'Pork barrel' of city officials stays

CEBU, Philippines – Top officials in Cebu City, including the mayor, vice mayor, and city councilors will continue to enjoy their "pork barrel" fund next year.

Councilor Jose Daluz III, chairman of the committee on budget and finance of the City Council, said Mayor Michael Rama is supporting the P60-million Local Development Fund (LDF) that former mayor Tomas Osmeña started in 2001. The fund would be distributed to councilors for infrastructure projects in their respective districts.

Daluz said the P60 million budget for the LDF will be included in the Annual Budget for 2011. Each councilor is entitled to a P3 million LDF while the mayor and vice mayor are entitled to P6 million LDF each.

As early as now, councilors must identify the projects they intend to implement so that they can be implemented immediately once funds are available, Daluz said. 

Councilor Roberto Cabarrubias the LDF allows councilors the discretion to build the infrastructure needed in their areas. Prior to the LDF, all budgets for projects had to be approved by the mayor.

The LDF actually started with P10 million allotted to each councilor from 2001 to 2004, but allotment was stopped in the next four years because the funds were not used up. The excess funds were realigned the following year.

Osmeña revived the LDF in 2009, but reduced the amount to P3 million per councilor.

Last year, the council agreed to jointly identify the projects that will be funded by the LDF. This year, however, councilors are asked to identify projects separately.

In the case of North District Councilor Edgardo Labella, his projects will address the needs of barangays Mabolo, Kasambagan, Kamagayan and Bacayan, he said he will focus his projects to these barangays.

Labella said he will meet with the four barangay captains to discuss the needed infrastructures. He said he will allow the barangays implement the projects themselves as long as the bidding and awarding of the projects will be done properly.

Labella said he will also make sure that the projects are monitored by the proper City Hall offices like the Department of Public Works and Engineering. (FREEMAN)