Manila council backs Senator Estrada’s P100M pork for dad’s city

“Shame” must be relative.

The Manila City Council defended Sen. Jinggoy Estrada’s move to realign P100 million or half of his pork barrel fund to the local government headed by his own father, saying the city would need such a financial boost to deliver basic services.

“It is worthy to note that the city government is maintaining six hospitals, 59 health centers, 12 lying-in clinics, a university and a city college,” the council said in a resolution adopted Tuesday expressing support for the fund allocation.

When the Supreme Court declared the lawmakers’ Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF) unconstitutional, Estrada allotted half of his P200 million pork barrel allotment in the 2014 national budget to the city government of Manila.

The move drew criticism from Sen. Antonio Trillanes IV, who called it “shameless” since the mayor of the recipient city is Jinggoy’s own father, former President Joseph Estrada.

Councilor Joel Chua, principal author of the resolution, said the young Estrada was only fulfilling a campaign promise to the people of Manila that he would help the cash-strapped city government.

“We encourage other senators, even congressmen, to help us,” Chua said. “It’s more shameful that the premiere city has been left behind.”

The resolution noted the city was saddled with a P3.5-billion budget deficit and P613 million in unpaid electricity bills. Chua also cited the lack of equipment and medical supplies in the six public hospitals run by the city.

Senator Estrada’s allocation “is a big help in terms of the delivery of basic services and facilities by the city government” which will benefit the marginalized sector, the resolution said.

The elder Estrada earlier lashed back at Trillanes, saying “he’s the one who is shameless” and that the Navy officer-turned-lawmaker should stop “grandstanding.” Erika Sauler