DAP is not illegal, mid-year savings are possible

DAP is not illegal, mid-year savings are possible

A lawmaker affiliated with the administration on Tuesday defended the controversial Disbursement Acceleration Program (DAP), saying it was possible to have savings even if the fiscal year isn’t over yet.

“The DAP is an old practice, it has been there since the 1987 Constitution was established. Posible yun at nangyayari yun,” Marikina Rep. Miro Quimbo said at a press conference, when asked how government agencies could have savings when the year was far from over.

Quimbo made an example out of the Department of Public Works and Highways, which he said intentionally conducts biddings prior to the release of the budget, as to start implementation right away.

“Beginning 2012, the DPWH had an accelerated procurement program, ibig sabihin na-approve po natin ang budget nuong October at na-approved po iyan ng Senado the latter part of October, [pero] wala pa po ung budget binid-out na po iyan. People were already instructed so that when the budget is released January 1, nag-i-implement na tayo agad,” Quimbo said.

“Now, once you are able to bid it out, can you declare savings? Yes you can. Because the bids are already there. You already award the contract to the individual,” he added.

At the same press briefing, Quimbo said funds for discontinued projects can be allocated for DAP.

“Meron kang programa na hindi na-implement or midway you decided that that is not the appropriate program. Nangyari iyan many, many times. So instead of the fund resting in the Treasury na hindi nagagamit, kailangan mo i-reallocate for something else iyon,” he said.

The lawmaker also said that Congress need not pass a new law assuring the constitutionality of the DAP, saying the existing laws make it legal as is.

“I don’t think there’s a law that’s needed, because there’s enough law to support it in the constitution, in the GAA’s (General Appropriations Act.) Nakasulat sa GAA yung unprogramed funds, malinaw na malinaw,” he said.

Two petitions against the DAP are currently pending before the Supreme Court. The first one was filed by Greco Belgica, a senatorial bet who lost during the 2013 polls, while the other was filed by former Iloilo Rep. Augusto Syjuco Jr.

The high court has set the oral arguments on the anti-DAP petitions on October 22