Palace says lawmakers should identify PDAF-funded projects

MANILA, Philippines - Malacañang said lawmakers belonging to either the opposition bloc or the majority coalition in the House of Representatives should not feel offended if pork barrel funds for their districts are not released to them directly.

Presidential spokesman Edwin Lacierda and deputy spokesperson Abigail Valte clarified that aside from their mandate to craft laws, congressmen are also tasked to identify projects that they want implemented in their districts.

“Remember that the job of our representatives in Congress is to identify projects for their district where their (pork barrel) allocation goes,” Valte said in Filipino.

Lacierda asserted that the House members, from both sides of the political fence do not need to hold the priority assistance development fund (PDAF).

“The constituencies have not been deprived of assistance from the national government. What is the role of the legislature when it comes to PDAF? Their role is to identify projects,” he explained.

Lacierda defended the policy of the government to release the PDAF of opposition lawmakers directly to their district’s local government unit (LGU) officials, insisting that this does not mean deprivation of pork barrel funds at all.

“That’s being done right now (releasing PDAF to mayors in lawmakers’ district). So there’s no issue on the constituents themselves being helped (by the LGU),” he explained.

A case in point is Zambales Rep. Milagros “Mitos” Magsaysay, a vocal critic of the Aquino administration.

“Did we violate her PDAF? Did we deprive her constituents? I think not, we will not leave her constituents high and dry. We will (still) help their constituents,” Lacierda maintained.

The presidential spokesman also pointed out that the government did not exert pressure on Congresswoman Magsaysay, “She continues to be a vocal opposition member and we have not stopped her from exerting her right to voice her opinion.”

“Our concern is: If you’re not helping us in our programs, in our policies we might as well go straight to your constituents and help them,” Lacierda revealed their strategy, which was also admitted by Budget Secretary Florencio Abad.

A list that Valte showed to Palace reporters indicated that even districts of minority members were beneficiaries of “savings” the national government obtained, admitting that these were not PDAF that opposition congressmen wanted.

“What’s important here is that the district is not left unattended. What is also important here is that there are projects for her constituents in her district in Zambales,” she said, justifying the releases made directly to the LGU level. 

Valte asserted that in the figures she read, the government has allocated funds and projects regardless whether that district’s House representative is in the minority or not.

“It’s not true that their funds are not released. If you go to the Department of Budget and Management website you will see the fund releases for members of the (House) minority,” she said.

To disprove critics, Valte also enumerated opposition congressmen who were beneficiaries of “savings” from the national government, which included scholarships and electrification projects by the Department of Public Works and Highways, Department of Health, and Department of Agriculture.

Former Liberal Party member Rep. Hermilando Mandanas of Batangas topped the list with a total of P378.3 million; followed by Augusto Syjuco of Iloilo with P340 million; and   Diosdado “Dato” Arroyo of Camarines Sur with P269 million.  

Fourth is Rep. Marc Douglas Cagas of Davao del Sur with P198 million; followed by Rep. Danny Suarez of Quezon with P192.3 million; Rep. Toby Tiangco of Navotas with P105 million; Rep. Milagros Magsaysay of Zambales with P49.8 million; and Deputy Speaker Jesus Crispin Remulla, with P4 million.

All of these “savings” were released in 2011 and are not part of the PDAF, Valte said. 

“Remember the President’s policy is not leave any district behind. So this is the summary of the projects that we have for the districts under the minority,” she said.