2010 budget ties hands of successor
By Christian V. Esguerra, Philip Tubeza
Philippine Daily Inquirer
MANILA, Philippines—The next president will no longer enjoy the power of the pork that his predecessor did by virtue of a key provision inserted into the General Appropriations Act of 2010, a development that could help determine the leadership and alignments in the incoming 15th Congress.
The hands of presumptive president-elect Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino III will be tied by Section 67 of the law, which calls for a “prohibition against impoundment of appropriations,” Albay Rep. Edcel Lagman of Lakas-Kampi-CMD said Thursday.
The provision prevents the president from withholding the release of a budget allocation without the approval of both the Senate and the House of Representatives by a simple majority of the quorum.
Lagman, vice chair of the powerful House appropriations committee, said he introduced the provision during the 2009 budget deliberations to “protect the appropriations” approved by Congress.
The pork barrel, formally known as the Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF), comes from the national budget and funds legislators’ pet projects like roads, school buildings and day-care centers. It has long been known to be a source of kickbacks and campaign funds for lawmakers.
A senator is entitled to P200 million in PDAF every year and a member of the House, P70 million. >>>
