Thank you for giving me a chance and the space to talk about my Priority Development Assistance Funds (PDAF) when I was Congressman of the 1st District. I welcome everyone’s interest in knowing where taxpayers’ money is spent, specifically the utilization of PDAF in the 1st district of Negros Oriental.
I believe that much of the confusion about the PDAF is due to some people’s misunderstanding, or lack of knowledge of the functions of a legislator, with regard to their PDAF.
What some people don’t realize is that members of Congress are limited to the “identification of projects” and the “designation of beneficiaries” according to a specific menu approved under the PDAF special Provision no. 1 under XLVI on the use and release of the fund under the General Appropriations Act of 2008-2013. There is no law or rule, or any restriction, for that matter, as to the discretionary power of the Representative to validly place her PDAF in any entity she wishes.
The utilization of the PDAF of each Representative can be retrieved from the House of Representatives’ website.
What I would like the Negrenses to know is that the PDAF provided to me as Representative of the 1st District went to ACCOUNTABLE implementing government agencies, subject to applicable laws, implementing rules and regulations. Such implementing agencies include the local government units, the Department of Public Works & Highways, the Department of Social Welfare & Development, specialty hospitals (like the Philippine Heart Center, the National Kidney Transplant Institute, the Philippine Lung Center, the Philippine Children’s Hospital in Manila), the Philippine General Hospital, the Vicente Sotto Memorial Center in Cebu City, district hospitals, among others.
The municipality of La Libertad is one of the implementing agencies that I selected to be designated. Why La Libertad? It’s because I have full trust and confidence in the local chief executive’s abilities to DISBURSE the PDAF properly and prudently for the benefit of ALL constituents of the 1st District.
The fact that La Libertad — where my husband Lawrence “Dodong” happens to be mayor — is one of my implementing agencies does not mean there was an unequal distribution of the PDAF. You can see that as implementing agency, it was La Libertad that carried out my District-wide programs wherein financial assistance, medical health programs, and livelihood programs were distributed to 1st District constituents, and not just to those in La Libertad.
I have always distributed the PDAF based on requests, proposals, and needs of LGUs in my District.
To those in the media who have accused me of only favoring the municipality of La Libertad and one or two towns, I can only say to them: Do some actual investigative research. Stop relying on the press releases of my political enemies.
Truth of the matter is, all towns and cities in my District have received projects from the PDAF. It is unfortunate that some Mayors felt slighted when I chose to channel my PDAF directly to the people, instead of through them. This is because I preferred that my PDAF would reach the grassroots and so, directly benefit the people.
The municipality of La Libertad is an accountable implementing agency bound by laws, rules, and regulations in the liquidation of my PDAF, and is subject to audit by the Commission on Audit.
At no instance have I ever pocketed any part of the PDAF; my detractors are welcome to file cases against me if they think they have evidence of me doing otherwise. I am saddened that these detractors have resorted to reviving rehashed issues that were not given credence in any quasi-judicial body (Ethics Committee, House of Representatives) out of spite and personal ulterior motives. Anyone can easily access the records of this case, yet, my detractors would rather destroy my reputation and print lies, than exert some legwork and ferret the truth.
Therefore, unlike some of the legislators who are being criticized for not knowing where their PDAF was channeled, I know for a fact that my PDAF went only to accountable implementing agencies, and that I am absolutely certain that none of it was channeled through bogus NGOs.
I thank the MetroPost for giving me this opportunity to defend myself from the unfair and malicious accusations that have been raised against me in my disbursement of the PDAF. I hope my letter is published in full, in the interest of justice and fairness.
Jocelyn S. Limkaichong
Former Congressman
1st District, Negros Oriental
