EDITORIAL

Aid With Strings Is Uncomfortable

by ERNESTO T. SOLIDUM

The Weekly Kapihan forum on May 5, 2012 held at Smokehauz Resto & Bar focused on Provincial Road Management Facility funded by Australia International Development (AUSAID). The guests are Engr. Roger M. Esto, PPDO, Elyen Agacaoli, Internal Auditor and Atty. Christian Itulid, Prov’l Attorney.

Atty. Ronquillo C. Tolentino mentioned that the infra facility program is a 3 year grant by the Australian government to the Philippines totaling P4.3 billion. This originally started in seven partner provinces of Bohol, Guimaras, Agusan del Sur, Surigao del Norte, Bukidnon, Misamis Oriental and Misamis Occidental. After initial successful feedback, this was extended to 3 more provinces – Aklan, Davao del Norte and Lanao del Norte. All the target provinces will each receive P120 million plus incentives if they excel in their performance.

It is expected that after termination of the program, LGU recipients will take over banking on positive tangible benefits. Good governance includes transparency and accountability which are strongly advocated by the Aquino Administration, the former vice governor pointed out.

According to Engr. Esto, the inclusion of Aklan in the priority list is the result of its effective and efficient policy implementation. Seal of good housekeeping conferred earlier by Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) is a feather in the cap. Challenges under the program are: 1. implementing Provincial Road Development Network program, 2. rationalizing human resource management and development plans, 3. exercising internal control and audit procedures, and 4. contracting out road services and generating higher local revenues.

Ms. Agcaoli is optimistic as safety nets and elaborate control mechanism that will insure high performance standard under the AUSAID program.  

The Australian – Philippine Statement of Commitment resonate with Pres. Aguino’s vision for the Philippines in the 16 points of Social Contract with the Filipino People. The amount of P40 million per year for the province of Aklan is earmarked for upgrading 308 kilometers of provincial road. In reality, at least one fourth of the fund will go to human resource development like periodic manpower training, post graduate education, and computer software. Another one-third of the fund will go to contractors who will undertake the projects. The balance for the actual road improvement is practically insignificant given the high financial requirement of road projects. For an P18.8 million budget, only covers an inter-barangay concrete road project assuming that both area is traversed by a provincial road.

To recall, USAID called Rural Roads Program under the administration of the late Governor Roberto Q. Garcia in the 1980’s, included the acquisition of heavy equipments that beefed up provincial capacity to undertake and maintain projects at the least cost. 

The Provincial Engineer’s Office is not only saddled with decrepit heavy equipment but also machinery with high maintenance cost. Its motor pool exists only in name with more idle and less moving equipment. This is also true with DPWH which rely on private contractors to do its own job. LGU Banga under Mayor Antong Mameng has passed a resolution opting to secure LBP loan of P50 million for acquisition of suitable heavy equipments. 

During the Estrada Administration, Japan through its reparations program turned over brand new set of heavy equipments to seven (7) towns consisting of 1 loader backhoe, 1 crawler backhoe, 1 payloader, 1 motorized road grader, 1 road roller, 1 flatbed truck, 1 bulldozer and 4 dump trucks. Upi, Maguindanao and Taytay, Palawan were among those lucky to receive them. Those equipments contributed largely to their socio-economic progress and well being. For the first time, remote barangays were connected to marketing centers with farmers and fisherfolks delivering their goods at reduced cost.

From a different perspective, high poverty incidence that Governor Marquez is expected to manage within tolerable level may not be impacted by the program on roads and bridges since they are in remote areas as Libacao, Madalag, Malinao and Ibajay. Previous experience shows prioritized public work projects are high profile ones and markedly visible to the public where they earn credits come election time.

Engr. Esto is quick to point that the private sector especially NGO’s and stakeholders are duly consulted prior to project implementation. Well, the P260 million Caticlan Jetty Port Reclamation Project is still under Temporary Environmental Protection Order after Boracay Foundation Inc. lodged a protest at Supreme Court. How soon will it be lifted? Nobody knows. Meanwhile provincial taxpayers are bearing the burden on interest and surcharges of the load for the project which natural elements are wreaking havoc on project’s structural integrity.

Australian develop-ment assistance to the Philippines can un-doubtedly strengthen the Aquino Administration’s advocacy for effective governance. There is nothing to prove now since Aklan has achieved competency in its fiscal administration and implementation of projects. What can be troubling is to become stodges or lackeys of a foreign power with nothing more than dangle the carrot and stick. The program only adds more regulation to an already heavy bureaucracy. The best option to curtail inordinate corruption in this country is proper law enforcement.

Giving aid with maze of strings attached is uncomfortable even among friends. Other countries like Japan, South Korea, US and Canada do provide generous assistance yet allow recipient countries to have considerable leeway in administering the fund. Our local leaders need to review current policies donor countries implement whether they address local specific problem and need. A thorough evaluation is needed at the earliest opportunity. Fostering dignity and self respect is common sense. /MP