Lawmakers insist on right to pick projects

Eastern Samar Rep. Ben Evardone: We will limit the menu to projects less prone to corruptionr. INQUIRER FILE PHOTO

MANILA, Philippines—With the impending removal of the P25-billion lump sum pork barrel allocation from the national budget, the House of Representatives’ appropriations committee is mulling over a proposal to allow lawmakers to take charge of identifying over the limited infrastructure projects that would be provided for in the 2014 General Appropriations Act, according to Eastern Samar Rep. Ben Evardone.

Evardone, who is also vice chair of the appropriations committee, said that under the proposal, the infrastructure projects identified by the lawmakers would be included in the budget of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH).

The House is planning to scrap the lawmakers’ P25-billion lump sum appropriation for the Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF) and distribute the amount to several executive agencies that would provide social services. The DPWH may also get a portion of the funds for infrastructure projects.

But if the proposal is approved, the kind of infrastructure projects lawmakers could push would be severely limited, said Evardone.

“We will limit the menu to projects less prone to corruption, such as the concreting of roads and multipurpose buildings. We won’t allow the graveling of roads or dredging projects,” he said in a phone interview.

Evardone also said that the lawmakers would have to work fast to consult their constituents and identify the infrastructure projects because these have to be included in the 2014 national budget before it is passed on second reading.

“What is important is that the projects are based on the priorities of the community based on consultations with local governments and people’s organizations,” he said in a separate text message.

Those who fail to identify infrastructure projects in time would lose their chance to have these specifically provided for under the 2014 budget, he added.

Evardone said that under this scheme, the infrastructure projects would be more transparent and easy to monitor because they would be reflected in the budget. Lawmakers would also have less discretion in the utilization of the funds, he added.

Infrastructure or “hard” projects are among the items funded by the lawmakers’ pork barrel. The other items consist of “soft” projects such as medical and educational assistance.

With the removal of the lump sum pork barrel, lawmakers would have to refer those seeking medical and educational assistance to the executive agencies that provide social services.

The move to remove the lump sum PDAF came in the wake of public outrage generated by reports that the pork barrel has been used to line private pockets.