I’ 
”
1
 
t 
-? 
;j I“ *,,- 
7 -  
THIRTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE REPUBLBC 
Y* 
. ” . ‘ \  
OF THE PHILIPPINE 
First Regular Session 
Introduced by Senator s. R. Osmeiia 111 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
The original purposes of the Countrywide Development Fund was to 
enable elected officials to represent their respective constituents in the 
allocation of national resources among vital community projects such as 
waterwells, classrooms, health care centers to be established. 
Rightly or wrongly, however, the public perception has been that the 
COFs captive to abuses by elected officials, and extremely wasteful, in view 
of more productive applications that national funds could have been put into. 
Among others, the perception was that the pork barrel was used to finance the 
reelection bids of senators and congressmen. 
This bill proposes to amend R. A. No. 8150, “An Act Providing for a 
Four-Year Public Works and Highways Infrastructure Program” to eliminate all 
congressional pork without any “ifs” or “buts”. 
It will put an end to the 
participation of members of Congress in choosing, identifying, realigning and/or 
approving individual infrastructure projects. Then project implementation will 
become a purely executive function, as it was meant to be, with funds allocated 
to executive departments and local governments instead of among legislators. 
However, the inherent function of congressional oversight remains to 
ensure that all laws including appropriations are being implemented in 
accordance with the spirit and the letter of the law. 
In view of the foregoing, early passage of this bill is earnestly urged. 
SERGIO OSMENA Ill 
Senator 


1 
2 
3 
4 
5 
6 
7 
8 
9 
10 
11 
12 
13 
14 
15 
-*I 1 
, ‘ j “  f3Q 
p q  y p  
THIRTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE REPUBLIC 
’) 
OF THE PHILIPPINES 
1 
- 
First Regular Session 
1 
,*ill 
$ z * - , ~ ” - l % , f F S  
“%p: & ( j  
-..-=cc 
..a 
S. No. 
SECTION 1. 
Section 5 of R.A. 8150 is hereby amended to read as 
follows: 
“SEC. 5. 
Participation of Local Government Units - 
The 
Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) 
[shall upon the 
request of the member(s) 
of Congress concerned] 
MAY authorize 
provinces, cities, municipalities or barangays to implement projects under 
the categories of local roads and other public works in this Act: Provided, 
that these local government units have the capability to implement such 
projects . ” 
SECTION 2. Section 6 of R.A. 8150 is hereby amended to read as 
follows: 
“SEC. 6. Programming of Projects - Annually within the approved 
expenditure ceiling, the projects herein provided shall be programmed by 
the Department of Public Works and Highways 
in consultation [and 
coordination] with the respective oversight committees of the Senate and 
Introduced by Senator S. R. Osmefia 111 
AN ACT 
AMENDING REPUBLIC ACT NO. 8150 ENTITLED “AN ACT PROVIDING 
PROGRAM 
FOR A FOUR-YEAR PUBLIC WORKS AND HIGHWAYS INFRASTRUCTURE 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the Philippines in 
Congress assembled: 


* 
1 
2 
3 
4 
5 
6 
7 
8 
9 
10 
11 
12 
13 
14 
15 
16 
17 
18 
19 
20 
21 
22 
23 
24 
the House of Representatives always taking into consideration the policies 
and priorities in Sections 2 and 3 of this Act: Provided, That during the 
annual programming of projects under the categories of local roads and 
other public works, [a member of Congress may submit a substitute priority 
project listing for his district if a member of the House of Representatives or, 
in any congressional district if a member of the Senate,] THE DPWH MAY 
PROGRAM A SUBSTITUTE PRIORITY PROJECT LISTING whenever any 
particular project originally submitted [by himlher] 
is already 
being 
implemented through other sources or a more urgent project is identified: 
[Provided, further, That in the case of a project originally submitted by an 
incumbent senator, no substitution or realignment thereof may be done 
without the written conformity of said incumbent senator, notwithstanding 
the provision of Section 63 of Republic Act No. 7663, otherwise known as 
the 
General Appropriations Act of 1994:] Provided, 
finally, That the 
substitute project listing falls under the same category as the original project 
and has the same probably socioeconomic impact on the community as 
or ig in a I I y intended . ” 
SECTION 3. Repealing Clause - All laws, decrees, orders, rules and 
regulations or parts thereof inconsistent with this Act are hereby repealed or 
amended accordingly. 
SECTION 4. Effecfivify Clause - This Act shall take effect fifteen (1 5) days 
national newspapers of 
following its complete publication in at least two (2) 
general circulation. 
Approved, 
2