House scraps 2014 PDAF

MANILA, Philippines - The House of Representatives will scrap the P27-billion Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF) from the proposed P2.268-trillion national budget for 2014.

While the lump sum PDAF will no longer appear in the budget program, the fund will be given to the different executive agencies to which lawmakers can make recommendations in implementation.

“We reserve the right to make recommendations to agencies,” Speaker Feliciano Belmonte Jr. said.

The PDAF is the official name of the congressional pork barrel. It allocates P200 million a year for every senator and P70 million for each House member.

President Aquino has promised to abolish the PDAF, but with lawmakers retaining their privilege to earmark certain “hard” projects or programs for implementation. Aquino also vowed to bring transparency and more accountability to the budget process.

Belmonte has asked the House committee on appropriations to remove the PDAF from next year’s budget program, together with anything related to it, including special provisions.

The committee, which is conducting public hearings on Aquino’s budget proposal, is scheduled to wrap up its deliberations next week and come up with a report.

It will recommend plenary approval of the budget without the P27-billion PDAF.

Belmonte said the directive to the appropriations committee would either be through a joint statement of the House leadership and leaders of political parties in the chamber or through a letter to committee chair Davao City Rep. Isidro Ungab. Belmonte said the letter may also evolve into a House resolution.

“We the members of the House of Representatives of the 16th Congress support President Aquino's efforts to promote transparency and accountability as we join the call for the abolition of the PDAF,” Belmonte said, reading the first few paragraphs of the draft statement. “In view of this, we ask for the Committee of Appropriations to remove the P25-billion provision on the PDAF in the proposed 2014 national budget.”

The statement adds, “As representatives of respective constituencies with a mandate to voice out the needs of the people, legitimate needs for social services have to be addressed by social agencies. We reserve the right to make recommendations to agencies.”

 Among those present during the meeting of the House leadership were Majority Leader Neptali Gonzales Jr.; Deputy Speakers Carlos Padilla, Sergio Apostol, Pangalian Balindong, Roberto Puno, Giorgidi Aggabao and Henedina Abad; Cavite Rep. Elpidio Barzaga Jr. of the National Unity Party; Romblon Rep. Eleandro Madrona; Western Samar Rep. Mel Senen Sarmiento of the Liberal Party; and Makati City Rep. Abigail Binay of the United Nationalist Alliance.

The PDAF in the budget proposal actually amounts to P25.2 billion. But according to Budget Secretary Florencio Abad, there is P1.8 billion in “continuing appropriation,” bringing the total to P27 billion.

The House decision to scrap lawmakers’ “pork” came amid senators’ ambivalence on the issue. Senators are trying to decide whether to keep the fund or realign it.

According to the Commission on Audit, four senators allocated more than P1 billion to non-government organizations (NGOs) linked to alleged pork barrel scam brains Janet Lim Napoles. The budget originates from the House. When it reaches the Senate, senators can do whatever they want with the PDAF – either restore it or realign it.

Militant party-list representatives have filed a bill to abolish the congressional pork barrel, even as at least two of them wanted their P70-million share realigned to some agencies.

Minority Leader Ronaldo Zamora is reportedly supporting the call of some of his colleagues to retain the pork barrel.

The House appropriations committee, which Davao City Rep. Isidro Ungab chairs, is now at the homestretch in its budget deliberations.

With the Senate and the House still divided over the PDAF, the President may just ask Congress leaders as well as budget officials to delete the fund from the budget program.

“My suggestion is simpler. The President can just write the DBM (Department of Budget and Management), the Speaker of the House, the Senate President, to delete the item pertaining to the lump sum (PDAF), saying ‘do not consider it anymore’ and that would be the end of it,” Buhay party-list Rep. Lito Atienza told reporters yesterday.

– with Paolo Romero and Christina Mendez