GMA tells lawmakers: Use ‘pork’ to ease hunger

Malacañang challenged yesterday congressional candidates who would win in the May elections and sit as members of the 14th Congress to "beef up" President Arroyo’s P1 billion "emergency hunger mitigation" program with their pork barrel funds now pegged at P11.45 billion.

Secretary Domingo Panganiban, chief of National Anti-Poverty Commission (NAPC) under the Office of the President and Secretary Edgardo Pamintuan, Cabinet officer-in-charge of the Luzon Urban Beltway (LUB) super region, said candidates for legislative positions "should as early as now make a commitment that they will use their pork barrel, or Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF) allocations, to expand the reach and sustain the war on hunger launched by the President."

The two cabinet members were earlier tapped by Mrs. Arroyo to ensure delivery of basic services to the people.

"While campaigning, congressional and senatorial candidates should make a covenant with the electorate that as soon as they assumed office, they will volunteer their PDAF for hunger mitigation," Pamintuan said.

Mrs. Arroyo last week ordered the release of P1 billion for emergency school-feeding program in depressed areas in Metro Manila and provinces following a survey showing that hunger incidence in the country was at record highs.

She particularly mentioned programs like food-for-school and food-for-work plus various feeding projects of religious and non-government organizations.

The Palace earlier pushed for the inclusion of at least P4 billion for the school-feeding program in the P1.126 trillion national budget but this was rejected by the Senate.

However, in hammering out the final version of the newly signed budget, lawmakers almost doubled their share of PDAF from P5.2 billion to P11.45 billion. Budget Secretary Rolando Andaya Jr. said Mrs. Arroyo is going to impound the pork allocation.

In the drafting of the emergency hunger mitigation program, the joint LUB-NAPC team has identified the 10 priority communities in Metro Manila as Smokey Mountain, Parola, Baseco, Payatas, Soldiers Resettlement Housing in Taguig, Bagong Silang, and areas in Pasay, Pasig, Navotas, and Malabon. – Paolo Romero