Archive for February 12th, 2008
FDC In The News: On the Lozada ZTE-NBN expose
Our press conference on the Lozada ZTE-NBN expose was aired over dzMM, dzXL-RMN, dzBB, dwIZ, dzAR and dzME. It was also broadcasted over ABS-CBN’s Bandila (read transcript of report below), ANC and NET 25. Aside from these, we are also in the banner photo of The Daily Tribune. News articles were also published in BusinessMirror (page A3), Philippine Daily Inquirer (online), The Philippine Star (page 4) and the Philippine Center for Investigative Journalism (PCIJ). SunStar Cebu also published our statement in its Opinion Section with minor changes.
SunStar Cebu
Friday, February 15, 2008, Page 18
http://www.sunstar.com.ph/static/ceb/2008/02/15/oped/freedom.from.debt.coalition.html
OPINION
Speak Out: Flawed system
By Freedom From Debt Coalition
GREED is not just about Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, the First Gentleman and other greedy officials.
If Filipinos ought to learn something from the revelation of Rodolfo “Jun” Lozada Jr. over the aborted $329-million ZTE-National Broadband Network (NBN) project, it is that our flawed political and economic system perpetuates this greed.
- Government projects are not primarily determined by people’s needs and national priorities, but by the profit-making agenda of government officials, foreign lenders and private multinational and even big local corporations.
[READ MORE]
Philippine Center for Investigative Journalism (PCIJ)
The Daily PCIJ
13 February 2008
http://www.pcij.org/blog/?p=2177
Independent audit of loan-funded gov’t contracts urged
Posted by: Karol Ilagan | February 13, 2008 at 3:40 pm
Filed under: The Economy, Civil Society, Governance, In the News
RODOLFO Lozada Jr.’s revelations on the $329-million national broadband network (NBN) project have been stirring much controversy, especially with allegations of bribery and overpricing involving no less than the First Gentleman.
The botched Chinese deal, however, is only one of the many projects that exposes the deeply embedded flaws of what Lozada refers to as the government’s “dysfunctional procurement system.”
Projects like the NBN are financed through foreign loans, called the official development assistance (ODA). And as of October 2007, the government’s foreign debt was pegged at P1.589 trillion, according to the Bureau of Treasury. Each Filipino, therefore, owes creditors of the government at least P17,577.
BusinessMirror
12 February 2008, Page A3
http://www.businessmirror.com.ph/02122008/economy02.html
Civil-society groups call for creation of debt-audit panel
By Jonathan L. Mayuga
Correspondent
AS an offshoot of the exposé made by Rodolfo “Jun” Lozada in connection with the canceled ZTE-national broadband network (NBN) project, civil-society groups on Monday called for the creation of a civil-society-led debt-audit commission to look into government projects and ensure public accountability in connection with all transactions involving public funds.
Led by the debt watchdog Freedom from Debt Coalition (FDC) and People Alliance Against Illegitimate Debt (PAID), leaders of various civil-society groups held in Quezon City a rally on Monday to denounce the alleged “greed” of government officials implicated in the aborted $329-million ZTE-NBN project.
The FDC and the PAID were supported by the Assembly of Faith-based organization against “immoral debt,” which said that Lozada’s testimony is an outstanding tale of greed and corruption.
Philippine Daily Inquirer
Breaking News / Nation
http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/breakingnews/nation/view/20080211-118210/Citizens-audit-of-public-debt-seen-to-uncover-anomalies
Citizens’ audit of public debt seen to uncover anomalies
By Jocelyn Uy
Posted date: February 11, 2008
MANILA, Philippines — Moved by the “astounding” tale of greed and corruption told by the National Broadband Network contract witness Rodolfo Noel Lozada Jr., a group seeking debt reforms is convening an independent audit commission that will seek to uncover all anomalies and questionable transactions in loan-financed contracts entered into by the government.
On the priority list of the Citizens Debt Audit Commission, initiated by the Freedom from Debt Coalition (FDC) and the People Against Illegitimate Debt (PAID), are the aborted ZTE-National Broadband Network project, the South Luzon Railway Project and the Cyber Education Project — all funded by the Export-Import Bank of China.
Including the North Railway Project, which was also funded by China, the government has four projects bankrolled by what FDC and PAID called “illegitimate” loan of $2.2 billion (P91.1 billion).
The launch of an independent commission would pave the way for a comprehensive audit of all public debts, policies and laws that have been governing public loans, including the build-operate-transfer (BOT) law, the practice of extending sovereign guarantees and the resulting contingent liabilities, PAID convener Lidy Nacpil said, reading from a prepared statement.
ABS-CBN Bandila
Aired 11 February 2008
http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/storypage.aspx?StoryID=108821
Civil society groups pinagbibitiw si Arroyo
(Con’t,)
Nagkaisa naman ang Freedom From Debt Coalition at People Against Illegitimate Debt sa pawagang suspendihin muna ang pagbabayad ng mga foreign debt na nagmit sa umano’y maanomalyang proyekto.
Dapat rin daw kanselahin na ang higit P36-bilyon Southrail project na sinabi ni Lozada sa senado na overpriced rin.
“Isuspend muna ang payment. Imbistigahan natin at kung talagang well established doon na natin talaga bayaran totally,” sabi ni Lidy Nacpil ng Peoples Against Illegitimate Debt.
The Philippine Star
13 February 2008, Page 4
http://www.philstar.com/index.php?Headlines&p=49&type=2&sec=24&aid=20080212131
Headlines
Citizens’ audit of overpriced government contracts pushed
By Reinir Padua
Civil society groups yesterday called for the creation of an “Independent Citizens Debt Audit Commission” after the revelations made by Rodolfo Lozada Jr. about the alleged overpricing of some contracts entered into by the government.
Freedom From Debt Coalition (FDC) and the People Against Illegitimate Debt (PAID) said in a statement that the independent commission would initially look into the aborted $329-million national broadband network; the $884-million South Luzon Railways Project; and the $503-million North Luzon Railways Project.
Lidy Nacpil, convener of PAID, said the independent audit groups will be composed of lawyers, accountants, and representatives from academe, NGOs and religious groups.
The Daily Tribune
12 February 2008, Page 1
Photos by Bert Amoroso and Andy Labor
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