Fisherfolk alliance says 2013 budget has more for insurgency than dev’t projects

CLARK FREEPORT, Pampanga- A major alliance of fisherfolk in the country decried yesterday the proposed P2.006 trillion budget for 2013 as a “war budget”, as it allegedly allocates more funds for counter-insurgency operations of the government than for development projects, particularly in the field of agriculture.

The Pambansang Lakas ng Kilusang Mamamalakayang Pilipinas (Pamalakaya) noted that of the P 4.406 billion allotted by the Department of Agriculture (DA) for the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR), a total of P 122.9 million would go to the Payapa at Masaganang Mamamayan (Pamana) project which it described as “a counter-insurgency program associated with the military’s Oplan Bayanihan.”

“This will focus on the mobilization of civilian communities and local government units against groups or organizations perceived as enemies of the state,” Pamalakaya said in a statement, noting that the 2013 budget also provides for BFAR’s regularly reporting to the Office of the Presidential Adviser on Peace Process (OPAPP).

Pamalakaya vice chairperson Salvador France said that, on the other hand, the 2013 budget would set aside only P 80.1 million for BFAR’s coastal resource management.

A total of P 55.2 million would be sourced from foreign donors, while P 24.8 million would come from the national coffers, he added.

Pamalakaya noted that the entire Pamana program would have a total allocation of P 5.1 billion to be distributed to different agencies like DA with P1.5 billion, Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) also with P 1.5 billion, Department of Agrarian Reform with P208 million, Department of Interior and Local Government with P 1.6 billion, and Department of Energy- National Electrification Administration with P150 million.

“The civilian component of the counter-insurgency program would be implemented in 4,943 local government units through these government agencies,” Pamalakaya said.

France also noted that the Coastal Resource Management (CRM) program of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) would have only P 135 million as compared to the P 242.9 million for its Pamana counter-insurgency operations.

“Imagine, government agencies like BFAR and DENR are given counter-insurgency budgets which are higher than what they need for environmental protection, risk reduction and resource management.

The2013 national budget is a war budget in essence with over 5 billion pesos of taxpayers money being allotted for the civilian component of Oplan Bayanihan,” said France.

He said the P 122 million Pamana budget for BFAR “would be spent for surveillance and data gathering activities on communities crowded by small fisherfolk particularly in Region V or Bicol Region and Region IX where there is supposed resurgence of armed political groups like the New People’s Army.”

Pamalakaya also questioned the P 3.6 billion earmarked for National Fisheries Program as proposed by DA and BFAR for 2013. The group said the NFP budget will be spent more on the procurement of fishery equipment which is the source of long-running act of corruption in DA and BFAR.

The group said during the time of former Pres. Arroyo, the fund for NFP was used to buy overpriced ice-making machines.

Pamalakaya recalled that in September 2009, the DA bought 98 units of ice-making machines at a price of P 4.6 million per unit, which is 100 percent higher compared to the prevailing market cost.

“The P 3.6 billion budget for fisheries program appears like a reserved fund for more high crimes of corruption in DA and BFAR under the present administration,” said Pamalakaya.

http://punto.com.ph/News/Article/15031/Volume-6-No-29/Headlines/Fisherfolk-alliance-says-2013-budget-has-more-for-insurgency-than-dev%E2%80%99t-projects

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0915-542-6250 (Jeramie)