23/08/2013
Amid public outrage over misused public funds, President Benigno "Noynoy" Aquino III has called for the abolition of the Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF) or the "pork barrel."
Two days before a planned massive protest over the PDAF scam, Aquino faced the nation and vowed to remove PDAF and with the help of Congress, draft a new fund appropriation system.
"Kailangan pa ng mas malaking pagbabago upang labanan ang mga talagang pursigidong abusuhin ang sistema. Panahon na po upang i-abolish ang PDAF," the President said in a televised press conference Friday.
"Ngayon, bubuo tayo ng bagong mekanismo upang matugunan ang pangangailangan ng inyong mga mamamayan at sektor–sa paraang tapat, gamit ang tama at makatuwirang proseso, at nang may sapat na mga kalasag laban sa pang-aabuso at katiwalian," he added.
Aquino's announcement comes on the heels of the controversial P10-billion "pork scam," involving businesswoman and now fugitive Janet Lim Napoles who allegedly helped lawmakers divert public funds to non-existing non-government organizations.
Aquino, flanked by Senate President Franklin Drilon and House Speaker Feliciano Belmonte, also called on the public to help the government scrutinize projects.
"Makakapagmungkahi ng proyekto ang inyong mga mambabatas, ngunit kailangan itong idaan sa proseso ng pagbubuo ng budget. Kung maaprubahan, itatalang mga ito bilang mga line item, alinsunod sa mga programa ng Pambansang Pamahalaan. Mapapaloob ito sa batas bilang Pambansang Budget– hihimayin ang bawat linya, bawat piso, bawat proyekto, gaya ng lahat ng iba pang mga programa ng inyong pamahalaan," said Aquino.
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