PCIJ WebAlert #26.2008

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W H A T ' S N E W @ www.pcij.org
27.July.2008


---------------[ Special Report )------

BEAUTIFICATION IN A TIME OF CRISIS?
House Facelift to Cost Taxpayers P1 Billion, Fund Source a Puzzle
by Tita C. Valderama

THE Philippine Center for Investigative Journalism’s latest report
looks into the massive renovation project at the House of
Representatives in time for the eighth state of the nation address
(SONA) of Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo.

Nograles says the long years of disrepair of the Batasan complex have
made the renovation project necessary.

Six months on the job, Nograles is showing that more than the
substance of reforms he pledged in February after ousting long-time
Speaker Jose de Venecia Jr. with the backing of lawmakers loyal to
Arroyo, he is given to form and big spending.

While initial reports placed the tag price at P200 million, the PCIJ
discovered that the prettified House will actually cost taxpayers
some
P1 billion.

It is also not sure where the P200 million Nograles requested and
secured from Arroyo was sourced as there is no allocation in the 2008
budget for the House renovation project. A senior budget official
says
the agency had not issued a Special Allocation Release Order (SARO)
for the House. House officials, however, said the P200 million is
covered by a SARO although they do not know its funding source.

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