The P1.222-trillion General Appropriations Act (GAA) of 2008 was reportedly signed into law today by President Gloria M. Arroyo. She described the signing of the budget as “a major step forward in investing in our people and our nation.”

        So far so good.

        But, considering the numerous unresolved allegations of corruption hounding the Arroyo Administration (e.g. the P728M fertilizer scam, the US$14M Impsa deal bribe, the P2.5 billion election computerization contract and lately the $329-million NBN-ZTE Corp scandal), there remain some doubts or concerns over how this huge outlay will be managed. Will this be spent wisely and honestly on vital programs and projects that benefit the common good, thus really “investing in our people and our nation”? Or, as usual, big chunks of the budget would end up getting lost in unrestrained or “unmoderated” greed and corruption.

        If the outcomes of recent surveys – including that of the Hongkong-based Political and Economic Risk Consultancy (PERC) which found the Philippines “among the most corrupt economies” with a dismal score of 9 out of 10 in a grading system where 0 is the best and 10 the worst – are anything to go by, there seems to be a slim chance, if at all, that the lives of ordinary Filipinos will get any better this year or in the years ahead. Unless, of course, our government will finally have the political will to stamp out graft and corruption by way of ferreting out the truth in all government scandals and punishing corrupt officials, big-time or otherwise, and recovering their loot - and fast.

        Otherwise, would it be with basis to assume this early that our government is going to scrimp again and more on what would remain of the P1.222-trillion budget outlay after possibly giving away billions of taxpayers’ money to corruption (not to mention excessive congressional pork barrel and kickbacks)?



MANUEL A. COLLAO
manuelc223@yahoo.com