Projects identified only during implementation? Angara smells 'pork barrel' in NTF-ELCAC funds

A Budget official on Thursday disclosed that the projects of the government's anti-insurgency task force are identified only during its implementation, prompting Senator Sonny Angara to call the funds for these projects "pork barrel."

Pork barrel — declared unconstitutional by the Supreme Court — refers to lump-sum and discretionary funds earmarked for lawmakers in the national budget for their pet projects.

During the Senate Finance Committee on Department of Budget and Management's proposed 2023 budget, Senator Nancy Binay asked for updates on the implementation of projects requested by the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-ELCAC) for 2020 and 2021, as the task force is seeking P10 billion as special purpose funds in 2023.

For 2021, Budget Undersecretary Tina Rose Canda said P19.24 billion was released to NTF-ELCAC, including P16.4 billion for special purpose funds (SPF).

The DBM was not able to submit the updates on the P16.4 billion SPF for NTF-ELCAC, prompting Binay to read a document containing the completion status of the projects.

"Based on this document, out of the 2021 release, total amount P16 billion, 'yung ongoing is P2.9 [billion], completed is P3.2 [billion]," Binay said.

"So parang [kahit] 50% of the P16 [billion], parang in limbo pa 'yung projects," she pointed out.

Angara, who chairs the committee, then asked the details of the P3.2 billion completed projects of the NTF-ELCAC, pointing out that there were doubts cast on its efforts in the previous years.

"Siyempre gusto natin malaman na totoo nga 'yon kasi nga maraming nagdududa dati... There's no report. You're the budgetary experts, how do you judge that?" Angara asked.

Binay backed Angara's question and asked the DBM, which is defending the SPFs, on how it would justify the additional P10 billion for next year "when you don't even know what's going on with these project(s)?"

Canda, in response, said they only allocated funds based on the number of cleared barangays declared by the NTF-ELCAC. She also said they are also vetting the projects that the NTF-ELCAC has proposed similar to what they are doing to other agencies.

"We were saying that perhaps you (NTF-ELCAC) have to concentrate on the ongoing projects under the cleared barangays that have been recently identified," Canda said.

Binay then asked the DBM to submit the lists of barangay beneficiaries for the P10 billion SPF for 2023.

At this point, Canda said that the barangay beneficiaries were specified by the NTF-ELCAC but not the projects to be covered by the requested funds.

"Unfortunately, the projects are identified only during implementation phase," Canda said when asked by Angara on when the NTF-ELCAC projects are identified.

Angara then pointed out that this is considered as "pork barrel" based on the Supreme Court's definition.

"Isn't that a form of pork barrel that's frowned upon based on the Supreme Court?" Angara asked.

"In the end, they just make a menu which they can choose from. But I see the minority leader who is a much better lawyer than I am, is agreeing that its a pork barrel based on the definition of the Supreme Court. Because, you know, when you pass the [General Appropriation Act], there must be an identification of projects as much as possible," he added.

Responding to the senator, Canda said the DBM has given the NTF-ELCAC "some leeway" in the identification of the projects because of the "intent of the funds."

But the DBM official said they will leave it to the discretion of the Senate panel if they will adjust the amounts allocated to the NTF-ELCAC.

Angara said they also want to support the program but told DBM that it should apply the standards that they impose to other government agencies.

"Let's apply the same standards across the board and if you could give as detailed a report as possible in the implementation of the programs, we would appreciate it," he said. —KBK, GMA News