PRO3 GEARS UP FOR “ALL SAINTS’ AND ALL SOULS’ DAY 2013”

Camp Olivas, City of San Fernando, Pampanga –After the successful turned out of barangay election, Police Regional Office 3 under the leadership of its Regional Director, PCSUPT RAUL D PETRASANTA, RD, PRO3 is still on its toes as the same state of security preparedness is being continued to address security and public safety concerns in the entire region in the observance of the All Saints’ and Souls’ Day in consonance with “IMPLAN 77/2013” (All Saints’ and Souls’ Day 2013).

 

PCSUPT PETRASANTA stamped his directives to all City/Provincial Directors from the different Police Provincial/City Police Offices to continuously conduct police focused operations and sustain the level of alertness and vigilance displayed during elections and on other forthcoming holiday activities. Likewise, security inspections and police presence are further intensified in all bus terminals and places of convergence. Stringent anti-criminality information drive is also being carried out in barangays and commercial business areas as one of its pro-active measures to complement its operations.

 

As early as October 27, 2013, Police Assistance Desk were put in place for purposes of election, it shall be converted into Police Assistance Hubs in full force to cover all cemeteries and transport terminals, not only to ensure public safety and order, but also to provide public assistance to missing persons particularly children and elderly; and those who will experience health problems cause by sudden change in temperature due to sudden influx of cemetery goers, this is in collaboration with other agencies and volunteer organizations. This will be complemented by carpeted deployment of Motorist Assistance Hubs in major thoroughfares and secondary roads in the region starting October 31, 2013 round the clock.

 

Barangay Peacekeeping Action Teams/Barangay Tanods are also deputized by the PNP to assist in the implementation of IMPLAN KALULUWA as a left behind force together with the police to patrol residential areas, business establishments and economic key points to thwart criminality, while practicing catholic community are away spending the day in the cemetery to commemorate their departed loved ones and at the same time rekindle ties with relatives taking time-off during holiday.

Drilon’s PDAF utilization from 2010-2013 totals P293-M

MANILA-The Department of Budget and Management (DBM) data show that Senate President Franklin M. Drilon has been prudent in his use of the Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF) since he came back to the Senate in 2010 and that not a single centavo of his PDAF went to bogus non-government organizations.

According to the DBM website (www.dbm.gov.ph), a total of P293 million worth of projects has been released to the Senate Chief, way below the P600 million he was supposed to avail from the DBM from the years 2010 to 2013. Senators are entitled to P200 million PDAF a year.

“In the spirit of transparency and accountability, I am releasing all my PDAF availments since 2010. I had no PDAF releases during previous years. I was not given a single peso in 2005 and 2006,” he said. “These can be accessed through the website of the Department of Budget and Management.”

“The DBM, all along, has been publishing data on the PDAF allocation of all members of Congress in its website. The DBM data show that I have not fully availed the PDAF allotted to me from 2010 to 2013. In fact, I have only utilized 48.83 percent of the PDAF allotted to me for projects from 2010 to 2013,” emphasized Drilon.    

He stressed, “What is more important here is that the record shows that no single centavo of the PDAF allotted to me as a senator went to bogus non-government organizations.”

The biggest amount of the PDAF allocated to Drilon, amounting P153.35 million, was spent for various infrastructure programs which was directly implemented by the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH).

“Contrary to claims of my detractors, the budget I requested under the PDAF for the construction of priority infrastructure was managed by the DPWH. I had no hand in the actual project implementation and in choosing the contractors. That is a job of the DPWH,” pointed outDrilon.

The amount includes the P32.5 million to fund his school building program nationwide which was coursed through the Filipino Federation of Chinese Chamber of Commerce and Industry, a recognized non-government organization under the General Appropriations Act, he noted.

“The Filipino Federation of Chinese Chamber of Commerce and Industry is a recognized non-government organization and definitely, it’s not fake. It has been my partner since 2002 and to date, we were able to build about 1,600 classrooms nationwide which helped in the government’s effort to close the problem on classroom shortages,” emphasized Drilon. 

The senator likewise spent P81.65 million for the medical assistance needs of indigent families nationwide coursed through the Department of Health-attached hospitals.

In 2013, Drilon allotted P1.5 million to the Amang Rodriguez Medical Center. Last year, he allocated P79 million for financial assistance indigent patients seeking treatment at the National Kidney and Transplant Institute (P42.5 million), University of the Philippines-Philippine General Hospital (P21 million), Philippine Heart Center (P7.5 million), Western Visayas Regional Hospital (P3 million), Jose Reyes Memorial Medical Center (P2 million), Philippine Children’s Medical Center (P2 million), West Visayas State University Medical Center (P1.15 million), and Bicol Medical Center (P500,000).

