More ‘pork’ but no fund source

Lawmakers doubled their pork barrel allocations, but where to get all that pork is a headache for Budget Secretary Rolando Andaya Jr.

Andaya said the bicameral conference committee did not consult the budget department when it approved the additional P6.2-billion pork barrel.

Based on the 2007 General Appropriations Act, the Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF) or pork barrel is pegged at P11 billion.

"Our analysis is, not enough study was made on the effects of the increase,’’ Andaya said on the weekly radio program Para sa Iyo Bayan of Vice President Noli de Castro.

"The DBM was not consulted at all as to where to get the funds to raise the PDAF to P11 billion. They should have asked but we were never given the chance,’’ he said.

He said the lawmakers adjusted the PDAF at the bicameral conference committee level when the final copy of the national budget was ready for signing by President Arroyo.

Malacañang’s proposed PDAF allocation was only P6.2 billion. The bulk of the PDAF, or about P3.9 billion, would be taken from the P18.7-billion benefits and terminal leave pay for some 7,000 government retirees this year.

"The President wants us to be very careful about the P11 billion so that the retirement and terminal leave pay of retiring government employees will not be affected,’’ he said. 

He said the government moved to increase the salary of government employees from 2006 to 2010 but Congress rejected the initiative.

He said the DBM hopes to present a new salary increase proposal to Congress after the May elections.

The proposed salary raise will require a budget of P80 billion, according to Andaya.