MANILA, August 15, 2013— The country’s largest ecumenical group has joined calls for the abolition of the pork barrel allocations for lawmakers.
In a statement, the National Council of Churches in the Philippines (NCCP) said that the pork barrel has been art of the patronage politics that has “plagued” the country’s political and electoral system.
“The NCCP joins the groundswell to scrap the pork barrel system. Let the funds be channeled to education, health, housing and other social services,” part of the statement read.
“Let us remain focused on the issue of corruption in high places diverted as we are often by other issues,” it said.
The NCCP made the statement yesterday amid allegations of corruption involving the Priority Development Assistance Fund or pork barrel funds.
To note, a total of five senators and 23 congressmen have been implicated in the scam for supposedly funding “fake” non-government organizations in implementing ghost projects using their PDAFs.
PDAF is a lump sum given through the national budget to lawmakers to finance priority development programs and projects of the government.
The NCCP also supported calls for an investigation into the P10-billion alleged pork barrel scam.
“The amount involved, the outrageous sense of betrayal felt by the general public and the total insensitivity of those involved to the greater majority of the people boggle the mind,” the NCCP said.
“The scandal provokes sadness and anger. Sadness at the plight of the people in the hands of its leaders. Anger over the way people’s taxes have been misused,” it added. (CBCPNews)
