Cayetano to file bill scrapping pork barrel

AS the Senate prepares to investigate the alleged misuse of lawmakers’ priority development assistance fund (PDAF), Sen. Alan Peter Cayetano said on Wednesday that he will file a bill that seeks to abolish the PDAF, or pork barrel, in light of the revelation of the Commission on Audit (COA) that billions of pesos were released to bogus non-government organizations. Cayetano, who is the majority leader, said he is aware of the public perception that maintaining the PDAF in the national budget is an indication that Congress is interested in looking into the corruption-tainted pork barrel system.

Instead of allocating a budget for the PDAF, Cayetano wants a specific line item appropriation system through the General Appropriations Act (GAA) that will be distributed equally across regions, provinces, legislative districts, cities and municipalities nationwide.