Binay accuses Aquino of giving Roxas’ DILG undue funding

Interior Secretary Mar Roxas and Vice President Jejomar Binay INQUIRER FILE PHOTO

While Vice President Jejomar Binay said he was grateful for being a member of President Benigno Aquino III’s Cabinet, he complained that the budget for housing agencies was diverted to the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG).

Binay, who resigned as a member of the Cabinet last Monday, was the head of the Housing and Urban Development Coordinating Council and the Presidential Adviser on Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs) Concerns. Both he and Secretary Manuel Roxas II, who heads the DILG, are among the top five potential presidential candidates ranked by electoral surveys.

READ: Binay quits Aquino Cabinet

On Thursday, Aquino said he had always supported Binay and did not understand why the opportunities he gave resulted in the Vice President’s resignation from the Cabinet.

READ: Aquino on Binay: I saved him from being spare tire

But Binay said Friday, “Sinuklian ko naman ito ng tapat na paglilingkod (I returned the favor by faithfully serving him).”

He said he worked hard to help OFWs and to reform the housing sector.

“Yun nga lang, ang budget na dapat napunta sa mga housing agencies ay ibinigay naman sa DILG na hindi naman trabaho ang magtayo ng mga bahay,” Binay said.

“Ganyan ang nangyayari sa pamahalaan ngayon. Pulitika ang nagdidikta kung sino ang bibiyayaan ng mas malaking budget, lalung lalo na ‘yong kanilang mga kakandidato,” he said, alluding to Roxas and the ruling Liberal Party.

(However, the budget that should have been allotted to housing agencies was given to the DILG, which has no mandate to construct houses. That’s what happens in the government now. Politics dictates who is given a larger budget, especially their candidates.)

He did not elaborate on the basis of his accusation.

The Vice President said the only reason he stayed with the Cabinet was because he wanted to help the poor. This was in response to Aquino’s interview with Palace reporters on Thursday.

In his earlier speech, Binay called the Aquino administration insensitive and bumbling. He said he will now lead the opposition.

READ: Binay: Aquino government ‘palpak’

Aquino replied by saying Binay should have shared his views on how to address poverty, with the Cabinet.

But Binay on Friday said he has spoken out and told Aquino about his stand on the Zamboanga siege and the Disbursement Acceleration Program (DAP).

Responding to reports that Roxas said the Vice President’s speech made him laugh, Binay said that to the common people, poverty is not funny.

“Lalong hindi nakakatawa na sa harap ng pinagmamalaking pag-unlad, marami sa ating kababayan ang lubog sa hirap at nagugutom. Seryosong usapin ito Mr. Roxas. Hindi katatawanan,” he said.

(It is not funny that despite progress, many Filipinos remain poor and hungry. This is a serious matter, Mr. Roxas. Not something to laugh about.)