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DOF transparency on loan deals lauded

MAKATI CITY, Philippines – A woman livestreams an image of the flag of the People’s Republic of China during an event in a Makati hotel, 6 March 2019. Senator Win Gatchalian called the attention of different government agencies to exercise greater transparency on infrastructure loans for Build Build Build projects after he failed to find summaries of different loan documents on their respective websites. Photo by Mark Cayabyab/OS WIN GATCHALIAN

Senator Win Gatchalian lauded the Department of Finance (DOF) for extending greater transparency on foreign loan agreements the government entered into to bankroll the various infrastructure projects.

Gatchalian, chair of the Senate Committee on Economic Affairs, made the statement after the Department of Finance (DOF) made public several loan agreements that the country entered with different countries to fund the big ticket projects under Duterte administration’s Build, Build, Build (BBB) program.

“We thank the DOF for heeding our call during the previous hearing on the BBB program to be transparent on the government’s dealings. I know that there is an FOI directive, but it didn’t bar them from practicing greater transparency beyond what the FOI requires. This is to make the public appreciate that everything that is being done here is for their interest,” Gatchalian said.

With the loan agreements now posted on the DOF website, Gatchalian said that the public will now be able to scrutinize the complete terms and conditions of loans entered into by the government. The loan documents may be accessed on the DOF website by visiting https://www.dof.gov.ph/index.php/data/loan-agreements/.

“Mapapanatag na ang kalooban ng ating mga kababayan sa mga nagawa at gagawing pag-utang ng ating gobyerno upang mapondohan ang mga big infrastructure projects natin sa bansa dahil sila mismo ay maaring bumusisi sa mga kasunduang ito,” he said.

During the recent Senate inquiry into the status, sustainability, and risk of the multi-billion projects under the BBB program, Gatchalian called the attention of the DOF, National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA), and the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) to exercise greater transparency on infrastructure loans after he failed to find even copies of summaries of different loan documents on their respective websites.

“Whether it be with China, Japan, or any country for that matter, it is in the best interest of the government to exercise greater transparency in the agreements it entered – even beyond what the law requires. Every Filipino has the right to know and understand the process, criteria, and methodology that the government employs when signing important agreements such as the infrastructure loan deals,” Gatchalian said in an earlier statement.

“I myself experienced difficulty in finding even just a summary of the loan agreements that government entered over the past years when I browsed through the websites of NEDA and DOF in preparation for our recent hearing on the BBB program,” he added.

The lawmaker reiterated his call for transparency on loan agreements during the Senate inquiry on the water shortage that has rendered thousands of Filipino families in the eastern portion of the National Capital Region without access to water, after he raised questions on the loan agreement signed by the government to fund the New Centennial Water Source-Kaliwa Dam Project (NCWS-KDP).

He stressed that greater transparency is proper, especially at a time when “there are lots of allegations flying here and there” on the supposed preferential treatment and one-sided provisions for a certain group or country.

Data from the DOF shows that at least five ongoing big-ticket infrastructure projects are being financed through loans secured from Japan. China and South Korea are meanwhile each financing two on-going infrastructure projects under the BBB program of the Duterte administration.

“We hope to see that the principle of responsible lending and borrowing have been observed, not just to correct public perception but to further strengthen our economic partnership with our development partners,” Gatchalian said.