8 Reasons Why the Pork Barrel Funds and Other Presidential Funds Should Be Abolished

download 8 Reasons Why the Pork Barrel Funds and Other Presidential Funds Should Be Abolished

of 14

Transcript of 8 Reasons Why the Pork Barrel Funds and Other Presidential Funds Should Be Abolished

  • 8/12/2019 8 Reasons Why the Pork Barrel Funds and Other Presidential Funds Should Be Abolished

    1/14

    8 reasons why the pork barrel funds and otherPresidential funds should be abolishedSeptember 24, 2013by Ilda

    Rumor has it that there will be a campaign to try and convince the public that members of Philippine

    Congress need the priority development assistance funds (PDAF) or pork barrel funds to help continuethe nationwide scholarship and medical assistance programs initiated by some members of Congress.True enough, two of President Benigno Simeon BS Aquinos allies in Congress have filed a petitionwith the Supreme Court to lift the temporary restraining order on the PDAF so they can access thefrozen funds allocated for the remainder of 2013.

    Look whos got your pork: Umali (left) with Niel Tupas in 2012

    The two Congressmen who think the Filipino people are stupid are Eastern Samar Rep. Ben Evardoneand Oriental Mindoro Rep. Reynaldo Umali. To refresh everyones memory, Umali was infamous

    forlying about getting damning but bogus information from a little ladyduring the impeachmenttrial of former Supreme Court Justice Renato Corona. He probably thinks his credibility is still in tact.You have to hand it to these two clowns for risking the wrath of the public. They have no problemshowing their eagerness to receive the funding amidst the scandal and criminal investigations currentlygripping the nation involving the use of bogus NGOs to siphon the funds. Where do they get their kapalng mukha? Where else but from BS Aquino. Because they belong to the same political party as thePresident, Malanacang is more than willing to give them the benefit of the doubt. If they were from adifferent political party, Malacanang would be the first to say these two are so callously corrupt.Obviously, most of the congressmen are of no real use to the Filipino people. They only ran forcongress because of the privileges attached to the office. Other than that, some of them only manageto craft bills such as the renaming of an airport or major road after another member of the Aquinofamily. Some of them are always absent from the sessions. Senate President Franklin Drilon was on tosomething when heproposed the abolition of Congressas well. They seem to be a total waste of time

    and space anyway.Malacanang mouthpieces and propagandists will be busy in the next weeks trying to distract the publicfrom the pork barrel scams and attempt to call for the retention of the funds for humanitarianreasons.

    http://getrealphilippines.com/blog/2013/09/8-reasons-why-the-pork-barrel-funds-and-other-presidential-funds-should-be-abolished/http://getrealphilippines.com/blog/2013/09/8-reasons-why-the-pork-barrel-funds-and-other-presidential-funds-should-be-abolished/http://getrealphilippines.com/blog/2013/09/8-reasons-why-the-pork-barrel-funds-and-other-presidential-funds-should-be-abolished/http://getrealphilippines.com/blog/2012/02/could-umali-tupas-small-lady-and-rappler-com-be-all-chargeable-for-serious-violation-of-philippine-bank-secrecy-laws/http://getrealphilippines.com/blog/2012/02/could-umali-tupas-small-lady-and-rappler-com-be-all-chargeable-for-serious-violation-of-philippine-bank-secrecy-laws/http://getrealphilippines.com/blog/2012/02/could-umali-tupas-small-lady-and-rappler-com-be-all-chargeable-for-serious-violation-of-philippine-bank-secrecy-laws/http://getrealphilippines.com/blog/2012/02/could-umali-tupas-small-lady-and-rappler-com-be-all-chargeable-for-serious-violation-of-philippine-bank-secrecy-laws/http://getrealphilippines.com/blog/2013/08/senate-president-franklin-drilon-proposes-abolition-of-congress/http://getrealphilippines.com/blog/2013/08/senate-president-franklin-drilon-proposes-abolition-of-congress/http://getrealphilippines.com/blog/2013/08/senate-president-franklin-drilon-proposes-abolition-of-congress/http://getrealphilippines.com/blog/2013/08/senate-president-franklin-drilon-proposes-abolition-of-congress/http://getrealphilippines.com/blog/2012/02/could-umali-tupas-small-lady-and-rappler-com-be-all-chargeable-for-serious-violation-of-philippine-bank-secrecy-laws/http://getrealphilippines.com/blog/2013/09/8-reasons-why-the-pork-barrel-funds-and-other-presidential-funds-should-be-abolished/http://getrealphilippines.com/blog/2013/09/8-reasons-why-the-pork-barrel-funds-and-other-presidential-funds-should-be-abolished/
  • 8/12/2019 8 Reasons Why the Pork Barrel Funds and Other Presidential Funds Should Be Abolished

