MANILA: Leaders of the House of Representatives believe the loss of the of pork barrel will not diminish the vigour of lawmakers in drafting laws and exercising their oversight functions.
Speaker Feliciano Belmonte Jr said re-electionists could be distracted from their legislative duties in the remaining two years of the 16th Congress.
“Next year will be more trying, closer to 2016 and without PDAF (Priority Development Assistance Fund),” he said. “But I’m confident we can manage and show it’s not all about PDAF and that we are responsible legislators.”
Deputy Speaker Giorgidi Aggabao said the loss of the PDAF has not dampened the resolve of lawmakers in discharging their duties. “Many are resigned and have accepted the fact that PDAF is a goner,” he said.
“I think the challenge for the House is drawing up a legislative agenda in the absence of any explicit direction from the Palace.”
Cavite Representative Elpidio Barzaga said the loss of the PDAF would prompt lawmakers to focus on their legislative and oversight functions.
Barzaga said the services and assistance that lawmakers give their constituents would have to be administered by concerned agencies like the Department of Health and the Commission on Higher Education.
“Without the PDAF, legislators have to rely on the President for the projects needed by their districts on which projects are to be included in the national expenditures programme of the government,” he said.
However, Senior Deputy Minority Leader and Bayan Muna party-list Rep Neri Colmenares said work in Congress would suffer without the PDAF.
“It would be hard for the House leadership to fast-track its priority legislation without the pork barrel king’s blessing considering that he (President) now has all the pork,” he said.
House leaders have also long been calling for the convening of the Legislative-Executive Development Advisory Council (LEDAC) to come up with a common set of priority bills.
However, Malacañang was cool to convening the LEDAC and not one meeting was held since January last year. A LEDAC would greatly help in the enactment of vital bills, Aggabao said.
Militant workers are gearing up for more protest actions against the pork barrel.
In a statement, Roger Soluta, Kilusang Mayo Uno (KMU) secretary general, said the 2014 national budget is still filled with pork, contrary to the government’s claim.
“We vow to intensify our campaign against the pork barrel system and corruption in the Aquino government this year,” he said.
“At a time of soaring prices and intense calamities, the Filipino workers and people need their taxes to go to social services, not to the pockets of big politicians.”
The Philippine star
