A RANKING opposition leader yesterday strongly urged Budget Secretary Florencio “Butch” Abad to ensure that maintenance drugs of senior citizens will remain available to them by releasing the priority development assistance funds (PDAF) or pork barrel of several members of the House minority bloc.

House Deputy Minority Leader and Zambales Rep. Ma. Milagros “Mitos” Magsaysay said Abad should ensure that all entitlements of members of the House of Representatives are released on time.

Magsaysay, whose first tranche of her pork barrel in the amount of P35 million has remained unreleased, said the lives of senior citizens are now in peril as Abad continues to withhold their pork barrel. 

“Even senior citizens will lose their supply of free maintenance medicines. We should not put their lives in danger,” said an irate Magsaysay.

She reiterated her call for Abad not to take away the hope of poor Filipinos to have better lives with the continued delay in the release of pork.

“Secretary Abad should not take away the hope of the people in a government that is supposed to care and make their lives better now and in the future,” said Magsaysay.

Aside from Magsaysay, other lawmakers from the Minority who are yet to receive the first tranche of PDAF in the amount of P35 million are Ang Galing Pinoy party-list Rep. Juan Miguel “Mikey” Arroyo, Camarines Sur Rep. Diosdado “Dato” Arroyo, Negros Occidental Rep. Ignacio “Iggy” Arroyo, Bohol Rep. Arthur Yap, Iloilo Rep. Augusto “Buboy” Syjuco, Quezon Rep. Danilo Suarez, Leyte Rep. Ferdinand “Martin” Romualdez, Mindoro Occidental  Rep. Ma. Amelita “Girlie” Villarosa and Davao del Sur Rep. Marc Douglas Cagas.

Magsaysay said the interest of various groups is being jeopardized by the continued non-release of their pork barrel, especially the scholars and indigents.     

Earlier, she challenged Abad not to be vindictive and release PDAF of the critics of the Aquino administration.

“They said they were not vindictive and will release all entitlements meant for the people, that remains to be seen,” said Magsaysay.

She said she is very much worried about her 1,100 scholars who may not be able to enroll in the coming semester because of the unreleased pork.

“I hope they would not jeopardize the future of my scholars. I have 1,100 scholars who are now facing bleak future due to the continued non-release of funds to support their education,” said Magsaysay.

She also disclosed that administration allies in Congress have been preparing the list of projects for the second tranche of PDAF worth another P35 million while some lawmakers in the opposition have not been given their allocations for the first tranche.