Mikey laments non-release of 'pork' for security guards

Ang Galing Pinoy party-list Rep. Juan Miguel "Mikey" Arroyo on Wednesday lamented the non-release of his priority development assistance fund (PDAF), commonly known as "pork barrel," saying the money could have been used to help security guards. Arroyo, who represents security guards and tricycle drivers in the House of Representatives, said he could have allotted a portion of his "pork" for assistance to his constituents. "If only my PDAF, which for the record is not my entitlement but that of my constituents had been released, I could have allotted a portion of that to acquire Philhealth cards for security guards and another portion to start up an insurance fund for them," he said in a statement issued Wednesday. He said increased assistance for guards is needed, especially since a number of these workers have been killed in the line of duty the past few days. He cited as an example the security guard who died after he tried to stop a woman from committing suicide while he was on duty at the SM North EDSA mall in Quezon City. "The security guards are the unsung heroes of our society… They are here to protect us, thus the need for us to ensure that they get their own protection, too," he said. The lawmaker also said that bereaved family members of security guards killed in the line of duty should also be given assistance by the government. He also vowed to file a measure for better insurance services for security guards. Arroyo is one of five opposition lawmakers whose PDAF releases have yet to be processed. The others are: his brother, Camarines Sur Rep. Diosdado “Dato" Arroyo; his uncle, Negros Occidental Rep. Ignacio “Iggy" Arroyo; Deputy Minority Leader Milagros Magsaysay and Iloilo Rep. Augusto Syjuco. House Speaker Feliciano Belmonte Jr. gave his assurance last week that the House leadership is working for the release of these funds. — Andreo Calonzo/RSJ, GMA News