Nawalang pabaon: Cayetano’s allies lose ‘pork’ as P10B for TIEZA ends up as tourism aid

House Speaker Alan Peter Cayetano will have to look for new ways to keep his allies happy after losing his bid to give them P10 billion in pork barrel funds after the proposed Bayanihan to Recover as One Act.

The bicameral conference committee on Thursday (August 20) finally reconciled conflicting versions of the Bayanihan 2 bill after marathon meetings. One of the significant changes made to the measure was how the P10 billion for the tourism sector’s recovery.

Senate Minority Leader Franklin Drilon said the bicameral conference committee has decided that P6 billion will go to assistance programs for micro, small and medium enterprises within the tourism sector, while displaced tourism workers will receive P3 billion in aid.

The remaining P1 billion from the tourism sector’s recovery fund will go to the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH).

Earlier in the day, Drilon said the allocation of the P10 billion for the tourism sector was one of the most contentious issues during the discussions, as the House of Representatives wanted the money to go to the Tourism Infrastructure and Enterprise Zone Authority (TIEZA).

Politiko earlier reported that Cayetano pushed for the placement of P10-billion tourism recovery fund in the Bayanihan 2 under TIEZA as “pabaon” or parting gift for his allies.

TIEZA’s chief operating officer, Pocholo Paragas, is known to be close to Cayetano and Bases Conversion and Development Authority (BCDA) chief Vince Dizon.

Buhay party-list Rep. Lito Atienza has called out Cayetano’s ally, Camarines Sur Rep. Luis Raymund Villafuerte, for insisting on infrastructure projects instead of directly helping tourism stakeholders.

Villafuerte is part of the bicameral conference committee which tackled the Bayanihan 2 bill.

“The argument of Deputy Speaker LRay is distorted and story telling a lie. You know infrastructure is the new word for pork barrel. Your hand is caught in the cookie jar and you’re still defending it!” Atienza said.

The post Nawalang pabaon: Cayetano’s allies lose ‘pork’ as P10B for TIEZA ends up as tourism aid first appeared on Latest Philippine politics news today.

Source: Latest Politics News Today (Politics.com.ph)