Aquino cites 'insufficient' budget in rejecting proposed 'Magna Carta for the Poor'

President Benigno Aquino III on Monday said he vetoed the proposed "Magna Carta for the Poor" due to insufficient fund for its implementation.

The Philippines is signatory to a covenant called the "International Covenant on Economic Culture and Social Rights," which implements a staggered or progressive implementation of the rights of the poor.

"Nakasaad sa covenant na ito – the poor have the right to several items. Ang importante doon may phrase na nakalagay 'progressive realization of the same'. Ibig sabihin habang dumadagdag ang kakayahan ng gobyernong maibigay itong mga karapatan na 'to, dapat ipinagkakaloob 'yung karapatan," the President said in an interview with Palace reporters at the sidelines of the 5th Anniversary Celebration of the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP) held in Pasay City.

He cited a provision that states: "the poor shall have the following rights, the enjoyment of which is an essential step towards poverty alleviation – the right to food; the right to employment and livelihood; the right to quality education; the right to shelter; the right to basic health services and medicines."

"Wala ho tayong kontra doon. Tama po 'yan. The government shall, as a matter of duty and obligation, provide the requirements, conditions, and opportunities for the full enjoyment of these rights of the poor and which the poor can demand as a matter of right," he stressed.

President Aquino, however, said the government cannot met these provisions due to insufficient budget.

He said there should be a "progressive realization" of these rights.

"Ibig sabihin nito, itong mga karaparatan na ito iginagawad doon sa bawat mamamayan natin na living below the poverty threshold which is estimated to be 26 percent of the 95 million Filipinos. Kaya ba natin ito," he said.

President Aquino explained that the housing provision would already eat up the P2 trillion budget this year.

"Isa pa lang doon sa limang karapatan hindi na kayang punuin ng budget. Ngayon, 'yung budget natin ang pwede lang i-program off (with) the P2-trillion is roughly about P600-billion. Wala pa 'yung right to food, wala pa 'yung right to work, wala pa 'yung right to health, wala pa 'yung right to education," he noted.

"Sa madaling salita, pwede akong magpa-cute. Pwede kong pinirmahan itong batas na ito, pogi tayo, pero alam ko hindi mami-meet ng gobyerno," he said.

"'Pag pinirmahan natin sa batas, alam nating hindi magagawa ng gobyerno, binola ko 'yung mga boss ko, at hindi ko magagawa 'yon," he added.

"Pwede rin akong mag-delaying tactics dito, implementing rules and regulation, hanggang matapos ang term ko dina-draft, bahala na 'yung susunod na administrasyon. kawawa naman 'yung susunod na administrasyon," the President said.

President Aquino said "the corrective action for this is to direct our Cabinet social cluster to draw up a substitute measure that we will give to the next Congress and, hopefully, that they will act upon with haste."