    2/14

    A message lost on Filipinos honorable congressmen

    For the sake of those who are still not convinced, here are reasons why the pork barrel funds or any ofthe other funds allocated to both legislative and executive branches of government should bescrapped:1) Members of Congress, both the upper and lower houses will be forced to do their jobs, which is thecrafting and deliberating of laws if they are not distracted by having to deal with NGOs in allocation oftheir pork barrel funds.2) Removing the pork barrel funds from among tasks managed by members of Congress will free uptheir time for more important things like the simple task of attending sessions in Congress instead of

    lunching/meeting with bogus NGO founders.3) Abolition of the pork barrel funds and other funds currently allocated to the office of the Presidentwill level the playing field during elections. This means ordinary citizens who are better qualified butdo not have funds to campaign will have a better chance of getting elected to public office. Thinkabout it. Part of the reason members of the same clan keep winning during election is because theyhave access to tax payers money, which they use for vote buying. This is the reason whyCongresswoman Lani Mercado had to warn the public not to ask them for money if and when they losetheir access to pork barrel funds and its various incarnation.4) There really is no reason why monetary assistance, scholarship and medical assistance have to becoursed through the members of Congress. There are departments that exist like the Department ofEducation, that can take over the so-called projects the Congressmen supposedly have for theirconstituents.5) Instead of allocating funds to members of Congress, the budget for improvement of education and

    public hospitals should be increased. This has a better chance of reaching the public and improvingmillions of lives.6) Removal of pork barrel funds allocated to Congress means members of the legislative branch ofgovernment can act more independently from the executive branch. The President of the Philippineswill have very little chance of strong-arming the members of congress into doing what he wants. Inother words, the checks and balances in our countrys institutions may have a better chance ofworking. Leaders like BS Aquino will have to use their charm in stating their case.7) Without the allocation of pork barrel funds, mediocre leaders like BS Aquino will be forced to resignand allow someone who has better diplomatic and persuasive skills to take over the sensitive post. Theonly reason a vindictive person like BS Aquino can bully his way around is because members of Congress

  • 8/12/2019 8 Reasons Why the Pork Barrel Funds and Other Presidential Funds Should Be Abolished

    3/14

    who should be scrutinizing his decisions have to kiss his ass. Not doing so could mean they will miss outon the allocation of funds for their projects.8) Finally, with the abolition of the pork barrel funds, Filipinos might just vote for public servants whocan offer solutions to the countrys problems instead of someone who can give them few hundred bucksor goods money funded by the taxpayers.BS Aquino may have said, It is time to abolish the pork barrel funds three days before the millionpeople march but the President may have had singer Adele in mind who sang just cause I said it, itdont mean I meant it. Hes probably realized that it would be hard to control congress without givingthem pork barrel funds.History has proven that BS Aquino is not above deceiving the public for his own gain. Recent reportshave alleged that the Presidents stimulus funds were used to buy some of the Senators who convictedCorona during his impeachment trial. Indeed, BS Aquino is very fond of pulling a fast one on hisbosses with the aid of his bottomless Presidential funds.

    http://getrealphilippines.com/blog/2013/09/8-reasons-why-the-pork-barrel-funds-and-other-

    presidential-funds-should-be-abolished/

    The abolition of PDAFBy MANUEL L. QUEZON IIIAugust 31, 2013 4:39pm776 194 7 1894

    Tags:Bantay Kaban

    The Constitutiontells us that Congress exists to enact laws. In the enactment of laws, members of

    the House of Representatives bring the interests and concerns of specific local districts to the table;

    members of the Senate represent a national perspective because they are elected at large. Every

    year, the most important law enacted by Congress is the General Appropriations Act, or the National

    Budget. This is what funds the operations of the entire national government for a given fiscal year,

    Jan. 1 to Dec. 31.

    The process begins with the President, as Chief Executive (the one tasked with administering the

    departments of the national government, and who implements laws enacted by Congress)

    submitting a proposed budget to Congress (Art. VII, Sec. 22). According to the Constitution,

    Congress is obliged to act on this proposed budget: they can only subtract items from it, and not add

    to it (Art. VI, Sec. 25, I).

    Furthermore, the budgetary process in Congress must begin with the House of Representatives (Art.

