Lawmakers to get equal allocation for projects —DOF spokesperson

Lawmakers will get equal budget allocation for projects in their districts, the spokesperson for the Department of Finance (DOF) said Thursday, shunning the issue of patronage politics in Congress.

“The Speaker has always said that we will all be given equal budget so lahat—kunyari, may allocation sa lahat ng congressmen—equal dapat. Kunyari P80 million for projects, lahat ng congressmen mabigyan ng equal na P80 million,” DOF spokesperson Paola Alvarez said in a “News To Go” interview.

Alvarez, who served as the spokesperson of PDP-Laban during the presidential campaign of President Rodrigo Duterte, is the daughter of incoming House Speaker and Davao del Norte Rep. Pantaleon Alvarez.

But the DOF spokesperson clarified that some districts could get more budgetary allocation depending on their needs.

“For example, sa Leyte mas marami silang kailangan kasi mas devastated sila. Kailangan namin pagbigyang pansin ang development doon,” she said.

The incoming House Speaker earlier said that each member of Congress may propose projects up to P80 million.

Budget Secretary Benjamin Diokno had clarified that the amount was not similar to the Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF) or pork barrel fund, which the Supreme Court (SC) had already ruled as unconstitutional.

Alvarez explained that the administration is already doing away with lump sum allocations for congressmen in accordance with the SC ruling.

“They made it unconstitutional because ang nangyayari dito, mag-a-allocate sa GAA (General Appropriations Act) ng isang lump sum amount. After nu'n, ‘yung mga congressman may liberty kung ano gagawin sa lump sum amount,” she said.

“Ngayon po, walang ganun. (Ang) mangyayari, the congressmen will be given a chance to propose projects...I-co-consider 'yun ng DBM and when they include that, ang tawag doon ay line-budgeting,” Alvarez added.

She said congressmen know better about the needs of their districts and constituents. —Kathrina Charmaine Alvarez/KG, GMA News