ON STIMULUS PACKAGE

The government should strictly supervise the funding of projects financed by the stimulus package of P330 billion in order to spread as much benefits as possible to our people. A World Bank report has shown that graft and corruption pervaded the implementation of public works projects it financed in our country to the extent that more than 30 percent of the funds were siphoned off to corrupt officials and conniving bidders.

This should alert the implementing agencies and the COA to tighten their supervision of the bidding and spending for the stimulus projects, otherwise a large portion of the funds will only go to the private pockets of corrupt officials and contractors. The stimulus package, coming from our taxpayers, should benefit as many people as possible, especially the unemployed. It must concentrate on job-creating projects such as the construction of roads, bridges, ports, schools, clinics and hospitals.