DBM: No DAP funds given to NGO linked to Aquino sister

MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Budget and Management (DBM) said Tuesday that no funds from the Disbursement Acceleration Program (DAP) were released to the Assisi Development Foundation (ADF) for the milk feeding program implemented under the National Dairy Authority (NDA).

DBM, in a statement, said that the P230-million fund allocated for the project was only coursed through the NDA.

The clarification was issued by the DBM after reports said that the ADF allegedly received funds for the implementation of the milk feeding program.

“The DBM never releases funds to nonprofit organizations or other groups that a government agency has identified as implementing partners. Fund releases always go straight to an implementing agency. That’s the standard procedure that we follow with every release. Not a single cent was authorized by the DBM for release to ADF,” the DBM Public Information Unit said.

The ADF is a non-government organization (NGO) and led by former Ambassador Howard Q. Dee as chair and Victoria Elisa “Viel” Aquino Dee, sister of President Benigno Aquino III, as vice chair.

The ADF identified the prospective beneficiaries of the program.

In December 2011, DBM issued a Special Allotment Release Order (SARO) to the NDA amounting to P230 million for the implementation of the Dairy Enterprise Development Program (DEDP). The milk feeding program in question is a subproject of the DEDP.

DBM added that the P230 million allocated for the DEDP were sourced from over-all savings of the 2011 national budget.

DBM also clarified that it does not favor any non-government organizations to implement government projects.

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