    VI, Sec. 24) , which has what is called the power of the purse, on the principle that as the

    representatives closest to the people, since they represent local districts, they are best qualified to

    authorize government expenditures.

    Congress both houses, first the House, then the Senate conducts budget deliberations through

    its sitting committees and in plenary (or as a whole for each chamber) exercises oversight, which is

    http://getrealphilippines.com/blog/2013/09/8-reasons-why-the-pork-barrel-funds-and-other-presidential-funds-should-be-abolished/http://getrealphilippines.com/blog/2013/09/8-reasons-why-the-pork-barrel-funds-and-other-presidential-funds-should-be-abolished/http://getrealphilippines.com/blog/2013/09/8-reasons-why-the-pork-barrel-funds-and-other-presidential-funds-should-be-abolished/http://www.gmanetwork.com/news/tag/bantaykabanhttp://www.gmanetwork.com/news/tag/bantaykabanhttp://www.gmanetwork.com/news/tag/bantaykabanhttp://www.gov.ph/the-philippine-constitutions/the-1987-constitution-of-the-republic-of-the-philippines/http://www.gov.ph/the-philippine-constitutions/the-1987-constitution-of-the-republic-of-the-philippines/http://www.gov.ph/the-philippine-constitutions/the-1987-constitution-of-the-republic-of-the-philippines/http://www.gmanetwork.com/news/tag/bantaykabanhttp://getrealphilippines.com/blog/2013/09/8-reasons-why-the-pork-barrel-funds-and-other-presidential-funds-should-be-abolished/http://getrealphilippines.com/blog/2013/09/8-reasons-why-the-pork-barrel-funds-and-other-presidential-funds-should-be-abolished/
  • 8/12/2019 8 Reasons Why the Pork Barrel Funds and Other Presidential Funds Should Be Abolished

    4/14

    why budget hearings are conducted, in which departments and agencies are quizzed about the

    previous years activities and what they plan to do for the coming year.

    Once approved in committee, the proposed budget is then debated in plenary; then passed by that

    chamber. The process is repeated in the other chamber. If there are differences in the versions

    adopted by each chamber, the differences are resolved in the Bicameral Conference Committee

    (this is part of the internal checks and balances within Congress itself). Then, upon referral and

    approval by the respective chambers, theGeneral Appropriations Actis submitted to the President

    for his signature.

    The President, as part of the principle of checks and balances, has a unique form of veto when it

    comes to the national budget or laws involving tariffs or revenues. So he can disapprove specificline

    itemsin the budget, in what is called a line-item veto (Art. VI Sec. 27, 2). When it comes to otherlaws, a President who disapproves of a proposed law must veto the entire thing, returning it to

    Congress, which, if it is unable to override the veto (overriding requires 2/3 majority in each

    chamber), must accept that the law is killed (Art. VI Sec. 27, 1). Congress can choose to override the

    Presidents line-item vetoes, or accept them. Once everyone House, Senate, President are OK

    with the proposed budget, then it becomes a law, known as the General Appropriations Act. And the

    government has funds to operate for that fiscal year.

    Let me repeat: Congressmen and Senators make laws; and the most important law they enact each

    and every year, is the national budget.

    Unlike the United States, our Constitution also says that if for whatever reason, a General

    Appropriations Act isnt passed in time for the new fiscal year, then the previous years budget is

    automatically reenacted (Art. VI, Sec. 25, 7). And this is where our discussion of the pork barrel and

    the changes announced by the President today, begins.

    Consider the needs of your community. If it is a small 4th-Class Municipality. As an LGU, it has its

    own revenues, whether from business permits and other fees, and its proportional share of therevenues of the national government. But still, it can still lack the revenues to fund all the needs of

    those who live there: scholarships, for example. This is where the national government can, and

    should, step in. This is done through national programs carried out in local areas, including services

    and infrastructure.

    http://www.dbm.gov.ph/?page_id=5280http://www.dbm.gov.ph/?page_id=5280http://www.dbm.gov.ph/?page_id=5280http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/line+itemhttp://dictionary.reference.com/browse/line+itemhttp://dictionary.reference.com/browse/line+itemhttp://dictionary.reference.com/browse/line+itemhttp://dictionary.reference.com/browse/line+itemhttp://dictionary.reference.com/browse/line+itemhttp://www.dbm.gov.ph/?page_id=5280
  • 8/12/2019 8 Reasons Why the Pork Barrel Funds and Other Presidential Funds Should Be Abolished

    5/14

    Again: all these programs, ranging from services to infrastructure, require funding. And they can only

    be funded by means of the national budget, which funds the fixed programs of the national agencies,

    and which also provides for funds that can be used for certain contingencies, such as calamities.

