Palace wants Philforest abolished

MANILA - Malacañang wants the Philippine Forest Corporation abolished. The agency, which is an arm of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources, is said to be one of the means fake non-government organizations access the pork barrel. Environment Secretary Ramon Paje said Philforest president Erwin Krishna Santos has already been relieved as investigations are being conducted on questionable deals entered into with NGOs and members of Congress. Aside from Philforest, the President also wants the National Agri-Business Corporation (Nabcor) and the Zamboanga del Norte College Rubber Estates Corp. (ZREC) abolished. He also wants the Technology Resource Center of the Department of Science and Technology and the National Livelihood Development Corporation of the Land Bank of the Philippines shut down. From October 2010 to October 2011, more than 400 million pesos of pork barrel funds were supposedly released to 9 questionable NGOs through the 5 companies. ANC, September 2, 2013