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MANILA, Philippines — At least nine out of 24 senators have given up their “pork barrel” funds for 2014—seven of them were from the majority bloc while two belong with the opposition group.
The seven from the majority bloc are Senate President Franklin Drilon, Senators Francis “Chiz” Escudero, Aquilino “Koko” Pimentel III, Loren Legarda, Grace Poe, Bam Aquino and Juan Edgardo Angara.
The two from the minority bloc, who have so far given up their Priority Development Fund (PDAF) also known as “pork barrel” funds, are Senators Vicente “Tito” Sotto III and Nancy Binay.
Angara and Binay, both newly elected senators, were the latest to announce their decision to forego their pork next year.
Angara though said he has yet to formally inform Escudero, chairman of the Senate finance committee of his decision.
Meanwhile, Binay, in giving up her “pork,” also urged her colleagues to “collectively withdraw the P25-billion PDAF allocation earmarked for senators from next year’s General Appropriations Act (GAA).
Scrapping the entire P25-billion “pork” of the senators from next year’s budget, Binay said, would signify the Senate’s commitment in “enacting a national budget based on transparency and accountability.”
“Considering the public’s perception on the use of the PDAF and other lump sum items in the national budget coupled with the fact that the PDAF’s validity is under judicial inquiry, it is my view that it is of paramount necessity for the Senate to take action on the issue of its continued inclusion in the appropriations law,” Binay said in her letter to Escudero dated November 7.
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