Bohol (CNN Philippines) — On Friday (January 8), United Nationalist Alliance (UNA) standard bearer Vice President Jejomar “Jojo” Binay blamed the Aquino administration for what he said was underspending in the hampered implementation of several projects, including those for rehabilitation projects in Bohol after the 2013 earthquake.
The vice president met with local officials and residents of Loon in a gathering at the town’s public market and proceeded to the adjacent towns of Calape and Tubigon. He was accompanied by UNA spokesperson Mon Ilagan.
Binay commented that his office received information about the allegedly slow-paced implementation of rehabilitation projects in Bohol, which aim to replace structures damaged during the October 2013 earthquake.
He alleged that the slow implementation of projects is actually a nationwide problem. Although funds have been allocated, he said that such were not immediately implemented.
“The administration ngayon is guilty of underspending. But now hindi na kasi election na. Mali ang hindi pag-gasta,” said Binay.
[Translation: “The current administration is guilty of underpsending. But now, it isn’t because elections are coming. Not spending is wrong.”]
According to Binay, the administration slashed the budget for the Housing department — which he used to oversee — and increased the budget for the Department of the Interior and Local Government by 300 percent.
The vice president said that that he intends to replicate the social programs in Makati nationwide if he is elected president.
