FDC In The News: On ODA funding suspension

The Daily Tribune
22 February 2008, Page 8
http://www.tribune.net.ph/business/20080222bus2.html

FDC seeks Congress probe into 11 aborted ODA projects
By Bobbit Mariano

The Freedom from Debt Coalition (FDC) called for a congressional investigation into the sudden suspension of funding on 11 social and economic projects of which a large percentage of funds was allocated through various grants under the Official Development Assistance (ODA).

FDC said the suspension of the projects without the benefit of a corresponding investigation made the decision doubtful. “For one, the administration may have all along been prepared to suspend a handful of projects as token palliative to dilute the call for a more comprehensive systemic change following the Senate investigation into the ZTE-NBN deal.”

Last Tuesday, Malacañang suspended 11 mega projects including the first phase of the controversial Southrail project involving the rehabilitation and construction of a railroad line along Laguna, Quezon and the so-called Luzon Urban Beltway.

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BusinessMirror
21 February 2008, Page 1
http://www.businessmirror.com.ph/02212008/headlines06.html

Why only 11 ODA projects?
By Rene Acosta
Reporter

IT may do well for the government to audit all public debts and not stop with just the suspension of official development assistance (ODA) funding for 11 projects because many more may be qualified for the ax, said an antidebt advocate Wednesday.

The Freedom from Debt Coalition (FDC) said the administration should do the wholesale audit even if this leads to the suspension of more projects and the filing of charges against responsible officials in order to prove its claim of transparency and accountability.

The FDC also asked the Senate and the House of Representatives to immediately pass Joint Resolution 04 calling for a congressional audit of all public-sector debt and all contingent liabilities.

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GMANews.TV
http://www.gmanews.tv/story/81406/Suspension-of-ODA-funding-for-11-projects-not-enough—FDC#

Suspension of ODA funding for 11 projects not enough – FDC
Article posted February 20, 2008 – 03:40 PM

The Freedom from Debt Coalition (FDC) on Wednesday described President Arroyo’s suspension of Official Development Assistance as a “positive development”.

The FDC, however, criticized the reason – that the country has enough local financing already to cover projects – behind Mrs Arroyo’s decision.

“We believe that such an executive action is the next logical step after the legislature decided that ‘no amount shall be used for the payment of interest payments on debts which are challenged as fraudulent, wasteful and/or useless, like but not limited’” to what FDC labeled as illegitimate debts.

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