PGMA wants to stay in office beyond 2010, says Drilon
BACOLOD CITY -- Senator Franklin Drilon declared there is a serious move to amend the Constitution before 2010 which will eventually lead to the extension of President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo's term of office beyond 2010.
This he said in a press conference last Saturday at the sidelights of the gathering of the Rotary Club of Bacolod Central where he was guest speaker.
He thus tossed a challenge to President Arroyo, Vice President Noli de Castro, House Speaker Prospero Nograles and Senate President Manuel Villar to state that they are not in favor of amending the Constitution before 2010.
Drilon said there is now an intensified moves to amend the Constitution purposely to extend the term of office of President Arroyo and lift the term limits of elected officials.
He said there is now instruction from Speaker Nograles to congressmen to conduct consultations to their constituents until November of this year.
"I challenge President Arroyo to say that she is not in favor of extending her term, lift the term limits in the remaining 18 months of her term. Between now and 2010, we suspect that the sole purpose of the amendment to the Constitution is the extension of President Arroyo's term of office," he said.
He added that the Filipino people are weary, hopeless and desperate to see their leaders not responding to the national needs.
Congress is presently deliberating on the 2009 General Appropriation's Bill with P1.4 trillion national budget.
Of the P1.4 trillion budget, the social services sector, which includes education, is allocated P434 billion, or 31% of the total budget. Education and manpower development is the biggest component of the social services budget, accounting for almost 47% of that sector's budget.
President Arroyo's pork barrel, amounting to P13 billion is inserted in the social service sector budget. This consists of cash assistance, rice subsidies, feeding and nutrition programs under the Department of Social Welfare and Development and the National Nutrition Council.
"It is like writing a blank check. Thus, the "Malusog na Simula, Yaman ng Bansa" nutrition program has a lump sum budget of P4.3 billion. A cash dole out program called Pangtawid Pamilya Pilipino program is allocated P5 billion, again in lump sum. The budget also includes lump sum allocations of P1 billion for a National Targeting System, P1 billion for the Kalayaan Barangay Program Fund, P1 billion for the Kilos Asenso Support Fund, and P375 million for a core shelter program, P2.8 billion is budgeted for the President's calamity and contingent fund," Drilon said.