SUBIC BAY FREEPORT, Zambales, Philippines — The hopes of more than 1,200 scholars in this province to finish their studies are now pinned on the national government to release funds to cover their school expenses.

Aside from those in the skills training program, the scholars fear that their tuition will be hit after the national government delayed the release of the priority development assistance fund (PDAF) of 10 congressmen from the minority bloc of the House of Representatives.

Some graduating scholars who are attending Comteq Computer School inside this Freeport said the delay in the release of the PDAF or “pork barrel” would also mean the delay their graduation, therefore, delaying their plans to find work.

Scholar Marion Manuel posted in the wall of “Scholars ni Mitos” Facebook page that he hopes the funds will be released and that President Aquino should would his sights on education since many Filipinos want to finish schooling.

Scholars from the Mondriaan Aura College here in Subic also fear that their education will be put on hold due to the delay of the pork barrel intended for their grants.

The annual pork barrel of each lawmaker is pegged at P70 million wherein they receive it in halves, one is during the first half of the year and the other is during the second half.

They were given these allocations to be used to finance various projects in their districts, wherein some like the late Congressman Antonio Diaz gave the bulk of his pork barrel to scholars in the second district of Zambales.

Aside from Magsaysay, Reps. Ignacio Arroyo of Negros Occidental, Dato Arroyo of Camarines Sur, Juan Miguel Arroyo of Ang Galing Pinoy Party-list, Arthur Yap of Bohol, Augusto Syjuco of Iloilo, Martin Romualdez of Leyte, Ma. Amelita Villarosa of Occidental Mindoro, Marc Douglas Cagas of Davao del Sur, and Deputy Minority Leader Danilo Suarez of Quezon are still waiting for their PDAF.

“While members of the majority bloc in the House are already submitting their request for the second tranche of their PDAF, the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) could still not give a definite date of our PDAF’s release,” Magsaysay said.