What will happen to pork barrel scholars? The House of Representatives is still hard-pressed to come up with new mechanisms to handle the huge number of requests and obligations for scholarships and medical assistance of lawmakers with the abolition of the pork barrel fund or the Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF). Davao City Rep. Isidro Ungab, chairman of the House appropriations committee that is deliberating on the proposed P2.268-trillion national budget for 2014, said that while the chamber has already decided to scrap the PDAF it is still grappling with the details. Under the old system, the PDAF, which allocates P70 million annually for each congressman and P200 million annually for each senator, is divided into “hard” projects or infrastructure allocation, and “soft” projects like scholarships and medical assistance. The “hard” project classification was relatively easy to resolve under the new system, as the allocation and projects could simply be identified and included in the proposed budget of certain agencies, like the Department of Public Works and Highways. “There are many issues that many House members are concerned about, mainly how can government ensure the medical needs, scholarships, and other crisis interventions for their constituents after the scrapping of the PDAF,” Ungab said. He said among those who would be immediately hit by the abolition of pork barrel fund are kidney dialysis patients and students presently enrolled but whose tuition payments are due in the coming weeks. Another senior lawmaker said a House member can have anywhere from hundreds to thousands of college scholars, depending on the needs of their districts. He said they also get requests for medicine or financial assistance for medical treatment. Under the previous system, a senator or congressman appropriates portions of the congressional allocation to certain government hospitals or state-owned universities or colleges, or even the Commission on Higher Education. Expenses for the scholarship or medical expenses are then deducted from the concerned institution where medical services or scholarships were availed of upon instructions of the lawmaker. “It’s still not clear how we can make the agencies shoulder the obligations due immediately and in the future, what will be the setup on identifying the beneficiaries? You cannot predict illnesses or medical emergencies a year in advance so they can be allocated in the national budget,” the lawmaker said.
Posted on: Sat, 07 Sep 2013 02:55:30 +0000
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