UNA accuses LP of using government funds for vote-buying

Earlier, the camp of presidential candidate Rodrigo Duterte accused ruling Liberal Party bet Manuel “Mar” Roxas II of luring the support of local officials by using the government’s Bottom-up Budgeting (BUB) program. On Sunday, February 14, opposition United Nationalist Alliance (UNA) also hurled similar accusations against the ruling party. The administration is resorting to “extreme reckless tactics” by using government funds to sway local executives in their favor, according to UNA spokesperson Mon Ilagan. He says the government’s Bottom-up Budgeting (BUB) program is veering away from its intended function as it is being used to influence Filipino voters. The BUB program, which is managed by the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) aims to promote an inclusive budgeting process through the participation of civil society groups. The groups propose projects for their communities to be implemented through national funding. On February 11, Roxas told a crowd of over 1,000 barangay leaders that funding for community-chosen projects would reach P1,000 ($21)* per constituent, or P100 billion ($2.1 billion) for all barangays in the Philippines. LP’s Senate bets earlier defended BUB and dismissed Duterte’s allegation as a “demolition job.” Read the links below for details

UNA: LP using government funds for vote-buying 

Duterte camp: Roxas, LP buying local execs’ votes

Roxas to barangay officials: P1,000 per Filipino in community projects 

$1 = P47