Nograles defends bloated pork barrel fund

MANILA, Philippines - Speaker Prospero C. Nograles on Wednesday defended the P3.425-billion increase in countrywide development assistance fund, or “pork barrel" under the 2009 P1.415-trillion national budget. Nograles said the increase is part of the government's overall strategy to pump-prime the economy, even as he cited the need for labor-intensive infrastructure development programs to reverse the effects of the global economic crisis. Speaking before the local officials of Isabela led by Gov. Grace Padaca during the birthday party of Isabela Representative Edwin Uy, Nograles said the government will embark on massive infrastructure development projects especially in the countryside to stimulate economic growth. He said that governments around the world are scurrying to invest billions in employment-intensive projects to keep their economies afloat, and so the Philippines should pump-prime the economy. Nograles said claims of leakages on the use of the pork barrel are unfounded as he noted that the House of Representatives has embarked on various programs to promote transparency in the use public funds. "There are allegations of abuse on the usage of countrywide development assistance funds but have remained allegations until now. These should not stop the government from doing what is necessary to protect the public especially in the face of gloomy economic forecasts," Nograles said, adding that the House of Representatives is now maintaining a website which contains details on how congressmen use their countrywide development assistance fund. He also pointed out that the funds not pass the hands of the congressmen and Senators as misconstrued by the public. "It is the local government units and their respective representatives in Congress who are in the best position to identify the projects needed in their jurisdictions and the countrywide development assistance fund creates parity in the implementation of programs in all districts. Our role is just to identify the needed and viable projects which will be implemented by the concerned government agencies or the private sector following all the necessary public bidding as required by law," Nograles said. Nograles said massive infrastructure projects will create tens of thousands of new jobs for the masses, perk up production of local small and medium industries and enterprises and give the people higher buying power. Infrastructure programs would cover the areas of communications, transportation, farm-to-market roads, roads networks and highways, rail systems, water and irrigation systems, public markets, and school buildings, among others. A P10 Billion economic stimulus fund was also provided under proposed P1.415 Trillion General Appropriations Act for 2009 apart from current and new infrastructure funding that are spread among the vital government departments and agencies. Last Tuesday, economist and Professor Winnie Monsod assailed lawmakers for allegedly being insensitive to the Filipino people for bloating their pork barrel fund by P2 billion this year amid the world financial crisis. Monsod said lawmakers in the House of Representatives and Senate should have added the P2 billion addition pork barrel fund to government stimulus package. The stimulus packaged is the government program intended to finance projects that would create jobs and mitigate the impact of the crisis. - Fidel Jimenez, GMANews.TV