‘Pork barrel, stewardship and the poor’

Lingayen, Dagupan Archbishop Socrates Villegas issued a pastoral statement on Monday, July 29, on the use of the controversial pork barrel issue. Incoming president of the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines, Villegas issued guidelines on the use of government funds that are supposed to help the poor and the marginalized. Among others, Villegas said, the faithful, including the Church, should follow a policy of “walang hihingi” (nobody asks) when relating to politicians. On the part of government, he said it is imperative for those who approve the budget to be distinct and separate from those who implement projects. Legislators, for their part, must strengthen their oversight, monitoring and evaluation functions with public participation of the Church, business and civil society groups. “Man does not live on bread alone, the good Lord taught us; but man does not need pork to go with bread,” he said.

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