Bare cost of Bush state visit, govt told (People's $ in "US garbage bin") [View All]

Bare cost of Bush state visit, govt told

By Maricel V. Cruz, Reporter

A lawmaker on Wednesday called for an audit of the government’s spending for the state visit of US President George W. Bush to the Philippines.

Party-list Rep. Liza Maza of Bayan Muna said the people should be informed about the cost of hosting the eight-hour visit.

“We have the right to know at least how much of the people’s money is going to the US garbage bin,” she said.

Maza challenged Malacañang to come up with a list detailing the expenditure for the visit.

On Tuesday Rep. Robert Ace Barbers of Surigao del Norte, chair of the Committee on Accounts, said the House—which is taking cost-cutting measures to deal with the country’s budget deficit—has allocated between “P2 million and P3 million” to give a face-lift to some of its facilities.

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http://www.manilatimes.net/national/2003/oct/02/top_stories/20031002top4.html