UNO: Agri scam deprives farmers

September 16, 2008

MAKATI Mayor and United Opposition (UNO) President Jejomar C. Binay yesterday said lack of transparency and corruption in the fund disbursement of the Ginintuang Masaganang Ani (GMA) program of the government is undermining the country’s food security and depriving farmers of income.

“The perpetrators of these irregularities have raided funds intended to boost productivity of rice farmers, and to assist them during lean months. They have literally taken away food from the tables of poor Filipinos,” Binay said.

Binay said the Department of Agriculture (DA) has figured prominently in election-related irregularities, citing the 2004 fertilizer scam involving former DA Undersecretary Jocelyn “Joc-Joc” Bolante.

Bolante, who faces extradition in the United States, was reportedly responsible for disbursing millions in fertilizer funds to administration supporters during the 2004 presidential elections.

The opposition leader said the farmers’ group Pamalakaya had revealed that some P4.2 million in GMA seed fund was released three months before the 2007 elections.

“It seems that the DA funds have become a convenient source of political funds, and it gives us all the more reason to look deeper into how DA funds have been disbursed,” he said.

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