THE PHILIPPINE STAR

Veto'pork'in 2Ot9 budgot, group urges Rody

y JESS D|AZ modified programs or projects Public Works and Hiehwavs mittee, which Andaya and Priority Development Assis- ties senators and Houne
and dulv announced-on fhe (DPWH), while membeis of tle his Senate' counterpari Loren
Budget watchdog Social tance Fund before the Supreme bers will identify.
floor of dre House of Represen- House have a minimum of P150 Legarda jointly chaired. Court struck it down as uncon-
ratch Philippines yesterday tatives and the Senate."
There was no money fo
million each in the same agency. By Andaya's computatiorL stitutional in November 2013. this purpose in the President'
rpported the call of anti-pork "Lawmakers should exercise The senatorial allocation in senators and House members
rrrel Sen. Panfilo Lacson for It had an annual appropria- budget proposal.
hartsparency and accountability the DPWH is slightly biggerin will share a total of nearly P99 tion of P25 billion. Each sena-
€sident Duterte to veto all Other deparhnents that
as they hold the power of thi the matrix of changes lara'mak- billion in porkbarrel funds this
)ork" insertions made by tor was allocated P200 miiliory allocated additional "pork"
purse. Individual amendrnents ers have made in tEe proposed yeal, more than half of which whiie each House member was
i '
wmakers in the still-to-be- conduits are labor and emplov-
that are not itemized and are budget. is with ihe DPWH- given P70 million forhis or her meni (P2.2 billion),
Ected P3.7s7-trillion national unaligned with the priorities of Camarines Sur Rep. Rolando Of that amount, P23.9 bil- district. (P2.5 billion), agricultwe (P
rdget bill for this year. tle concerned agericy may be AndayaJr", who chairs the Hous,e lion belongs to the House, The congressional pork million), social welfare a
"This will erase inv and all regarded as porlg" the budget appropriations committee, gave while P49.6 billion accrues barrel held only P2.5 billion development (Pl.6 billion)
)ubts that pork ba'rrel has watchdog said. the matrix to dre media
ade its way into the 2019
to the Senate. The conference' during the time of the late trade and indusbry (P1.5billion).
The group added that it Based on the document the committee has P25.2 billion in president Corazon Aquino.
rdget," the group said. The House and the
expects Duterte to "act against two chambers have P46.4 bil- its own insertions, for a total
Social Watch added that pork with conviction onci and Billions in additional pork and their conference
lion in insertions in the DPWH of P98.7 billion. barrel funds were given to made the realignments
rile it is the power of Congress for all."
revise the Presiden(s brideet
- dir.ided as P20.7 billion for Conference cornmittee-initi- other agencies where "pork" ihe details of prolects, r
By Lacson's account, his House members and P25.4 ated changes are considered as was usually hidden. or programs to be funded.
oposal, changes "should"be Senate mlleagues have at least billion for senators, plus an ad- common amendments.
:ornted for through public P23 trillion in insertiorr in the The Derpartment of Health Lawmakers were to su
ditional P274 million realigned The congressional pork received P17.6 billioo of which such details after they-;tr
iclosure of a list O&new or budget of the Department of by the budget conference iom- barrel used to be knor,rzn as P16 billion is for health facili- proved the budget on Feb. 8.

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