Anti-poverty program lacks funds - solon

An opposition congressman lamented yesterday that Malacañang has not been releasing enough funds for the administration's anti-poverty program, dubbed Lingap Para sa Mahihirap.

"The anti-poverty projects have been impoverished by lack of funds. Like the children it intends to serve, the Lingap program is financially malnourished," said Rep. Robert Ace Barbers (Lakas, Surigao del Norte).

He said of the P2.5 billion allotted for the program last year, only P813 million was released.

An administration congressman, reacting to Barbers' revelation, said the budget deficit in 1999, which ballooned to P103 billion, could have been the reason for Malacañang's failure to release the entire amount appropriated for Lingap.

Besides, the lawmaker, who did not want to be identified, said the whole P2.5-billion Lingap fund was a congressional pork barrel.

He recalled that President Estrada had originally proposed a poverty alleviation fund of the same amount, but that the House scrapped it and substituted it with Lingap, making the program a congressional insertion.

He said projects funded by Lingap were identified by senators and congressmen.

The source did not know how much of the P813 million released last year went to senators, and how much was allotted to congressmen.

Part of the releases was used to purchase rice from the National Food Authority which the Department of Social Welfare and Development distributed to calamity victims in areas identified by lawmakers.

Of the P2.5 billion Lingap fund, P500 million was supposed to be allocated for cooperatives development, P500 million for food, nutrition and medical assistance, another P500 million for socialized housing, P400 million for price support for rice and corn, P300 million for child care services, and another P300 million for rural water supply.