‘Pork’ as lure to ensure lawmakers’ attendance at special session

With the promise of "pork" out of the question, Malacañang is resorting to persuasion to convince lawmakers – many already on the campaign trail – to attend the special session that President Arroyo called to pass urgent bills.

In a pooled interview following a televised roundtable discussion in Malacañang on the strong peso, the President said it’s up to Congress’ leaders to ensure the success of the special session.

"But the important thing is they attend (the special session) after all these bills that need to be passed are already in the final stages so we just have to make sure to get their cooperation," Mrs. Arroyo said.

House Majority Leader Prospero Nograles said earlier that the release of pork barrel funds might encourage the lawmakers to show up at the special session.

Speaker Jose de Venecia Jr., on the other hand, urged voters to punish in the elections the lawmakers who were lazy in performing their legislative duties.

But Budget Secretary Rolando Andaya Jr. also dashed hopes for the early release of their pork barrel funds, saying their congressional allocations could only be given once the P1.126-trillion national budget is signed into law by Mrs. Arroyo.

"And because it is the election season, we won’t also be making any release that does not conform with elections rules," he said.

"This might be the Year of the Pig in the Chinese calendar, but not the year of the pork in the budget calendar," Andaya said.

Mrs. Arroyo on Feb. 9 issued Proclamation No. 1235 calling on Congress to ratify priority measures including the proposed Anti-Terrorism Bill, the One Billion Trees Act, the Credit Information Act, and the National Tourism Act. Congressional leaders set the special session on Feb. 19 to 20.

Andaya said he projects the signing of the budget bill on the first week of March, or after the special session of Congress is over, "the reason being the tedious review we are conducting on the many amendments Congress had made on the budget we have proposed."

Mrs. Arroyo earlier said she would veto some line provisions that were inserted by lawmakers. She stressed the move was normal and usual for Presidents about to sign budgets. – With Delon Porcalla