Lawmakers urged to use pork barrel

SENATORS and congressmen are urged to allocate their "pork barrel" to subsidize the increase in power costs brought about by the use of power barges that coming in from Luzon.

This was the proposal of Philippine Airlines vice president for Mindanao sales, Domingo Duerme, in an interview with Sun.Star Davao Friday morning.

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Duerme used to serve as president of Davao City Chamber of Commerce and Industry Inc. and remains to be a frontrunner in the city's business sector.

"The declaration of the state of calamity is really needed by Mindanao, we are a few days away from the possibility of a total blackout," Duerme said. "This is a time where the members of Congress should put their money in subsidizing the power rates."

Duerme added that the people are already suffering from the effects of the global financial crisis, with no recent increases in the wages and businesses still down.

However, like all other sectors, Duerme said the people should be vigilant that the money is made available during a 'state of calamity' declaration.

On Thursday night, President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo placed the entire Midnanao under a state of calamity amid a worsening power crisis in the island due to dry spell.

Mindanao Development Authority chairman Jesus Dureza, who is with the President in Zamboanga del Norte, confirmed this report in a text message Thursday.

By declaring a state of calamity, local government units will able to use five percent emergency funds to solve the power shortage in Mindanao that is already slowing down productivity of the province.