Roxas: Take my pork but promote ‘palengkenomics’

Billionaire neophyte Sen. Manuel Roxas II said yesterday he is willing to give up his P200-million pork barrel allocation of 2005 provided the national government promotes "palengkenomics."

"My primordial concern is the allocation of sufficient resources for micro-financing, on easy and affordable terms, to small and medium-scale entrepreneurs, including poor market vendors who are at the mercy, of ‘5-6’ usurers and other loan sharks," he said.

He said he does not care which government agency helps this sector of the economy "so long as projects in aid of medium and small entrepreneurs are adequately supported and properly implemented."

Roxas, whose family owns the huge Araneta commercial complex in the heart of Cubao, Quezon City, was trade secretary before running for senator in last May’s elections.

As trade secretary, he earned the title "Mr. Palengke" for frequently visiting public markets, checking consumer prices and helping market vendors. He initially did not want to give up his "pork" because he wanted to continue what he had started as a Cabinet member.

Roxas, who chairs the Senate trade and industry committee, said his goal is to promote a dynamic market system and increased farm production to create new jobs and additional income for those in the countryside.

He said he wants an efficient market chain so that vegetables, fish, meat and other products can be delivered to the markets at lower prices.

Among neophyte senators, it is only former Manila mayor Alfredo Lim who has given up his entire P200 million "pork."

Some have offered to give up only half, while others want to hold on to their funds and are willing to forget about the huge sum only on certain conditions.

Roxas said, "In a manner of speaking, the PDAF (priority development assistance fund, the official euphemism for pork barrel) is not mine to surrender to begin with."

The PDAF is part of the annual budget, which is funded out of taxpayers’ money and borrowings that the public eventually shoulders. — Jess Diaz