Scholar’s fate rely on SC PDAF ruling

DUMAGUETE CITY, Philippines — The fate of the more than 350,000 scholars nationwide now depends on the decision of the Supreme Court on the case against the release of the priority development assistance fund (PDAF).

Representative George Arnaiz (2nd district, Negros Oriental) made this statement as the SC is now tackling the oral arguments over the temporary restraining order against the release to congressmen of the remaining half of PDAF this year.

Arnaiz said he was confident the High Tribunal will decide in favor of the scholars all over the country, with the opening of the 2nd semester this school year. Of the total number, 1,058 are under the scholarship program of Arnaiz's district.

The scholars in his district were distributed in four campuses of the Negros Oriental State University: in the cities of Dumaguete and Bais and the towns of Mabinay and Pamplona.

Arnaiz also disclosed that, in the absence of the medical assistance fund due to the TRO against PDAF, he had started to decline dialysis patients who come to his residence for help. With his personal money, he can only do so much, he said.

For next year, Arnaiz said it is definite that the PDAF will be distributed to various departments of the national government as maintenance and other operating expenses (MOOE), while some of it will be under the capital outlay for infrastructure projects like farm to market roads, multipurpose buildings and the like.

Meanwhile, Arnaiz said he was surprised to know the presence of the so-called DAP when it came out in the national television.

"DAP is a creation of the office of the executive out of the savings from different departments," he said but it is basic that when a department has savings, "it cannot be used or realigned to other departments without Congress' approval."

The congressman however declared that he has not received any amount from this DAP, the creation of which will spark another debate in Congress when it resumes session on Oct. 14. —(FREEMAN)