Speech leaves more questions than answers

President Benigno Aquino III INQUIRER FILE PHOTO

MANILA, Philippines—The speech intended to provide “clarity and focus” on the controversial Disbursement Acceleration Program (DAP) and the bigger pork barrel system has left more questions than answers.

President Aquino centered his televised public address on denying that he was a “thief” when observers agreed he was not accused of being one in the first place.

“Focus and clarity are what’s important for our President,” said Communications Secretary Herminio Coloma, who claimed that “up to 75 percent” of online reactions favored the speech.

Aquino appeared to have contradicted himself when he insisted that the DAP was “not pork barrel.” Yet he admitted that “9 percent” of total DAP disbursements in 2011 and 2012 involved legislators, who were asked to nominate projects—a practice not unlike how the graft-ridden Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF) was spent.

Since DAP disbursement then amounted to P142.23 billion, 9 percent meant legislators got P12.8 billion for projects of their choice on top of their regular PDAF allocations.

The total PDAF amounted to P24.8 billion then.

But Coloma insisted that the portion of the DAP savings coursed through legislators was not pork barrel. “How could they be the same when the manner of implementation is not exactly the same?” he said.

In the DAP, he said the legislators’ “involvement was on the aspect of nominating or identifying projects that are amenable to disbursement acceleration.”

In the PDAF, Coloma said, they not only “identified” projects but also had “specific involvement in the ‘follow through’ of those projects.”

Amid widespread criticism on the DAP, he said the administration “will proceed with caution, taking into account the ongoing judicial processes.”

But Coloma acknowledged that Wednesday night’s speech won’t be the last time that the public would hear from the President about the matter.

There would be a “continuing effort” to discuss, not just the DAP, but also “all of the important reform programs of the administration,” he said.

Coloma rejected the idea that Aquino’s decision to face the public indicated that the administration was losing the propaganda war, and a failure in its communication strategy. “No, there is no such mind-set,” he said.

The secretary appeared to lose his cool when asked about the “old politician” the President mentioned in the speech. Aquino had claimed that this politician advised those implicated in the pork barrel scam to muddle the issue.

“The President had no intention to sow intrigue because he is a disciplined man,” Coloma said, his voice rising when confronted with more questions.

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