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Friday, April 28, 2006
2006 budget contains P35 billion pork barrel: senator
ALABEL, Sarangani -- Members of the Congress will each have P35 billion in pork barrel once the proposed 2006 national budget is approved by the Senate, majority floor leader Francisco Pangilinan said last week.
"Based on my estimates, some P35 billion of the P1.04 trillion proposed budget would go to the pork barrel. Why can't we give it directly to the DepEd (Department of Education) and the DPWH (Department of Public Works and Highways)? There is a noted shortage of desks and classrooms or infrastructures across the country," he said.
The senator was keynote speaker during the opening of the annual Cotabato Regional Athletic Association meet.
The pork barrel fund, or the Priority Development Assistance Fund, is given to lawmakers to finance their pet projects.
Pangilinan, in a brief conference with the local media, vowed to look into the pork barrel allocation even as he promised Senate would not rush into passing the 2006 budget.
He also chided the House for delaying the approval of the budget proposed by the executive department headed by President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo.
Pangilinan said the Senate is not inclined to re-enact the 2005 budget but hinted that the proposed 2006 budget will be meticulously scrutinized.
He said the bulk of the revenues for the 2006 budget will come from the expanded value added tax.
Pangilinan blamed the House for the five-month delay in the submission of the proposed 2006 budget to the Senate.
On Monday, the Malacañang urged the Senate to act on the passage of the 2006 national budget before both chambers of Congress adjourn on June 10 to avoid the reenactment of last year's national budget. (RBS)
For Bisaya stories from General Santos.Click here. (This section is updated every Monday)
(April 24, 2006 issue)
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