The activist fisherfolk alliance Pambansang Lakas ng Kilusang Mamamalakaya ng Pilipinas (Pamalakaya) on Monday urged anti-corruption watchdog groups to closely monitor the implementation of P 120 million worth irrigation and P 92.3 million farm to market road projects in Calabarzon areas, after the the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) released a total of P 2.93 billion to the Department of Agriculture (DA) to accelerate the rehabilitation of irrigation systems and farm-to-farm market road infrastructures destroyed at the height of typhoons Pedring and Quiel last September.

"To be brutally frank, we don't trust the agriculture department. During the administration of former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, the agriculture department is the biggest money maker for the ruling mafia in Malacanang. We appeal to anti-corruption crusaders to consistently monitor the implementation of these projects and demand transparency from Secretary Proceso Alcala.

We don't want taxpayers money and public funds to be used again for irregular and corruption ridden irrigation projects and farm-to-pocket roads escapades at the expense of hard working taxpayers," said Pamalakaya vice chairperson for Luzon Salvador France.

The Pamalakaya leader said anti-corruption watchdog should not be complacent of President Benigno Simeon Aquino III promise to eradicate corruption and anomalies in the government, asserting that corruption is part of the system and well entrenched in every inch of government bureaucracy.

France noted that the P 2.93 billion allocations for irrigation and farm to market road projects were primarily apportioned to vote rich regions and provinces particularly in Southern Tagalog, Central Luzon, Ilocos and Western Visayas regions, hinting further that the allocations had something to do with the early preparation for the 2013 mid-term elections.

"The entire Philippines is a victim of typhoons Pedring and Quiel, so this selective rehabilitation and farm to market road escapades smack of a sinister political activity known as electoral muscle flexing for 2013 to advance the political interests of close allies of President Aquino," he added.

Budget Secretary Florencio "Butch" Abad on Sunday said the P 212 million budget for Southern Tagalog  aim at addressing the damage wrought by the recent typhoons, this fund release will also support agricultural development to ensure food self-sufficiency and help farming families achieve sustainable livelihood.

Of the P2.96-billion allotment, the National Irrigation Administration (NIA) will receive P829.7 million for its irrigation projects. The agency plans to construct new irrigation systems in 3,387 hectares of agricultural land and restore non-functioning ones in another 1,752 hectares. Abad said NIA will also rehabilitate damaged irrigation systems in 7,024 hectares throughout the country.

This project is expected to benefit 8,100 households, with bulk of the funds going to Central Luzon (P302 million), the Ilocos region (P150 million) and the Region IV-A or the Calabarzon area (P120 million).

Some  P411.4 million will be alloted for the NIA’s Agno River Integrated Irrigation Project, which plans to build pond facilities to control water releases from the San Roque Dam, and to repair the Agno River and the Ambayaoan-Dipalo Irrigation Systems.

Some P560.7 million will also be released to the Department of Agriculture to construct and rehabilitate farm-to-market roads battered by previous typhoons. The biggest beneficiaries aside from Calabarzon region (P92.3 M) are Western Visayas (P70.2 million) and Cagayan Valley (P65 million).

Secretary Abad said a budget allocation worth P 237.5 million will be alloted to the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) for mangrove reforestation and mangrove farming.

About P919 million is earmarked for Mindanao Rural Development Project, which involves the construction and rehabilitation of farm-to-market roads and communal irrigation and water systems. It will also finance the geo-tagging scheme to help monitor agriculture infrastructure projects.

The budget release, according to DBM chief will be sourced from the Aquino administration’s P72-billion accelerated disbursement plan approved last month which is expected to boost public spending and economic growth for the tailend of 2011. (Arlene P. Mariposque)

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