Oh, I really don’t know the exact amount but there like millions of budget scattered around the public hospital where the people can avail, like in the heart center, lung center, PGH etc etc. Scholarship of more than 2500+ students, giving financial assitance to the people, you see my uncle is not a showy person he doesn’t tell people every single project he made just the road construction because that’s what people see, people don’t care about if he help this person or how many students… but if you really want to see the projects the budgets the he is spending for the last 6 year you can call his district office http://bennyabante.com/district-office/.

“However that is not even an original bill but was a bill started by cong. Sandy Ocampo.”

I’m not familiar with this bill that you’re saying that Sandy Ocampo started because I was young at that time, but my uncle is in position for only 6 years and on his 3th year he got the hospital that he promised his people, On the 5th year the hospital budget is approve and will be build on mid of 2010.

“Then you are saying that the most controversial trip is the only trip he took using the governements money.”

Yes and I’m not sure if his trip with a congressman way back last 2 – 3 years also used the goverment fund, you see my uncle always go out of town or out of the country at least twice a month but these trips are personal or should I say for church use and the money use to pay for his trips came from the church’s fund.

“You are a nursing student and sooner or later after you graduate it would come to your mind to go abroad to seek greener pastures.”

Sadly, SOME nursing student only take nursing because they want to go to another country and that’s bad, I don’t want to leave this country, working here is way more easy that working in other country, the lifestyle, the cost of living etc etc. Oh I really don’t like nursing at all, I’ll study I.T. or Photography =]

Anyway sorry if I can’t answer some of you’re question because I don’t want to give any information that I really am not sure of. I see some of you’re point here is useful, why not send an email using the contact form at http://bennyabante.com/contact/ so I can send you’re concern to the ones that is involved.

Oh sorry for generalizing the poor, really not ment it so yes SOME =]

As a suggestion I think this projects should be communicated to all barangays and a more intensive communication plan was created so that more people would know about it.

Also some more comments:

1. I wanted to know how he used his pork barrels to help the poor. Most of the projects are superficial like road construction etc. that are sometimes not even necessary or of low quality. If it is not low quality then road construction should last for years. anyway that is not my point… It is easy to put up a program but from time to time its sucess should be measured. e.g. computer classes projects are rampant. But how many classes actually produce results?
a. How much of his budget are being allocated to each project?
b. How many people are being accomodated at one point of time?
c. What are the outcomes of this projects? How many lives have been affected possitively by this projects?
d. Do graduates of each project gets help from the congressman to create a living out of the knowledget they get from each courses? e.g soap making someone who learned it from the program may have no use of it if the the programs aim is limited to the knowledge and no budget for implementation of the budget.
d. Commitements on the projects? Are this sustainable projects? meaning it can be live even after the congresman’s term?

You see it is easy to put up a project but the level of commitment should be high. Imagine if a project can only be there while the congressman is in power. So what if a new class is being started and in between election the congressman did not win. If the life of the project is dependent on the congressman then all the money spent to it would be of no use.

Let me give you an example. In bgy HULO in Mandaluyong long back ago I assisted a project for computer literacy it was in partnership with Rotary Club. It started from a different set of government officials and still upto now that project is still exisiting encompassing time and different set of ofificials.

2. Works can also be created through laws and not only through pork barrels – I did not go through all the bills he tried to pass but none of it really focuses on job creation. The only one that can create a job there was the hospital being built for district 6. However that is not even an original bill but was a bill started by cong. Sandy Ocampo. The country already have so many set of laws what it needs are laws that would create job. For example the law that creates credit bureau authored by Rep. Ma. Victoria Sy-Alvarado. This is a job creating law. Since it will require people to work on this bureau. However on the congressmans list that you provided I cannot find any of such type. Yes it was a long list but it is notthing but a list to me. You are a nursing student and sooner or later after you graduate it would come to your mind to go abroad to seek greener pastures. What laws did your uncle pass to help you and the thousands of nurses to not leave the country?

