Scrap public funds for pork: Philippine MP to Duterte

By Riyaz ul Khaliq </p> <p>ANKARA (AA) – A youth representative in Philippines parliament urged President Rodrigo Duterte to withdraw public funds for pork, media reports said on Tuesday. </p> <p>According to the daily Manila Bulletin, lawmaker Sarah Jane Elago representing Kabataan Partylist in the Congress of the Philippines sought scrapping of pork barrel funds from the 2019 national budget. </p> <p>Elago filed a resolution in the parliament calling on the chief executive to ensure that the PHP 3.757 trillion ($570 million) 2019 national budget will be pork-free. </p> <p>“Be it resolved, as it is hereby resolved, that the president scrap any and all insertions of pork barrel funds from the 2019 national budget as it has already been declared unconstitutional and it is a betrayal of public trust,” Elago said in the resolution submitted in the parliament. </p> <p>Kabataan Partylist is a party in the Philippines which aims to represent the interests of the youth sector in the Philippine Congress composed of different youth groups all over the country. </p> <p>“Instead of inserting pork barrel in the national budget, members of the House must find ways to re-channel funds to basic social services such as education, healthcare, and housing,” the youth lawmaker added.