Debt watchdog Freedom from Debt Coalition (FDC) Tuesday urged the presidential candidates to reveal their concrete fiscal plans to address the P290-billion deficit that they will be inheriting from the present administration.

The group called on the nine presidentiables to become transparent on what they have to offer to resolve the chronic deficit problem and address the urgent social needs of Filipinos.

“It’s at least 50 days shy of the May 10 elections, but we are yet to hear concrete fiscal proposals,” FDC secretary-general Milo Tanchuling said.

“At best, all we hear are ambiguous statements like ‘we will be curbing corruption or increasing revenue performance.’ At worst, we just hear them say they will study so and so policy once they win,” Tanchuling added.

He said that the public has yet to hear a satisfactory answer to the question on how exactly will the candidates be able to finance their electoral promises this year, given that “out of P1.196 trillion the government will be earning, P746 billion is to go to servicing of interest payments and principal amortization of debts.”

In this regard, FDC unveiled its own 12-point fiscal agenda that focus on debt payments, financing, spending and revenues, hoping to be adopted by whoever wins the presidential race.

He said the FDC’s 12-point fiscal agenda aims to “strategically address the chronic debt and deficit problem.”

Tanchuling explained that a fiscal program must include an explanation on “what to spend on and who to tax, and by what economic or development strategy this is being done.”