New House members seek ‘open, accountable’ use of pork barrel

Edna Co. Photo from https://www.facebook.com/UP.NCPAG

MANILA, Philippines—Neophyte members of the House of Representatives are mostly “idealistic” and seeking an “open and accountable” use of their priority development and assistance fund (PDAF), a public administration expert said.

Edna Co, dean of the National College of Public Administration and Governance at  the University of the Philippines in Diliman, said the first-time lawmakers have a “new vision” of their work as members of the incoming 16^th Congress.

Co, who conducted an executive course on legislation for the neophyte House members, said that the new lawmakers were particularly interested in the political dynamics between the majority and minority blocs and the appropriate and meaningful use of their pork barrel.

“This to me is wonderful and we hope they can maintain this vision,” she said during a a chance interview at the closing ceremony of the crash course Thursday.

Speaker Feliciano Belmonte Jr., who is expected to retain the speakership in the 16th Congress, said he was “very optimistic about the new members of the House of Representatives.”

“I expect new visions, new vigor,” he said in a recent interview.

Thirty neophyte lawmakers finished the law-making course Thursday and were reminded by Marikina Representative Miro Quimbo that attending session was key to being efficient members of the 16th Congress.

A lawmaker’s inability to attend session reflected poorly on his or her track record, he said.

“This is turning your back on your duties and a betrayal of mandate,” he told reporters in a chance interview outside Andaya Hall.

“Attendance is important. We should be ashamed that many of us continue to be absent from sessions,” he said.

Being strong in debates was not a requirement when attending session, Quimbo said, adding that what was important was that lawmakers were present during sessions.

“Why can’t we attend session when we are only expected to report for work three times every week? Others work from Monday to Saturday,” he said.

House members who usually say that they could not be present during sessions because they were busy with work in their respective districts–“palusot iyon lahat (they’re just lame excuses),” said Quimbo.

Those who finished the crash course on legislation were:

1. Rep. Rodrigo Abellanosa
2. Rep. Raneo Abu
3. Rep. Frederick Abueg
4. Rep. Maria Lourdes Acosta-Alba
5. Rep. Ansaruddin-Abdul Malik Adiong
6. Rep. Magnolia Rosa Antonino-Nadres
7. Rep. Marisol Aragones-Sampelo
8. Rep. Maryann Arbison
9. Rep. Erico Aristotle Aumentado
10. Rep. Catherine Barcelona-Reyes
11. Rep. Joseph Christopher Belmonte
12. Rep. Cheryl Deloso-Montalla
13. Rep. Lawrence Lemuel Fortun
14. Rep. Joseller Guiao
15. Rep. Douglas Hagedorn
16. Rep. Elisa Kho
17. Rep. Paulino Salvador Leachon
18. Rep. Zajid Mangudadatu
19. Rep. Damian Mercado
20. Rep. Eric Olivarez
21. Rep. Gavini Pancho
22. Rep. Marie Anne Pernes
23. Rep. Aileen Radaza
24. Rep. Regina Reyes
25. Rep. Maria Leonor Robredo
26. Rep. Estrellita Suansing
27. Rep. Angelina Tan
28. Rep. Abraham Tolentino
29. Rep. Juliette Uy
30. Rep. Alfredo Paolo Vargas