The proposed 2022 P5.024 trillion national budget is not ‘’pork barrel’’ free, presidential aspirant Senator Panfilo M. Lacson on Thursday, Nov, 18 said.
In a virtual news conference, Lacson said the proposed national budget has ‘’pork barrels’’ if the strict meaning of ‘’pork’’ as decided by the Supreme Court is followed.
Lacson, chairman of the Senate National Defense committee, said there is something wrong with ‘’pork’’ if the funds for projects are given to an agency that did not pass through the consultation in the local government level.
He cited the transfer by the Department of Agriculture (DA) of its Agri-Machinery Project to. ‘’Farm-to-market’’ roads.
Lacson said Agriculture Secretary William Dar himself admitted that there is something wrong with the project not going through the consultation process.
He also cited the Health Facilities Enhancement Program of the Department of Health (DOH) that was given an appropriation without consultation on how the money would be spent.
Lacson, an anti-pork barrel advocate, rued that there are no transcripts taken during bicameral conference committee meetings between the panels of the Senate and the House of Representatives on the budget where questionable appropriations are inserted.
‘’Even in the bicameral conference, dapat merong present na media, may present na mga CSO, NGOs na accredited ng DILG. Gannon and kalakaran, and, kailangan baguhin natin yon, Wala talagang minutes, young bicam e. Soon nagkakabulungan e (That is the procedure...there is a need to revise it. There are no committee minutes, the bicameral..it is there that whispers are made),’’ he added.
The Senate resumes Monday its scrutiny on the proposed budgets of the DPWH and the Department of Transportation.