Lawmakers to get P25 million each in additional pork barrel

MANILA, Philippines - Members of Congress are assured of at least P25 million each in additional pork barrel allocation in 2011.

Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) Secretary Rogelio Singson gave the assurance in a meeting recently with members of the House appropriations committee, which wrapped up hearings on the proposed P1.645-trillion national budget for next week.

The money will come from billions in annual collections from the road user’s tax, officially called the motor vehicle user’s charge (MVUC), administered by the Road Board chaired by the DPWH secretary.

Singson promised to allocate P25 million for each House member to equalize the allocation of MVUC funds among all congressional districts and party-list groups.

Senators will most likely get an additional P75 million since they usually get three times more than House members.

During the Arroyo administration, senators and congressmen close to Malacañang were allotted hundreds of millions in such funds, while those belonging to the opposition received no allocation.

The additional MVUC allotments will be on top of the regular annual pork barrel fund releases of P70 million for each member of the House and P200 million for each senator.

Rep. Jesus Sacdalan suggested that road tax collections be used to build new roads instead of rehabilitating thoroughfares that are still in good condition.

He said people in Metro Manila and in the provinces have been noticing that DPWH personnel or private contractors tear up good roads that do not need repairs in the guise of so-called preventive maintenance.

He said billions in road user’s fees have also been wasted on road guardrails and other useless markers, many of which have already disappeared.

He said instead of spending funds on aluminum guardrails and other road markers that are stolen and that do not prevent accidents, the money should be used to build new roads.

The road tax comes in the form of increased annual motor vehicle registration fees.

The road tax has already doubled and nearly P70 billion has been collected since its imposition in 2001. Of the collections, there is only a balance of less than P10 billion. 

The Senate has recommended plunder charges against certain Road Board officials during the Arroyo administration in connection with irregularities in the use of MVUC collections.

According to the Commission on Audit, the bulk of MVUC collections had been wasted on road safety, re-blocking and maintenance projects. In fact, in recent years, auditors have discovered ghost projects worth P5 billion funded out of MVUC money.

Other congressmen said Singson should also stop “road sealing” projects, which they also consider a waste of precious funds.

“These, too, are moneymaking exercises. DPWH personnel or private contractors pour asphalt sealant on small spaces between concrete blocks and cover it with sand, which pollutes the environment when vehicles kick it up. It’s not only a waste of money; it also causes pollution. It also makes the roads ugly,” one lawmaker said.

In Quezon City, the good roads that have been “re-blocked” and “re-sealed” include Batasan Road leading to the House of Representatives and portions of Commonwealth Avenue in Fairview.

Fairview residents woke up one morning to see their main concrete highway turned upside down, when it was in perfect condition the night before.