News updateLike PNoy, Belmonte dislikes ‘pork’ chop

Like the President, Quezon City Rep. Feliciano Belmonte Jr. does not want the pork to be “chopped," the pork barrel that is.

Earlier, President Benigno Simeon “Noynoy" Aquino III said he is not in favor of reducing the pork barrel allocations of senators and congressmen and would rather work for the perfection of pork disbursements.

Belmonte agrees, saying "I am in favor of retaining this pork barrel in the current amount, which is P70 million (for congressmen) and P200 million (for senators)."

“Ang kailangan is transparency sa paggamit, at i-limit ang uses for which it can be employed (What we need transparency in its use and to limit the use for which it can be employed)," Belmonte said in an interview on dwIZ radio on Thursday.

Belmonte, the Liberal Party's bet for House Speaker, vowed to make the pork system more transparent.

Earlier, LP spokesman and Quezon Rep. Lorenzo Tanada III suggested slashing pork funds to help address the government's P340-billion deficit.

Pork barrel allocations are often perceived to be sources of corruption.

However, Aquino, who was congressman of Tarlac province from 1998 to 2007, said pork funds can be "an equalizing fund distribution system," if used correctly. –VVP