3. On this note.

As far as I can remember there are only a handful of his trips that was paid by the goverment fund, if we put it in ration about 1:100. Benny Abante don’t use goverment fund for his personal use, even in his campaign this year he’s using his own personal money and the ones that is being given by his friend and his church.

I think your ratio is not correct 1 is not a handful if you say it is 1:100. Then you are saying that the most controversial trip is the only trip he took using the governements money. Also you don’t have to defend the source of his campaign fund. I’m not even going into that.

4. I know that there a lot of people who rants… but you kind of made a generalization on your statement you said “I guess you also know what kind of lifestyle this family have that’s why they are poor and will always be poor”

You should have said “I guess you also know what kind of lifestyle this family have that’s why they are SOME are poor and will always be poor”

But I think I understand what you meant now. It’s just how you said it that seems to be generalizing on all poor people. I came from a poor family but I would say that I did not and not allowing myself to stay poor.

But being poor really is hard you need more than knowledge you also need money. Which I have mentioned on my first point. I think that is one major failure of this livelihood programs. They only focus on giving out the knowledge but do not put sufficient budget for execution.

I am only trying to know more about what he is doing as a congressman. Honestly I don’t know him I just know he is a Church Servant, who became a congressman, who always have a road construction project. And the only encounter with him was last election, I talked to him while campaigning. Asking if he has an audits on all his project and he said yes and it is publicly available. But after 3 years I haven’t seen any public posting of his budgets an project not even on his site that you posted.

1. what have he done to aleviate poverty in district 6?
2. Where did he use his yearly pork barrel? Projects that might have helped the poor?
3. What laws did he pass or submitted to help enrich people? To help young kids to stay out of drugs? And to help out of school youth to get back on track?

You can find the answers to your questions at the following link =]

Benny Abante’s Summary Projects [Incomplete as of today]:
http://bennyabante.com/archives/the-summary-of-the-projects-of-cong-abante/

Benny Abante’s Law’s and Bills:
http://bennyabante.com/laws-bills/

Benny Abante’s Livelihood Programs:
http://bennyabante.com/livelihood-programs/

Benny Abante’s District Office which offers free medical clinic and dental clinic and CHEAP Medicines for the poor:
http://bennyabante.com/district-office/

“If pleasing the boss is his intent then he should have paid for this trip without using the money that is for the public.”

-As far as I can remember there are only a handful of his trips that was paid by the goverment fund, if we put it in ration about 1:100. Benny Abante don’t use goverment fund for his personal use, even in his campaign this year he’s using his own personal money and the ones that is being given by his friend and his church.

“For someone who goes to church service every Sundays, Tuesdays and Thursdays I think you have nailed this people so badly. I’ve never heard Christ giving up to anyone no matter what their state is poor, sick, helpless. As a Public Servant and may I add Servant of God your good congressman should never give up on anyone. Christ do not give up on anyone. And being in power and having the capacity to help people he should bring it on”

Did I said that he gave up on the poor? The line that I said “I guess you also know what kind of lifestyle this family have that’s why they are poor and will always be poor.” expains it all, this guys I’ve seen them doing nothing but drinking, smoking and doing other sort of vices, they even gamble and play bingo. Com’on the people always rant about their status that they are poor and that the goverment is not helping them, but indeed the good congressman is helping them. In my oppinion and based on what I see, this people want the direct help, like recieving food, money and benifits in front of their doorsteps. It’s been the mentality of this poor people, they always expect everything from the goverment, but have they done something to make their life a bit successful? You answer me, how can you help a student pass his subject when you the teacher is giving everything you can to help the student but the student is always lazy going to school or even open his book to study? That goes to them as well. Sorry for being frank but I think I should be clear enough so this things sink into your mind and realize the fact why the poor will ALWAYS be poor.

like what I’ve said towards the end of my email I am NO FAN of religious personality going into politics. And personally in his years of service I have never felt his presence or projects in the part where I live in district 6.

