LP answers pork rap in DILG budget

Samar Representative Ben Evardone: Nothing irregular. INQUIRER FILE PHOTO

MANILA, Philippines—Members of the Liberal Party on Monday lashed out at United Nationalist Alliance (UNA) secretary general Toby Tiangco for implying that a P1.9-billion allocation in the Department of Interior and Local Government’s (DILG) budget for 2014 was the LP’s pork barrel.

In a statement, Samar Representatives Mel Senen Sarmiento and Ben Evardone branded Tiangco’s allegation an “utter falsehood.”

Tiangco had earlier said the P1.9-billion allocation was earmarked for housing, climate change and potable water projects that had nothing to do with the mandate of the DILG. He said the funds could be the LP’s pork barrel or funds to be used for the 2016 presidential campaign.

The DILG secretary is Mar Roxas, who is also the LP president on leave and is the party’s likely candidate for president of the country in 2016.

Sarmiento and Evardone said the P1.9-billion allocation was a continuing appropriation aimed at improving the living conditions of the poor. This is not a pork barrel, they said.

As DILG secretary, Roxas is concurrent vice chair for disaster preparedness of the National Disaster and Risk Reduction Management Council.

Evardone, who chairs the House subcommittee that will scrutinize the DILG budget, said there was nothing irregular or anomalous about allocating the money to projects that would benefit the poor.

The P1.9 billion is broken down as follows: P1.24 billion for a housing program for informal settlers living in danger areas in Metro Manila; P573 million for a potable water project for waterless municipalities and barangays (villages); and P76 million for enhancing local governments’ capacity to adapt to climate change and for disaster risk management.

Evardone said the allocation had been included in the DILG budget since the time the late Jesse Robredo headed the department.

“It seems someone in UNA is jealous because Secretary Mar Roxas is working quietly and effectively at his task, assigned by the President, of looking after the informal settler families,” Evardone said.

“Instead of politicking, we should all do our work and support Secretary Roxas’ projects to save the lives of people in the danger zones,” he added.

Sarmiento said the appropriations for climate change adaptation and potable water supplies for communities had been in the DILG budget since 2010, when the department was one of the agencies in charge of disaster risk reduction.

He wondered why UNA was questioning the matter only now.

Sarmiento said the projects UNA had questioned were being implemented by the DILG to comply with the Philippines’ commitment to the Hyogo Framework for Action, a 10-year disaster and hazard preparedness plan.