Lacson urges lawmakers: Give up pork barrel

Opposition Sen. Panfilo Lacson urged members of Congress again yesterday to give up their annual pork barrel, which this year allocates more than P15 billion in precious taxpayers’ money for their projects.

He said the ballooning and worrisome budget deficit should prompt senators and congressmen to part with their pork barrel funds.

If they give up such funds, that single act of sacrifice alone would reduce the deficit by more than P10 billion, he said.

Lacson said lawmakers have no right to talk about the imposition of additional or new taxes, much less enacting them, if they continue to use such funds, or worse, pocket them.

He added that besides cutting the deficit substantially, giving up the pork barrel would also eliminate one source of corruption for lawmakers and other officials.

The congressional pork barrel allocates at least P200 million for each senator and a minimum of P50 million for each House member. The Senate is counted with full membership when it comes to these allocations. Thus, it gets P4.8 billion for 24 senators.

On the other hand, the House of Representatives, with more than 230 members, will get at least P11.5 billion in "pork" this year.

The President and the Vice President have their own pork barrel funds.

Since two years ago, Lacson has been making the same appeal to fellow lawmakers but his plea has always fallen on deaf ears.

He had given up his annual P200-million "pork," making sure that it was cut from the annual budget. This year, he had announced he would give up another P200 million.

According to him, the pork barrel has been a source of dirty money for corrupt lawmakers, public works officials, auditors, and local government executives. The "SOP" (euphemism for commission) for a senator or congressman is at least 20 percent, he said.

A more rapacious lawmaker can pocket 40 percent to 50 percent of his or her funds, he said.

Some House members, instead of spending the money for infrastructure projects, funnel them to foundations or non-government organizations they themselves or their relatives control. A lawmaker from Bukidnon and another from Cebu are facing charges for diverting their funds via this route. — Jess Diaz