Rep. Enrile, Roble discuss concerns on funds allotment

HILONGOS, LEYTE, Philippines  – Concern over fund distribution for agricultural projects, wherein a congressman gives more to his or her preferred local government unit than the one needing it, was among the items discussed during the meeting between Rep. Jack Enrile (1st district, Cagayan) and Mayor Jose Emery Roble.

Enrile, during his visit to this town recently, acknowledged the difficulty of Roble to acquire irrigation projects because of the present system of fund distributions.

“It should be the local chief executive, being knowledgeable of his area to submit priority projects/proposals to the governor and from there to the national level. If approved, then the municipality like Hilongos will have the opportunity to have the needed sustainable irrigation project (for example) ideal to support the number of hectares of this agriculture based economy,” Enrile said.

Roble raised this concern during his one-on-one talk with Enrile, citing the present discrepancy in the distribution of agricultural related projects in the 5th district of Leyte.

“While Hilongos strives much to be back to its previous distinction as rice granary of Leyte, I find it hard to believe that our farmers were deprived of irrigation projects, which are vital for food sufficiency both locally and the rest of Leyte,” Roble told the congressman.

The mayor was referring to other towns that got projects more than enough to support their water requirements while Hilongos was left out despite a huge deficit on water needs. “This is probably because I am not politically align with the congressman. A true leader should consider the welfare of his entire constituents above anything else,” said Roble.

Roble said he took the initiative of repairing the damaged irrigation systems using local equipment and personal funds several times so farmers can produce. On many occasions before this intervention, they skipped planting because of un-rehabilitated irrigation structures even in the slightest of damage, he said.

Enrile responded by assuring Robel that he will incorporate in his bill a provision that if an LGU’s request for the project is approved at the national level, then its intended funds can no longer be realigned by any congressman for the latter’s other preferred LGUs.

The congressman is one of the authors of House Bill 4626 (An Act providing for a system of determining the minimum food requirements of Filipinos, reorganizing the NFA, establishing the National Strategic Food Supply and Reserve Corporation), also known as “Food for Filipinos First Act of 2011.”