Nancy to give pork to VSMMC

CEBU, Philippines - Amidst the “pork barrel” scam scandal that rocked both the Upper and Lower House, neophyte Senator Nancy Binay still believes in its importance and how it could help the poor.

“Importante ang pork barrel kasi marami ang matutulungan dahil diyan. Ang importante na transparent talaga yung transactions and well documented lahat kung saan ba nilagay yung pondo,” said Binay, who was in Cebu yesterday to attend the round-table discussion with sugar industry leaders.

Binay said that based on the experience of her father, Vice president Jejomar Binay’s Priority Development Assistance Fund amounting to P200 million has helped a lot of people.

Binay, who ranked fifth among the 12 senators during the last May elections, said she will give part of her PDAF to Vicente Sotto Memorial Medical Center in Cebu City but she is yet to determine how much she will give.

Each senator has an annual PDAF of P200 million.

Aside from her PDAF, Binay and her brother, Makati Mayor Junjun Binay, are planning to donate hospital beddings and other hospital needs to VSMMC out of their personal funds.

“Balita ko nga maraming kailangan yung hospital. Kaya I was thinking na malapit na ang birthday ng mother namin, yun ang gagawin naming magkakapatid as a gift sa mother namin,” Binay said.

She added that during their mother’s birthday, they usually do these to other hospitals like the Philippine General Hospital.

“So, para maiba naman, this time in Cebu na,” said Binay in an interview with The Freeman.

Binay was likewise grateful for the Cebuanos’ support during the last elections.

“Considering na hindi nanalo yung tatay ko sa Cebu nung tumakbo siyang bise presidente, I am still grateful that Cebuanos made me number five here. Malaki ang binibigay na suporta ng mga Cebuanos sa akin kaya ako nanalo,” Binay added.

She added that one of these days, she will visit VSMMC to see for herself the hospital’s conditions.

“We will see baka pwedeng may i-repair tayo na building or kung ano man ang pwede nating itulong,” she said.

The VSMMC became controversial recently involving the alleged misuse of former Cebu City south district representative Antonio Cuenco’s pork barrel.

Earlier this week, the Supreme Court upheld the Commission on Audit’s ruling which ordered VSMMC to return P3.4M found to have went to non-existent patients through falsified prescriptions. Four hospital executives were implicated.

VSMMC issued a statement assuring that they have corrected their system’s deficiencies and that they cooperating in any investigation regarding the controversy.  (FREEMAN)