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‘Arroyo must convince rich nations on rehab funds’

10/16/2009

The Arroyo administration faces an uphill battle in convincing rich countries that funds for the rehabilitation of areas severely damaged by typhoons “Ondoy” and “Pepeng” won’t be lost to corruption and bureaucratic inefficiency, Makati Mayor and United Opposition (UNO) president Jejomar Binay said yesterday.

“More than being a victim of climate change, the Philippines is a victim of the climate of corruption and bureaucratic inefficiency which severely hampered the national government’s response to these two typhoons,” he said.

“The administration of Mrs. Arroyo suffers from a credibility problem in the eyes of the international community. Rich countries and foreign development agencies are fully aware of the large-scale corruption going on, and would want to see clear assurances that the money they will contribute will be used for its intended purpose,” he said.

Mrs. Arroyo on Wednesday urged rich countries to fund the rehabilitation of typhoon-ravaged areas, saying the Philippines was a “victim of climate change” and would need help for the its relief and reconstruction efforts.

She said developed countries account for the bulk of greenhouse gas emissions responsible for global warming, and that developing nations like the Philippines are vulnerable to severe weather conditions resulting from climate change.

Binay said he welcomed the appointment of PLDT president Manuel Pangilinan to head the Special Reconstruction Commission, but stressed that the private sector and other non-government organizations should be given full supervision of the rehabilitation effort, especially in the disbursement of funds.

“The private sector and the Church representatives should be given the authority to supervise the rehabilitation effort, especially in the sensitive area of fund disbursement. If this is not done, then I fear that the commission will end up as another PR stunt and another magnet for corruption,” he said.

“With the presidential election just a few months away and with the certainty of an opposition victory, these funds should be insulated from partisan politics,” he added.

Mrs. Arroyo on Monday created a Special National Public-Private Sector Reconstruction Commission headed by Pangilinan with Finance Secretary Margarito Teves and Cardinal Ricardo Vidal of Cebu as co-chairmen.

The commission will undertake the rehabilitation plan, raise funds for reconstruction and oversee its implementation, serve as a clearing house for international assistance, and request the United Nations and the World Bank to coordinate an international pledging session.

She said heads of government departments, business groups and representatives of local and international non-government organizations will serve as members. The Socio-economic Planning Department and the Office of Civil Defense will be the Secretariat.

Albay Gov. Joey Salceda, Arroyo’s economic adviser, had recommended the creation of the commission.

Government officials placed the damage to agriculture at P18.4 billion with half a million hectares of rice lands flooded, while damage to infrastructure exceeded P5 billion.