‘Callousness to the max,’ Erice says of P4-B infra allocation for Sandro Marcos’ district

MANILA — Caloocan City 2nd District Edgar Erice slammed as “callousness” the proposed 2027 allocation of more than P4 billion in Department of Public Works and Highways infrastructure projects in Ilocos Norte’s 1st District, where Majority Leader Sandro Marcos is congressman.

Erice issued the statement after data from a budget watchdog showed that the proposed allocation for Ilocos Norte 1st District Engineering Office grew by P4.37 billion in the lower chamber’s proposed 2027 budget, compared to its level in the 2027 National Expenditure Program submitted by the Department of Budget and Management.

“Callousness to the max,” Erice said of the proposed allocations to the district represented by President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s son.

“Dapat ‘yan equitable ang distribution, para ‘yung pag-unlad sa buong bansa, equitable din,” he said.

(Distribution should be equitable so development of the nation is also equitable.)

He said Ilocos Norte’s 1st District had has received billions in infrastructure funding since 19th Congress and asked if the district’s streets are to be paved with gold.

“For delicadeza, hindi dapat ginagawa ‘yan,” he added.

(Out of propriety, this shouldn’t be done.)

ABS-CBN News reached out to the office of House Majority Leader Marcos for comment on the issue, but they have yet to respond.

On Tuesday, Palace Press Officer Claire Castro said House members have to look after development in their districts.

She said there should be no problem as long as project funding allocated to a House member’s district are used correctly and are not “ghost” or substandard projects.

Erice called on the Senate to “fix” allegedly questionable “insertions” in the House-approved 2027 national budget proposal.