Nancy Binay: DILG got P2.48-billion housing funds

Senator Nancy Binay (Photo courtesy of Binay’s official Facebook page)

MANILA – Defending her father Vice President Jejomar “Jojo” Binay, Senator Nancy Binay reiterated yesterday that the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) was allocated P2.48-billion for housing projects in 2014 and 2015.

Vice President Binay was earlier accused by Budget Secretary Florencio “Butch” Abad for amassing government budget supposedly intended for housing informal settlers by the DILG.

Binay was the former chairman of the Housing and Urban Development Coordinating Council under President Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino III’s Cabinet.

Senator Binay then cited records that showed around P2.48-billion from the national budget were given to the DILG for its housing initiatives in 2014 and 2015 although the department had not proven its competency in carrying such projects.

“I think Secretary Abad has forgotten that it was the DILG that got a total of P2.48-billion of housing funds in 2014 and this year 2015,” she said.

“If he (Abad) would just review the General Appropriations Act (GAA) for 2014 and 2015, I’m certain he would see that P1.24 billion every year was given to the DILG supposedly for the housing of informal settlers in Metro Manila,” she added, indicating that the funds were under the ‘special provisions’ of the GAA.

Senator Binay even mentioned links of the Official Gazette supporting her claim.

“You can check this online through this links: http://www.dbm.gov.ph/wp-content/uploads/GAA/GAA2014/DILG/A.pdf for the 2014 GAA and http://www.dbm.gov.ph/wp-content/uploads/GAA/GAA2015/GAA%202015%20Volume%20II%20A-B/DILG/A.pdf for the 2015 GAA,” she said.

Furthermore, Senator Binay questioned the competency of the DILG for the housing projects.

“How many times have they (DILG officials) been questioned both in the Senate and House during budget deliberations when it comes to the competency of the DILG on housing matters yet they still continue receiving funds for housing programs,” she said.

“The DILG has no mandate to build houses and it doesn’t have the capability to do so,” she added.

After pointing out her claims, Senator Binay then urged the Department of Budget and Management to report to the public updates on the housing initiatives. She sought to know if the DILG properly spent the P2.48-billion funds.