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BALIWAG, Bulacan—Amid widespread calls for the abolition of the Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF), barangay officials in this town are appealing to the government to continue dishing out pork, saying the fund benefits their constituents, especially poor students.
Dante Galang, a member of the Barangay Tangos Council, said his three children finished college on a scholarship program funded from the pork of former Bulacan Rep. Pedro Pancho.
“Every year, each of my children received an educational support of P15,000 to P20,000 from Congressman Pancho,” Galang said.
Thousands of parents
“Do you think my salary from the barangay council alone could support my three children until they finish school? And I am not the only one who has children who finished their schooling with the support of the congressman. There are thousands of us,” he said.
Pancho, who served for 18 years as representative of Bulacan’s second district in the House, also paid for the medical needs of patients in the towns of Baliwag, Plaridel, Bustos, Pandi, Balagtas, Bocaue and Guiguinto from his PDAF allocations.
Bernardo Gonzales, Tangos village chief, said that aside from scholarships and medical assistance, Pancho used his pork barrel to build school buildings, day care centers, roads and bridges in the town.
Gonzales said his village’s burial assistance to poor residents was also funded by Pancho’s pork barrel.
Many are honest
He appealed to groups calling for the abolition of the PDAF not to judge all lawmakers, saying many of them are honest and have genuine concern for their constituents, especially the poor.
Roberto Ramos, a barangay councilor, said the PDAF could help local governments provide basic services to their constituents.
The incumbent representative, Gavini Pancho, the former representative’s son, said his office had allotted P18 million from his P70-million PDAF allocation for the 3,000 scholars.
The scholars receive P20,000 each a year.