Maza pledges her unreleased PDAF to victims of typhoon Ondoy

Rep. Liza Maza of Gabriela Women’s Party today pledged her unreleased Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF) for the years 2007, 2008 and 2009 for the immediate relief and rehabilitation of typhoon Ondoy victims.

“I challenge President Arroyo to release these funds in response to her call to set aside politicking. If she’s indeed serious, she can very well release these funds now. These funds are the people’s taxes and they should be returned to them in the form of genuine services especially at this time of great need,” Maza said.

According to the Gabriela solon, these unreleased funds amounting to about P70 M per year could be used to help the victims in the form of housing, livelihood, and other relief and rehabilitation measures. This can also be used to equip Local Government Units (LGU) on disaster response preparedness on flood prone areas.

Although Maza has long called for the abolition of pork barrel as this has been known to be a source of corruption, she expressed her fear that her unreleased PDAF may have already been pocketed since these have been withheld for three consecutive years. The Gabriela Women’s Party has been consistent in its position against the anti-people and repressive policies of the administration and has been active in the past impeachment complaints against Arroyo.

The Arroyo administration has long been withholding the PDAF of Gabriela Women’s Party to toe the line of the administration and stop its militant opposition.

Yesterday, Maza personally visited the evacuation sites in Bgy. Bagong Silangan in Quezon City and Bgy. Sta.Lucia in Pasig City. She said that many people still need to be rescued from the flooded village. “The number of casualties may still rise due to hunger, cold, and diseases if they are not given immediate attention,” she stressed. ###