Pansamantalang pinigilan ni Pangulong Ferdinand Marcos Jr. ang implementasyon ng Maharlika Investment Fund habang patuloy pa umanong pinag-aaralan ang mga patakaran at regulasyon nito.
Sa isang memorandum na ibinahagi ng Malakanyang, nakapaloob rito na ang pagpigil sa pag-arangkada ng IMF ay may petsang Oktubre 12 2023 at pirmado ni Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin.
Ang memorandum ay para kina Bureau of Treasury officer-in-charge Sharon Almanza, Land Bank of the Philippines president and CEO Lynette Ortiz, at Development Bank of the Philippines president and CEO Michael de Jesus.
“With reference to the IRR of RA No. 11394, and upon the directive of the President, the Treasurer of the Philippines, in coordination with the LBP and DBP, is hereby directed to suspend the implementation of the IRR of RA No. 11954 pending further study thereof, and to notify all concerned heads of departments, bureaus, offices and other agencies of the executive department, including GOCCs, of such action,” saad ng memorandum.
Samantala, kinumpirma naman ni De Jesus ang kautusan mula sa Malakanyang.
Ayon sa Office of the Executive Secretary, nais ni Marcos na pag-aralan ang IRR para matiyak ang transparency at accountability sa paggamit ng pondo.
“President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. issued a suspension because he wanted to study carefully the IRR to ensure that the purpose of the fund will be realized for the country’s development with safeguards in place for transparency and accountability,” paliwanag ng OES sa pahayag na kanilang inilabas.
Kung matatandaan, inilabas noong Agosto ang IRR na indikasyon ng pagsisimula ng operasyon ng MIF.
Pinirmahan ni Marcos at naging ganap na batas ang Republic Act 11954 o Maharlika Investment Fund Act of 2023 noong July at layunin nito na gamitin ang pondo ng ilang financial institution at ilagak sa negosyo para makalikom ng dagdag na pondo para sa mga proyekto ng pamahalaan.
Nitong nakaraang buwan, sinabi ni De Jesus na nagpasok ang DBP ng P25 bilyon sa Bureau of Treasury para sa mandatory contribution nito na magiging bahagi ng paunang kapital ng MIF, na magiging kauna-unahang sovereign wealth fund ng bansa.
Sa ilalim ng batas, ang initial capitalization ng MIF ay kukunin mula sa Landbank na nagkakahalaga ng P50 bilyon, DBP na P25 bilyon, at sa national government na P50 bilyon.
Ikinatuwa naman ni Senate Minority Leader Aquilino “Koko” Pimentel III, ang pasya ni Marcos na suspendihin ang implementasyon ng MIF.
Naghain ng petisyon sa Korte Suprema si Pimentel para kuwestiyunin ang legalidad ng MIF.
“Very good development. The law has a lot of defects. The concept has not been fully studied from the very start. Hence we should not wonder why apparently the law is not ready for implementation,” sabi ni Pimentel.
“Good that the Marcos administration appears to listen to reason,” dagdag ng senador.
Sinabi naman ni Albay Representative Joey Salceda, pinuno ng House Committee on Ways and Means, na nag-iingat lamang ang Pangulo.
“The IRR should anticipate future issues. If he sees issues in the Executive branch’s IRR draft, he can resolve them. Better to do so before full implementation,” ani Salceda.
“Don’t overthink this. It’s the Executive Branch working things among themselves,” sabi pa ng kongresista.
