Lagman: Defunding opposition solons means derailing economic growth

Albay Rep. Edcel Lagman. (File photo from the Philippine Daily Inquirer)

Defunding the infrastructure projects of 24 “undesirable” solons would derail economic development, an opposition lawmaker said on Saturday.

In the wake of the Congress’ move to allot bigger budgets for projects of President Rodrigo Duterte’s allies while slashing the funds intended for those by the opposition, Albay Rep. Edcel Lagman decried that the national budget is “not a partisan weapon to suppress dissent and excise approved allocations for infrastructure projects in discriminated constituencies.”

READ: Alvarez tells 24 solons who got no funding: That’s life

“The shortsighted vindictiveness of the House leadership failed to consider the adverse economic impact of defunding infrastructure projects in the districts and constituencies of dissenting solons,” Lagman said in a statement.

The lawmaker also listed five economic repercussions of the House move:

1. Infrastructure as the engine of growth is negated.
2. The generation of jobs due to the implementation of infrastructure projects is prejudiced, if not obliterated.
3. There is denial of the local residents’ access to work and income, which has a multiplier effect on the increase of purchasing power and economic activities.
4. The zero allocation in targeted districts derails the administration’s mantra of “Build, Build, Build.”
5. No projects amount to no taxes from the expected economic activities related to the halted implementation of infrastructure projects.

Among those whose infrastructure projects were scrapped in the 2018 national were members of the Magnificent Seven and Makabayan opposition blocs, and a number of Liberal Party and administration allies “who were not in the good graces of the House leadership.” /jpv