 05:56:47 +0000
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