MANILA -- To control the pork barrel that is distributed to lawmakers, President Benigno "Noynoy" Aquino III will have a "menu" in the incoming 15th Congress to distinguish where the money may be used.
"He will have a menu on where the congressional funds may be used. What exactly the menu (will contain), we will wait for the proposal or recommendations of Aquino and then we will act accordingly," said Quezon Representative and Liberal Party (LP) spokesperson Erin Tanada III.
Tanada said the possible reduction of the pork barrel or the Priority
Development Assistance Fund (PDAF) is a welcome development for lawmakers so that they could help address the problem of budget deficit in the country.
"If he (P-Noy) feels that the projections are not right, I think he would be also willing to study the matter...I would rather minimize the distribution of pork barrel than impose new taxes," the congressman said.
Each congressman is allotted 70 million pesos every year while a member of the Senate gets as much as 200 million pesos. (Kathrina Alvarez/Sunnex)