Solon willing to give ‘pork’ to flood victims

GABRIELA Rep. Liza Maza yesterday challenged President Macapagal-Arroyo to release the Priority Development Assistance Fund of some militant lawmakers so that it can be used to help flood and typhoon victims.
    
Maza said she is willing to donate all her unreleased pork barrel funds amounting to P350 million. Congressmen have a yearly pork of P70 million.
   
Maza refused to join the fund drive at the House of Representatives where solons were urged to donate P20,000 for the relief operations of the Lower House.
   
“The P20,000 share is a measly donation. Why can’t  Speaker Nograles order the release of my pork and all of this will be donated to the relief operations?” Maza told reporters.
    
According to her, the pork barrel of militant congressmen have not been released since 2005, when the group started supporting the impeachment complaint against President Macapagal-Arroyo.
   
“I’m challenging President Arroyo,  iutos niya ang pag-release ng pork namin, wag ninyo na kaming ipitin. Sa akin lang P350- million pork ang hindi na-release.
   
"Malaking tulong yun sa mga biktima kung ma-release lang,” Maza said.
   
“Kung talagang may political will ang Congress, ang leadership, gagawa ito ng paraan para ma-release ang PDAF namin. The P20,000 donation is just a publicity, kung seryoso talaga pwedeng malakihan ang ipapamigay sa pamamagitan ng pork,” she added.