I just want to comment on the following:
a. “you cannot blame the good Congressman if the people/families around him is poor or there’s no food in their plates for them to fill their hungry stomach.”
And we can say this to all politician and Public Servant. I agree that we cannot blame anyone for the state we are in. But since he is in Public Service and have bowed to help this poor people. Then maybe partly we can blame him for promising to do so. The question here should be
1. what have he done to aleviate poverty in district 6?
2. Where did he use his yearly pork barrel? Projects that might have helped the poor?
3. What laws did he pass or submitted to help enrich people? To help young kids to stay out of drugs? And to help out of school youth to get back on track?
b. If you were invited by your boss to go to a certain county for a business meeting and your boss said that you will eat in a fine cuisine, will you turn down his offer? I guess not eh? That’s what Cong. Abante’s situation when he ate at “posh restos”, don’t be mad if he ate in a fine cuisine, be mad if he paid the bills. Com’on!
my comment… as a public servant he is answrable to the public. He’s boss could be the president but he’s loyalty should be to the public who put him to that post. To begin how can he even just come with the president without knowing who’s paying for his expenses? On this article http://www.gmanews.tv/dosearch.php?keywords=gma+trip+in+new+york&action=search&searchby=article he is clueless who paid for the trip and yet he willingly jumped on the band wagon for a free trip to the US. If pleasing the boss is his intent then he should have paid for this trip without using the money that is for the public.
c. I guess you also know what kind of lifestyle this family have that’s why they are poor and will always be poor.
For someone who goes to church service every Sundays, Tuesdays and Thursdays I think you have nailed this people so badly. I’ve never heard Christ giving up to anyone no matter what their state is poor, sick, helpless. As a Public Servant and may I add Servant of God your good congressman should never give up on anyone. Christ do not give up on anyone. And being in power and having the capacity to help people he should bring it on.
I know he is your relative and blood will always be thicker than water… I have always and will alway be NOT a FAN of religous personality mingling with politics. For politics tarnishes even the cleanest heart. Your uncles story would be one for the line..

a. “you cannot blame the good Congressman if the people/families around him is poor or there’s no food in their plates for them to fill their hungry stomach.”

And we can say this to all politician and Public Servant. I agree that we cannot blame anyone for the state we are in. But since he is in Public Service and have bowed to help this poor people. Then maybe partly we can blame him for promising to do so. The question here should be

1. what have he done to aleviate poverty in district 6?
2. Where did he use his yearly pork barrel? Projects that might have helped the poor?
3. What laws did he pass or submitted to help enrich people? To help young kids to stay out of drugs? And to help out of school youth to get back on track?

b. If you were invited by your boss to go to a certain county for a business meeting and your boss said that you will eat in a fine cuisine, will you turn down his offer? I guess not eh? That’s what Cong. Abante’s situation when he ate at “posh restos”, don’t be mad if he ate in a fine cuisine, be mad if he paid the bills. Com’on!

my comment… as a public servant he is answrable to the public. He’s boss could be the president but he’s loyalty should be to the public who put him to that post. To begin how can he even just come with the president without knowing who’s paying for his expenses? On this article http://www.gmanews.tv/dosearch.php?keywords=gma+trip+in+new+york&action=search&searchby=article he is clueless who paid for the trip and yet he willingly jumped on the band wagon for a free trip to the US. If pleasing the boss is his intent then he should have paid for this trip without using the money that is for the public.

c. I guess you also know what kind of lifestyle this family have that’s why they are poor and will always be poor.

For someone who goes to church service every Sundays, Tuesdays and Thursdays I think you have nailed this people so badly. I’ve never heard Christ giving up to anyone no matter what their state is poor, sick, helpless. As a Public Servant and may I add Servant of God your good congressman should never give up on anyone. Christ do not give up on anyone. And being in power and having the capacity to help people he should bring it on.

I know he is your relative and blood will always be thicker than water… I have always and will alway be NOT a FAN of religous personality mingling with politics. For politics tarnishes even the cleanest heart. Your uncles story would be one for the line..