(Eagle News)–A mayor from Bicol has said the person behind the “parking” of at least P300 million worth of infrastructure projects in the proposed 2019 budget is a former Cabinet official seeking a post in next year’s elections.
This is according to House Majority Leader Rolando Andaya, who issued a statement on Sunday, Dec. 16, in apparent response to Senator Panfilo Lacson’s allegations a staff member of a senator offered a part of his pork barrel to a congressman who was “well-connected.”
The scheme, Lacson said, was aimed at earning commissions.
Andaya, however, did not name the mayor, saying he himself did not want to be named.
He said the mayor approached him because it was only now he understood what was happening.
He said according to the mayor, other local executives wanted to talk to Andaya about the “parking scheme” in the budget allocation in Bicol.
“Pumayag sila sa parking scheme dahil para rin naman daw sa benepisyo ng mga constituents ang mga proyekto. Nililinaw lang nila na hindi daw sila kumita sa mga proyektong ito,” he said.
He said the former Cabinet member “parked” the allocation in flood-mitigation projects for the region, and that the funds were due for release “anytime,” with the “site visitation” already done.
P54-billion increase
This “parking scheme” which he said was facilitated by the Department of Budget and Management could explain why there was a P54-billion increase in the allocations for flood mitigation projects from 2017 to 2018—from P79 billion to P133 billion.
Earlier, Andaya accused Budget Secretary Ben Diokno of being behind the at least P75 billion of “executive insertions” in the proposed national budget in the House and of links to a contractor who allegedly cornered 30 government projects worth billions.
Andaya went on the offensive after Lacson accused his province and Pampanga–Speaker Gloria Arroyo’s district— of cornering top congressional insertions in the proposed national budget in the House.
The House of Representatives went on to adopt a resolution urging President Rodrigo Duterte to reconsider his appointment of Diokno on this basis but Duterte stood by the Budget secretary, noting his reputation of integrity.
Build, Build, Build
According to Andaya, in Bicol alone, P2.2 billion had been added to the national flood-related projects from 2017 to 2018.
Although the projects, he said, were supposed to be part of the administration’s Build Build Build program, the Department of Public Works and Highways does not know about these.
He said the projects were “scattered” across small towns.
“Out of the proposed P544.5-billion budget of the DPWH for 2019, P114.4 billion is for flood control projects. Almost 24 percent,” Andaya said.
He said many of these flood-control projects were not included in the original P488 billion proposed budget of the DPWH and were just added at the level of the DBM.
“Kaya lumalabas na P544 billion ang proposed budget ng DPWH for 2019,” he said.
“How many of these projects are backed up officially by DPWH? Ilan ang recommended as priority projects ng RDCs? At ilan ang recommended by ‘engineers’ outside the DPWH?” he asked.
According to Andaya, these were questions to be asked in a House hearing on budget issues.
