Top Stories Where did AKB’s pork barrel fund go? May 9, 2013 by bicolmail in Top Stories with 0 Comments By Media Solutions SORSOGON CITY — Despite its huge pork barrel funds amounting to P630 million for three years, the Ako Bicol partylist group failed to cite even one major high-impact project in Bicol region that it funded. In a press conference held here Tuesday, Rep. Alfredo Garbin, one of AKB’s three representatives, said the biggest chunk of their pork barrel fund went to infrastructure projects while part of it went to scholarship programs, assistance to hospitals and various government agencies. AKB has three incumbent representatives: Garbin, Rodel Batocabe and Christopher Co, brother of Zaldy Co, a big-time contractor identified with former First Gentleman Mike Arroyo and now has ties with the present Aquino administration. Garbin did not mention any high-impact project despite AKB’s earlier claims that it was largely instrumental in the reduction of poverty in the region, claiming that the group’s pork barrel funds were equitably distributed to the region’s six provinces. However, a review of AKB’s pork barrel fund releases showed that the lion’s share of infrastructure funds went to the province of Albay, the home-base of AKB. Based on the records of the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) the lion’s share of AKB’s pork barrel funds were released either to the Province of Albay or the City of Legazpi. Garbin said that in 2010 AKB’s pork barrel fund were allocated for infrastructure projects which were distributed to the 100 barangays that delivered the most number of votes for the organization. But a review of AKB’s pork barrel fund distribution in 2010 showed none was allotted for infrastructure instead it was used for scholarship and the bulk was spent for Albay province. In 2011, the year that AKB got its full pork barrel fund of P210 million, at least P139 million were allotted for Albay infrastructure: P59 million from Garbin, P55 from Batocabe, and P25 million from Co. A much bigger amount was allocated by AKB for infrastructure projects in Albay in 2012 which amounted to at least P165 million: P53 million from Garbin’s, P67 million from Batocabe’s, and P42 million from Co. Of the six Bicol provinces, Masbate province received the least infrastructure fund from AKB in the amount of P400,000. A source said AKB did not allocate fund for huge infrastructure projects in Masbate due to the objection of contractors who find it difficult to carry out projects in the island province. Strangely, however, Co and Garbin allocated P14 million for a farm-to-market road in Barangay Harrison, Paluan in Occidental Mindoro this year. A text message sent to them asking why they allotted fund to this far-away village remained unanswered at press time. The balance of AKB’s pork barrel fund for the first half of 2013 were allocated again for Albay and Legazpi City. Sorsogon, Camarines Sur and Norte, Catanduanes, and Masbate were not given any fund by AKB this year. AKB has been under fire from the other five provinces due to its obvious favoritism for its own province in allocating funds. The bulk of AKB’s funds were allocated for various flood-control projects in various waterways in Albay province. Sources from the Department of Public Works and Highways said these kinds of projects are considered as easy source of huge profits and kickbacks.
Posted on: Wed, 06 Nov 2013 07:21:03 +0000