Lani: No PDAF, no scholarship grants

MANILA, Philippines - Hundreds of students will lose their scholarships if the Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF) of Cavite 2nd Rep. 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 pork barrel 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."

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"Sorry you are taking me at the wrong context. Alam n'yo na kung paano kami tumulong. (With) PDAF or without PDAF," she said.

Mercado told PEP.ph in an interview that recent proposals to scrap pork will leave lawmakers without anything to give to those who ask for help.

"Basta 'wag lang manghihingi sa amin ang mga tao!" she laughingly said in the interview.

"E ano'ng ibibigay namin? Hindi naman puwede yung pinaghihirapan namin dahil sa personal naman namin 'yun, sa mga anak, sa mga pang-araw-araw na panggastos namin," Mercado added.

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 pork.

COA also said Revilla exceeded his allocation by P269 million from 2007 to 2009.

Mercado, however, has said that issues involving her husband have political in motive.

"Ano lang, kung merong kailangang imbestigahan, imbestigahan nilang lahat. Huwag silang mamili dahil kasama sa partido at hindi yung merong tina-target dahil may inaabangan sa 2016," she said.