Ex-solon’s P37-M pork went to DA

First of two parts

DAET, Camarines Norte—With over a third of its 316,000 labor force in the agricultural sector, farmers of Camarines Norte should have benefited from the P37.5 million worth of projects from the pork barrel, or Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF), of former Camarines Norte Rep. Renato Unico Jr. (first district) that was channeled through the office of Agriculture Secretary Proceso Alcala.

Regional and provincial Department of Agriculture (DA) officials, however, are in the dark on the status of the projects as the regional DA’s technical director for extension and operations, Elena B. de los Santos, admitted that none of the projects have been coordinated with the regional office.

Data obtained from a list provided by the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) on its website showed P35 million of Unico’s pork was released in 2013 and P70 million in 2012, or a total of P105 million in two years.

The DBM list said P37.5 million of public funds tagged as Unico’s pork, or 36 percent of his total in two years, was coursed through the DA, cited in the DBM report as “DA-Office of the Secretary-Proper.”

Covered by the pork releases were projects in the five towns of the first district: Capalonga, Jose Panganiban, Labo, Paracale and Sta. Elena.

Tables presented by the DBM showed the breakdown of the P37.5 million funneled to the DA office over the two-year period.

In 2013, Unico’s pork, also released to the DA, consisted of a single package of financial assistance for a livelihood program worth P10 million. In 2012, pork releases to the agency were for projects in three separate months with an accumulated total amount of P27.5 million.

In 2013, out of the P35 million total of pork credited to Unico, Alcala’s office accounted for P10 million as financial assistance for livelihood programs. This amount was received by the DA on Feb. 22 this year. It was the single biggest allocation of Unico’s P35-million pork.

The P10-million financial package for livelihood programs was spelled out in such broad terms like “development of crops sector, organic farming and vegetable propagation” in the five towns in the province’s first district.

The remaining P25 million of Unico’s P35-million pork for the year went to small infrastructure projects like multipurpose halls and roads under the Department of Public Works and High Ways.

The DBM listed allocations for the P70-million pork released to Unico in 2012. Released in three separate months during the year to Alcala’s office was a combined total amount of P27.5 million or 39 percent of the P70-million fund.

(To be concluded tomorrow)