STAR

t2 n€ ws THE PH ILIPPINE
-
1
FRIDAY
sEPTEMBER
I
20.2ol9

'PIOO-M allosation
per congressisnal
district not Pork'
By JEss DIAZ
considered pork barrel as
declared unconstitutional bY
The P100-million alloca- the SC.
tion for each congressional Speaker Alan Peter CaY-
district in the 2020 riational etano has declared that the
budset cannot be considered House is sticking to its "man-
as p"ork barrel, members of tra of no pork, no Parking
the House of Representatives (hiding of funds) and no de-
said yesterday. 1ay" in passing the ProPosed
"It's not a lumP sum, the P4.1-trillion budget for next
proiects are itemized together year.
iryith their funding and such
' The S4-member P artY -
projects went through a vet- list Coalition led bY dePutY
ting process by agencies to speaker and 1-Pacman ReP.
which they were proposed," Mikee Romero suPPoried
Rep. Argel Joseph Cabatbat of Cayetano's declaration.
party-list group Magsasaka '"Speaker Cayetano can
told a news forum. rely on our suPport in en-
He said the detailed list- suring that the no-Pork, no-
ing of proiects and their aP- parking and no-delaY PolicY
pr-opriitions in the national is followed," Romero said..
budget complies with the He said the House is de-
2013 Supreme Court (SC) termined to avoid this Year's
decision outlawing the Prigr- budlet enactment delaY that
ity DeYelopment Assistance has resulted in slower eco-
Fund (PDAF), which used to nomic growth.
be the official name for the He said it has become
confrbssional Pork barrel. imperatiYe for Congress to
Cabatbat, who is a latryer, pass the 2020 outlay on time
said the-SC ruling does not ?'because we cannot afford
prohibit lawmakers from to lose P77 billion per month
proposing projects before the due to the budget aPProval
budget is enacted. delav earlv this vear."
What it prohibits are lump L 6ftis i lawmakers said
sums for lawmakers and in- thev have not availed them-
tervention by them in Project selves of the P1O0-million
implementation, he added. allocation.
He admitted that his party- "It is still pork barrel be-
list group proposed P300 cause it promotes Political
million worth of {arm-to- patronage," BaYan Muna
market road and irrigation ileo. Carlos Zatate said .
proiects to the Department hs e.tly as Aug. 8, The
bf Agriculture and Nationai STAR reported that the De-
Irrigaiion Administration, partmeniof Budgei arLd Man-
but that only P50 million was agement had asked senators
accommodated. and congressmen to submrt
their project ProPosals so
these could be included in the
2020 budget in comPliance
with the SC decision.
House membels were re:
ouested to limit their lisiing
g"tB.,t

that the funds could not be

r',, Pt o0
hu *"" q.rick to clarify senatoxs,
P20d
^iltiott
the
million
each. For
allocation
each.
was
Yxcoa- p'