Aside from the P21 million allotted to the PGH for medical assistance to indigent patients,Drilon also allocated P50 million to PGH charged against his 2010 PDAF for the upgrading and renovation of the dilapidated operating rooms, including acquisition of medical equipment.

Likewise, Drilon assigned additional P5 million to the Philippine Heart Center (PHC) charged against his 2012 PDAF for the renovation of a dilapidated PHC Cardiovascular Sciences Division to provide a better health service.

In 2011, Drilon allotted P500,000 for the construction of a rural health center in San Jose, Camarines Sur.

On the DAP allocation, Drilon said he will await the DBM to comply with the instruction of the President for it to disclose fund allocation under DAP.

“The DBM will publish the DAP allocation like what it has been doing in the case of the PDAF. All allocations made under DAP will be made available by the DBM including those requested by lawmakers,” he said.

Drilon said a big chunk of fund releases under DAP that he requested from the DBM were used for infrastructure projects in Iloilo which is seeking to host the Asia Pacific Economic Conference ministerial meeting in 2015.

“I can account for every peso that was allotted to me under the PDAF or DAP. I do not have a history of malfeasance and misuse of government funds. I am sure that that not a single centavo was channeled to bogus non-government,” he said.

Table. Summary of PDAF Allocation of Drilon (2010-2013)

Items of Expenditure	2013	2012	2011	2010	2010-2013
Nationwide School Building Program		32,500,000			32,500,000
Infrastructure	41,000,000	61,850,000	18,000,000		120,850,000
Financial Assistance to Indigent Patients in Government Hospitals	1,500,000	79,650,000	500,000		81,650,000
Social Services (DSWD)	2,000,000		1,000,000		3,000,000
Renovation of Phil. Heart Center and PGH		5,000,000		50,000,000	55,000,000
Total	44,500,000	179,000,000	19,500,000	50,000,000	293,000,000

Note: To access data on Drilon’s PDAF, follow this link:

http://pdaf.dbm.gov.ph/index.php?r=Site/Upperhouse_breakdown/legislatorId/475/fy/2010

Drilon thanked by Iloilo mayors, philanthropists, solon for major Iloilo projects

MANILA-Senate President Franklin M. Drilon expressed gratitude to those who continue to support him amid the barrage of negative propaganda hurled against him.

“I am deeply grateful for the support of various individuals and sectors in spite of efforts of my detractors to malign me through a highly-funded media vilification campaign,” said Drilon.

“Their testimonials recognize the fact that the Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF) allotted to me for projects and programs were spent properly and contrary to claims of my detractors, not a single centavo of these funds was channeled to bogus non-government organizations or ghost projects,” emphasized Drilon.  

The League of Municipalities in the Philippines’ Iloilo chapter declared its “unwavering support” for Drilon through a resolution passed recently.

In its resolution, the LMP-Iloilo said it continues to believe in the integrity of Senate President Franklin Drilon.

“Despite his unblemished record in public service, he is being criticized by noisy political mercenaries who are out to spread misinformation and half-truths,” said Barotac Viejo Mayor Niel “Beng” Tupas III.

Likewise, a volunteer group along with Rep. Arcadio Gorriceta of 2^nd District of Iloilo thanks Drilon in a public manifesto, citing his vital contributions to the development of major projects in the province.

In the manifesto, Gorriceta and the philanthropists behind the “ONE MEAL PROGRAM” thanked Drilon for “his love and concern to the Ilongos” and lauded him “for promoting development and progress in the province.”

Along with Gorriceta, those who signed the letter include One Meal program chairman and known philanthropist Teresa Chan, and members Pinky Rojo, Baby Porras, Maribel Hailey, and Antonietta Chan, among others.  

The projects made possible through the support of the Senate chief include the Benigno S. Aquino Avenue Widening Project, the Metro Iloilo Radial Road and the Iloilo International Airport.

The new airport is set to “promote economic development and tourism in Western Visayas by making Iloilo accessible to direct international flights,” added Gorriceta.  

Gorriceta and the others also noted the senator’s assistance with the Iloilo River Esplanade and the Jalaur River Multi-Purpose Project, considered as the first and largest reservoir dam outside of Luzon.

“This will provide bulk water for consumption, irrigation to boost agriculture and hydropower plant to provide electricity for Iloilo,” the group explained.   

The letter also mentions Drilon’s assistance with the development of the two-storey Iloilo Convention Center and the 14.18-kilometer Iloilo Circumferential Road.

The civic group also thanked Drilon for providing the initial funding of the One Meal Program.

“This fund has gone a long way in the successful implementation of our programs intended to promote quality education in depressed barangays by construction of new school buildings, repair of classrooms, donations of books and feeding programs to indigent students,” the group remarked.