Filipino protesters down their thumbs during a demonstration for the abolition of the congressional fund in Manila.
MANILA: Hundreds of students will lose their scholarships if the Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF) of Cavite 2nd Representative Lani Mercado-Revilla is cut by the government.
“I have to tell 7,000 scholars that without PDAF, I can’t help them,” she said on her Twitter account in a series of posts.
She said that the abolition of the funds will strip not only students of the scholarships, but also beneficiaries of medical assistance and burial donations. “We give out scholarships to empower people. It is in our menu. Our constituents ask us for medical and burial assistance,” Mercado said.
The lawmaker also expressed regret that her earlier comments defending the use of the PDFA were “taken at the wrong context.”
Mercado told PEP.ph in an interview that recent proposals to scrap the fund will leave lawmakers without anything to give to those who ask for help. Mercado also said that constituents can freely check statements of her PDAF use on her Facebook account.
The Commission on Audit (COA) has named Mercado’s husband, Senator Ramon “Bong” Revilla, Jr as among the top five biggest spenders of congressional assistance.
COA also said Revilla exceeded his allocation by P269m ($6.11m) from 2007 to 2009. Mercado, however, has said that issues involving her husband have political in motive.
She said that if ever there was an investigation, everybody should be investigated. She stresses that the administration should not only choose to investigate the opposition since the 2016 elections are near.
The Philippine Star
