ILOILO CITY, (PNA) – Mayor Jed Patrick Mabilog here expressed alarm over the proposed abolition or suspension of the Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF) popularly known as pork barrel of lawmakers that may affect severely the ongoing construction of several development projects in this southern city.
One of the major projects here is the proposed construction of the P500 million Iloilo Convention Center at the old airport site, currently owned by Megaworld Corp.
Mabilog said the convention center is proposed to be site of two major meetings of the Asia Pacific Economic Council (APEC) in 2015 and Iloilo City will host the meetings on Food Security and Tourism in October 2015.
With this development of PDAF suspension, the city chief executive said he is afraid the city may not be able to host the APEC meetings and may lead to chain reactions due to non-hosting of two major international meetings.
Mabilog said the city is aiming to become a premier city by 2014 and that it is currently experiencing unprecedented strides on infrastructure development in a race to become a premier city in the Visayas.
Similarly, business and investments may suffer a debacle and stagnation due to non-hosting of the APEC meetings, Mabilog said.
Funds for the construction of the Iloilo Convention Center comes from the Department of Tourism-Tourism Infrastructure Enhancement Zone Authority (DOT-TIEZA) of some P250 million and another P250 million from the PDAF of Ilonggo Senate President Franklin M. Drilon.
Mabilog said the government must have corrective and preventive measures on PDAF projects implementation. There must be a compromise on development projects like the convention center for the general welfare and interest of the people.
Other affected PDAF projects here that were put on hold are the proposed Arroyo to Lapuz Bridge with a funding from the Senate President, the scholarship program of city lone district Cong. Jerry P. Treñas affecting some 4,000 students, the congressman’s self-employment livelihood training programs, medical and social financial assistance of the city coming from other lawmakers’ pork barrel and from Treñas.