COA uncovers 'zero' Capitol pork share for Anilao, Garin turf smallest too
Southern Iloilo towns where Governor Niel Tupas faced toughest political battle officially have the least share of the Capitol's Community Direct Action Project (CDAP) fund allocation in 2007.
Yet worse in the Municipality of Anilao in the Fourth District which had zero allocation, the town also a known weak Tupas bailiwick.
Was it payback time?
In a summary of projects validated by the Commission on Audit (COA), the figures presented a stark contrast to districts and towns known to be Tupas-strongholds.
First District remains a strong and unified district under the political might of the Garin family – Philippine Coconut Authority (PCA) Administrator Oscar Garin, wife, San Joaquin Mayor Nimfa Garin, son First District Board Member Richard Garin, daughter Guimbal Mayor Christine Garin and daughter in law, First District Representative Janette Loreto-Garin.
The Garins have opposing politics with Tupas. The First District in its CDAP share had a little over P1.5 million, with the two biggest cuts P515,000 going to Miag-ao and P350,000 to Tigbauan, both known anti-Garin turfs and pro-Tupas territories here. The rest of the P700,000 was divided among five other towns.
It paled in comparison to the Fifth District which had CDAP share of nearly P8 million, the biggest in over P1.8 million going to the governor's hometown of Barotac Viejo.
Almost in Anilao's level was the town of San Rafael in the Fourth District which had P22,000 for the entire year. Said amount even went to four projects.
Second district was luckier though to have a total of P2,878,000 in CDAP share, Fourth District next at P3.1 million and Third District with over P3.3 million.
Only three Iloilo towns got over P1 million each namely, Barotac Viejo (over P1.8 million), Balasan (over P1 million) and Pototan (over P1 million).
The report vis-a-vis projects was made public following the post audit made by the COA.
Other projects that also had the "pork barrel" share from the Capitol were funds released in its Priority Barangay-Based Social Development Assistance Program (PBBSAP) pegged at P17 million.
Another one was the Minimum Basic Needs/Millenium Development Goals (MBN/MDG) valued P15,640,000.
Both likewise had the Fifth District, the governor's district with the biggest allocation.