Palace Rejects 'Presidential Pork Barrel' Label for P60-B Local Government Fund

MANILA, Philippines — Malacañang on Wednesday dismissed Caloocan City Rep. Edgar Erice’s description of the almost P60-billion Local Government Support Fund (LGSF) as a “presidential pork barrel,” calling it an attempt to stir controversy. Palace Press Officer Claire Castro said Erice was free to challenge the legality of the LGSF before the Supreme Court. She suggested that the congressman might be misunderstanding or intentionally misrepresenting the nature of the fund. The LGSF is a budgetary allocation designed to support development projects and service delivery in local government units, with its utilization governed by law. However, discretionary fund allocations by lawmakers have historically drawn criticism as "pork barrel." Erice's remarks could reignite discussions on the transparency and equity of budget allocations. While decentralization is progressing in the Philippines, the nature of fiscal support from the central government remains a subject of scrutiny. Source: Inquirer NewsInfo