For sitting on Minority lawmakers’ pork, depriving poor folk of economic benefits

BUDGET Secretary Florencio “Butch” Abad was accused yesterday of jeopardizing the livelihood programs and infrastructure development in some congressional districts with the continued non-release of the Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF) or pork barrel of some opposition lawmakers.

House Deputy Minority Leader and Zambales Rep. Ma. Milagros “Mitos” Magsaysay said Abad should not allow the constituents of several opposition lawmakers to suffer a major crisis because of his failure to release their pork barrel.

Seriously affected are the low-income people whose plight could be alleviated by the funds that Abad is taking too long to release, Magsaysay said.

“They should not take away the chance of the poor people to have a better life through livelihood assistance, infrastructure development in education and public works. These projects are beneficial to all,” she said.

Earlier, Magsaysay lamented that a great number of indigent patients would be deprived of pre and post-medical care because of the situation.

Magsaysay said Abad’s non-release of pork barrel is now taking its toll on health concerns of many indigent patients.

“It’s the constituents that suffer with the non-release of the PDAF, including patients who will not be given pre and post-medical care,” a dismayed Magsaysay said.

She said all entitlements of members of the House of Representatives should be released on time for the sake of the people especially the indigent.

“But the success of the programs to help the indigent patients depends on the release of our PDAF,” said Magsaysay.

Apart from Magsaysay, other lawmakers from the Minority who are yet to receive the first tranche of PDAF in the amount of P35 million include 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.