Gwen defends PB over alleged misuse of 'pork barrel' funds

CEBU, Philippines - Governor Gwendolyn Garcia has defended members of the Provincial Board amidst reports that they have spent most of their Legislative Assistance Fund or “pork barrel” for fiesta celebrations instead of allocating the money for projects.

“It is not also fair to try and compare what the legislative assistance fund can do as compared to the budget that falls under the chief executive and the executive branch,” Garcia said yesterday.

Garcia explained that the fund appropriated for board members is only to enable them to help barangays in their respective districts. Projects like agriculture, she said, are primarily funded under the appropriations of different departments.

“It’s taking a conclusion from a wrong premise because there is no point in comparing,” Garcia said, referring to the argument that the LAF is intended to help finance the implementation of agriculture projects. She said enough assistance has been extended to farmers and the agriculture sector in general.

Board Members can have their LAF expanded through resolutions from barangays.

Garcia stressed that there is already enough assistance being extended to farmers and agricultural sector in the province.

For the past six years, Garcia has made it a point to limit financial assistance on socio-cultural activities. Garcia has extended P30,000 per barangay but increased the amount to P50,000 recently.

Garcia said the financial assistance extended to local government units is closely monitored. The Provincial Tourism Office, for example, monitors the funds extended for social-cultural activities and festivities.

PB Members Peter John Calderon and Wilfredo Caminero both said they only give P5,000 for socio-cultural activities, but can extend the amount for other projects such as agriculture.

Calderon said the report was just based on approved resolutions and these were not yet released to the requesting LGUs.

About P5.7 million of the LAF of PB members were spent mostly to finance fiesta celebrations last year. Only P15,000 was spent for agriculture.

According to a summary report of the Priority Development Fund (PDF) expenditures in 2010, a total of P10.4 million were used by all the 15 Provincial Board Members including Vice Gov. Gregorio Sanchez Jr. to finance requests from the towns.

The report divided the expenses into six main categories including “infrastructure projects,” which was allocated a total of P3,373,705; P335,000 for “community development outreach projects”; P441,385 for “social services development”; P485,000 for “economic development”, and P40,000 for “Peace and Order”.

Agriculture expenditures fall under the category Community Development Outreach Projects. The financial assistance granted to fiesta celebrations were categorized under “sports, arts, and culture development.”

The projects listed in the report, were all contained under various approved Board resolutions from January to December 2010. The report forms part of the Accomplishment Report submitted by the Secretariat to Gov. Gwendolyn Garcia. (FREEMAN NEWS)