Roxas claims Aquino’s P260B for infra tops those of Estrada, Arroyo

COTABATO CITY, Philippines – Liberal Party standard bearer Mar Roxas on Wednesday, bragged about the Aquino government’s huge capital outlay of over P260 billion since 2010, saying it was more than double the P125 billion combined capital outlays of the Arroyo and Estrada administrations.

Speaking to party mates here, Roxas said Aquino spent more on projects and services aimed at improving the lives of the people during his six years in office compared to what was spent during the 3-year presidency of Joseph Estrada and the nine years of Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo’s.

The Department of Budget and Management defined the capital outlays of the national government as appropriations spent on purchase of goods and services, infrastructure outlays, equity contributions to government corporations, capital transfers to local government units, and other capital outlays.

“Capital expenditures, particularly those classified as capital goods or durable goods to be used for non-military and productive purposes, such as construction of roads and bridges, dams, power and irrigation works, schools and hospitals, are generally desirable because of their high multiplier effect on the economy, i.e., they stimulate the growth and expansion of economic activities of the private sector and facilitate the integration of industries,” DBM said.

Roxas said the average expenditures on infrastructure development under the Aquino stewardship was P50 billion per year.

This policy, he said, would be continued if he got elected as Aquino’s successor.

Gov. Mujiv Hataman of the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao, a staunch Aquino ally, said it was only under the current administration that the five-province region received so much money to fund projects.

For example, he said that under last year’s budget, the regional capital outlay hit the P24-billion mark. At least P10.6 billion of that, he said, went to infrastructure development.

“We are gaining headway towards improving our infrastructure facilities to be able to attract tourists and outside investors,” Roxas said.

Roxas, meanwhile, said he would spend vigorously for social services, specifically the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps) that has been doling out cash incentives, health, and education benefits to poor families, despite complaints of alleged irregularities in the program implementation.

He said reported misdeeds and other lapses, which he did not specify, would be corrected.  SFM