‘Pork’ realigned in 2014 budget—Abad

Budget Secretary Florencio “Butch” Abad. INQUIRER FILE PHOTO

MANILA, Philippines – Congressmen were allocated P24.5 million each in 2014 for local infrastructure projects under the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH), Budget Secretary Florencio “Butch” Abad told a Senate hearing on Wednesday.

Abad confirmed during the hearing of the committee on finance that the item on Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF) known as “pork barrel” funds has been deleted by the House of Representatives when it approved the proposed national budget for 2014.

“But it was not deducted from the total budget,” he said, responding to queries of committee chairman, Senator Francis “Chiz” Escudero.

The funds, Abad said, were just realigned to five programs in five government agencies: scholarships under certain SCUs (state college universities) and the Commission on Higher Education, employment under the Department of Labor and Employment and Technical Education and Skills Development Authority , health under the Department of Health and government hospitals; assistance to persons in crisis under the Department of Social Welfare and Development, and local infrastructure projects under the DPWH.

Abad said 20 percent of the funds would go to education, 15 percent to health, 10 percent to employment, 20 percent to assistance to persons in crisis, and then 35 percent to local infrastructure projects.

Asked then by Escudero how much of the funds that went to the DPWH were allocated per district, Abad said: “P24.5 million per House member.”

“P24.5 million per district? By way of infrastructure projects line item under the budget of the DPWH?” Escudero asked again.

“That’s correct,” Abad said

But the budget chief said the use of the funds was limited to specific projects only.

Under education, the funds should be spent for scholarship and assistance to students; For employment, the funds should be used for summer job programs of DOLE while the burial and food assistance should fall under the assistance to persons in crisis.

Abad said the House also identified five items in which the funds for local infrastructure projects should be utilized but did not enumerate them.

The funds, he said, may not be downloaded to non-government organizations and each agency would be required to post the utilization, beneficiaries and other information concerning the use of the funds.

“I think this is more restrictive considering the experience Mr. chairman,” Abad said, referring to the controversy surrounding the use of the legislators’ pork barrel funds during the past years.