Opposition lawmakers decry absence of ‘pork’ for their districts

MANILA, Philippines — The head of the seven-man independent opposition bloc in the House of Representatives decried yesterday the absence of pork barrel funds for all their districts. 

“Vengeance plus caprice equals zero allocations for authentic opposition representatives and other targeted legislators in the House,” said Albay Rep. Edcel Lagman, leader of the so-called Magnificent 7.

The opposition lawmaker – on behalf of the 24 or so legislators who have been stripped of yearly allocations for hard and soft projects for their constituents – said the zero allocations are “projected to punish and silence opposition legislators.” 

“Steadfast critical dissent and perceived waywardness have left the respective constituencies of two dozens solons destitute of infrastructure projects under the 2018 General Appropriations Act,” Lagman said, even as President Duterte signed the P3.7-trillion budget for next year. 

“Why punish citizens and communities for the earnest and valiant efforts of their representatives to maintain responsible dissent as the bedrock of democracy?” he asked, lamenting that their constituents are “deprived of the benefits of infrastructure development.”

Lawmaker-members of the House independent minority bloc (led by former Leyte congressman Martin Romualdez) suffered the same fate during the time of former president Benigno Aquino III. So had their predecessors during the watch of ex-presidents Gloria Arroyo, Joseph Estrada and Fidel Ramos. 

Lagman’s colleagues are Reps. Teddy Baguilat (Ifugao), Raul Daza (Northern Samar), Emmanuel Billones (Capiz), Edgar Erice (Caloocan), Tom Villarin (Akbayan) and Gary Alejano (Magdalo). 

All of them belong to the once dominant Liberal Party of Aquino, a good majority of whom have allied themselves with the super majority coalition under the PDP-Laban party of Duterte. Only a handful of them formed their own independent opposition bloc. 

Lagman lamented that the Duterte administration gave “zero projects for those the gods wish to destroy.”

“The great majority of the deleted appropriations are not for so-called pet projects but are for essential infrastructure intended for congressional districts in the 2018 National Infrastructure Program of the Department of Public Works and Highways under the Build, Build, Build scheme,” he said.

“What would be adversely affected are the construction of roads and bridges; highways leading to tourism destinations; diversion roads to decongest traffic; flood protection like dikes and seawalls, and public buildings. What is worse is that highways and bridges for completion in 2018 would be left unfinished,” Lagman complained. 

Davao City Rep. Karlo Nograles, chairman of the House committee on appropriations, declined to give any confirmation on the issue, however.

“Questions like that (have to be directed to) the Speaker,” he said.

The P3.7-trillion national budget for 2018 will greatly help in sustaining the country’s growth amid external challenges, Sen. Joseph Ejercito said yesterday.

Ejercito, vice chairman of the Senate finance committee, said the 2018 General Appropriations Act (GAA) is the biggest national budget so far enacted that will work in conjunction with the Tax Reform for Acceleration and Inclusion (TRAIN) bill that provides tax relief to low-income taxpayers and is expected to raise P130 billion in revenues. – Paolo Romero