1. What is DAP?

The DAP is what is known as the Disbursment Acceleration Program. According to Budget Secretary Florencio Abad,
the DAP is a stimulus package under the Aquino administration designed to fast-track public spending and push
economic growth.
Source: http://www.gov.ph/.../qa-on-the-disbursement.../
2. How is it different from PDAF?
The Priority Development Assistance Fund or PDAF is a lump-sum appropriation from the National Budget. It is also
known as "pork barrel", wherein members of Congress are given a lump sum amount to designate and allocate to
their desired projects via executive agencies and NGOs chosen by them.
The DAP is different because as claimed by the President, the funds thereof were taken from "savings" and other
"slow-moving" projects, to be used to accelerate government projects and programs. Basically, it is an accumulation
of "savings" under the control of the Executive branch.
Source: http://opinion.inquirer.net/65091/dap-is-not-pdaf
3. How much is the DAP?
Although the actual amount of DAP is not fully disclosed, it is said to amount to 237 Billion pesos.
Source:http://www.philstar.com/.../07/29/1351542/real-state-nation
3. When did DAP become an issue?
The first time the DAP was made known to the public was during a privilege speech given by one of the accused in
the PDAF controversy, Senator Jose "Jinggoy" Estrada. He claimed that members of the Senate, acting as judges in
the impeachment proceedings of then Supreme Court Justice Corona, received fifty to one hundred million pesos
each to impeach the latter.
Source: http://www.philstar.com/.../economic-stimulus-honestly
4. Who made the DAP?
The DAP is said to be the brain child of Budget Secretary Florencio abad and approved by President Aquino.
5. Under what law did the executive branch rely on to create the DAP?
Book VI Chapter 5 Section 39 of the 1987 Administrative Code provides:
"Except as otherwise provided in the General Appropriations Act, any savings in the regular appropriations authorized
in the General Appropriations Act for programs and projects of any department, office or agency, may, with the
approval of the President, be used to cover a deficit in any other item of the regular appropriations"
Source: http://www.gov.ph/.../qa-on-the-disbursement.../
6. Why is the DAP controversial?
The DAP is controversial because of the following reasons:
a) The DAP was kept secret until it was divulged in Senator Estrada's privilege speech, and was said to be used as a
bribe for the impeachment of Chief Justice Corona, a co-equal of the executive department.
b) There was a lack of transparency to the public regarding the details of its release.
c) The term savings refers to portions or balances of any programmed appropriation free from any obligation or
encumbrance due to (1) the completion or discontinuance of the activity for which the appropriation was made, or (2)
personnel vacancies or unused leaves of absences, or (3) completion of projects or targets at lesser cost than
planned.
Taking of funds from projects yet unfinished which result to their stoppage cannot be considered as "savings" as
defined under the law.
d) Assuming such funds were actually "savings", the Constitution (Art VI, Sec. 25(5)) only permits augmentation of
savings within the same branch of the government (No cross-border transfer of funds from the Executive Department
to the Legislative Department is allowed.) The 1987 Administrative Code, being against the wordings and intent of the
1987 Constitution, cannot be used as a legal basis.
e) Contrary to the claim of the Budget Secretary, it cannot be considered as an economic stimulus because to be
considered as such, it is required that there should be an increase in spending by the Government. The taking of
funds to be reallocated to another is not an increase in spending.
Source: http://www.gmanetwork.com/.../why-the-dap-is-economically...
http://opinion.inquirer.net/65091/dap-is-not-pdaf
http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/.../2-priest-lawyers-speak...