TACLOBAN CITY, (PNA) — Leyte Second Engineering District Engineer Carlos Veloso assured that projects funded through Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF) within his jurisdiction will see full completion with all their funds already released or were issued with special allotment release order.
This amid apprehensions by other district engineering offices of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) PDAF-funded projects in their respective area will be greatly affected, particularly those projects with funds yet to be released, once it is abolished.
Besides, Veloso also assured that he would source funding for other priority projects in his area from the regional office of the DPWH.
Engr. Veloso admitted that the PDAF of lawmakers provided great help in funding identified projects of the district particularly in the construction and maintenance of roads and construction and rehabilitation of school buildings.
However, he said, even with the abolition of PDAF, lawmakers can still identify projects in their area and request the office to prioritize such projects.
It can be recalled that President Benigno S. Aquino III removed the discretionary elements of PDAF but the funding remains; although, it will be allocated with stricter rules.
“In a way, it will be much better. There will be more check and balance,” Engr. Veloso said.
The Supreme Court (SC) has issued a temporary restraining order (TRO) prohibiting Congress from using all “pork barrel” funds for the rest of the year, while the court hears three petitions against the Priority Development Assistance Funds (PDAF).
The House of Representatives is poised to remove the P25-billion PDAF from the 2014 budget and redistribute the amount to executive agencies.
This comes in the wake of a raging controversy concerning the pork barrel funds, which were allegedly diverted to bogus non-governmental organizations for ghost projects, and eventually lined private pockets.