    And it is Congress composed of the House and Senate that authorizes the funding.

    These are the operating principles of government, ideally, how things work. As they say, the devil is

    in the details. Which brings us back to the Constitutional provision on reenacting the budget, and

    how this is a good way to kick off discussions on the pork barrel.

    Asthe President mentioned in his Statement today,in 2007, Congress managed to pass the national

    budget in April of that year, when it should have been enacted by December 31 of the previous year.

    Since there was no new budget when 2007 began, the 2006 budget was automatically reenacted to

    tide over the government.

    Here is the first opportunity for mischief that the President, then a Senator, identified: if, say, the

    2006 budget had allocated funds in a province, but by 2007 the bridge had been built, the

    automatically reenacted 2006 budget would still contain a provision to build a bridge that had already

    been built. Since it existed, the government could then declare the redundant fund as savings, which

    means it could then be spent on something else.

    The second opportunity for mischief was pointed out by then-Senator Aquino, as the 2007 budget

    was nearing passage in April of that year: shouldnt the 2007 General Appropriations Act be minus

    the basically fixed expenses (salaries, etc. being a prime example) that had already been paid for,

    by the reenacted 2006 budget, for the months January to April?

    He was ignored on both counts, and so voted No to the budget. The amounts concerned were

    nothing to sneeze at: 36 billion pesos. And he had to ask, where did that money go?

    As we have seen with just one example of mischief the Napoles issue it takes a long time to do

    the detective work required, to figure out where public money went, under such a chaotic systemwith so many opportunities for mischief. COA Chairperson Grace Tan mentioned, during her press

    conference last week, that the spadework on theSpecial COA Reportreleased last Friday, began in

    2010, with the new administration. And as the President mentioned during the Q&A after he

    delivered his statement today, the Napoles revelations came to light, because it had the earliest, and

    most solid leadsbut that theres more to be uncovered.

    http://www.gov.ph/2013/08/23/english-statement-of-president-aquino-on-the-abolition-of-pdaf-august-23-2013/http://www.gov.ph/2013/08/23/english-statement-of-president-aquino-on-the-abolition-of-pdaf-august-23-2013/http://www.gov.ph/2013/08/23/english-statement-of-president-aquino-on-the-abolition-of-pdaf-august-23-2013/http://www.gov.ph/2013/08/16/special-audits-office-report-no-2012-03-pdaf-and-vilp/http://www.gov.ph/2013/08/16/special-audits-office-report-no-2012-03-pdaf-and-vilp/http://www.gov.ph/2013/08/16/special-audits-office-report-no-2012-03-pdaf-and-vilp/http://www.gov.ph/2013/08/16/special-audits-office-report-no-2012-03-pdaf-and-vilp/http://www.gov.ph/2013/08/23/english-statement-of-president-aquino-on-the-abolition-of-pdaf-august-23-2013/
  • 8/12/2019 8 Reasons Why the Pork Barrel Funds and Other Presidential Funds Should Be Abolished

    6/14

    The Presidents example about the two opportunities for mischief in reenacting a budget is, of

    course, different from the Napoles scam but what they have in common, what both required, is

    something the President pointed out: you need a conspiracy to get away with all these scams.

    Normally, the Constitutional checks and balances within Congress (between its two chambers),

    between the Legislative (Congress) and the Executive (the President, and the departments under

    him), and watchdog institutions such as COA and the Ombudsmanshould work to make violating

    both the spirit and the letter of our laws difficult to escape. But if all conspire together, whether

    actively, or by turning a blind eye, or being timid, then you can get away with fiscal murder.

    I wont go into the grisly details of the Napolesscheme, but will only point out that it required not just

    willing accomplices but also a lot of other criminal activity, from forging documents (letters from

    LGUs) to creating dummy NGOs, etc. But the whole Napoles scam brings us to PDAF itself and we

    need to look at a little history.

    In the first place, most people wonder why, if the job of Congress is to pass laws (but dont forget

    oversight!) what business do representatives or senators have, in identifying projects? The simple

    answer is that it is part of their function as lawmakers as they determine the provisions of the

    national budget during their vetting of the proposals of the Executive branch for projects and

    programs.

    In the past, projects and programs in specific parts of the country were itemized that is, they

    appeared as line items in the national budget. If you look at this excerpt from the General

    Appropriations Act for 1937 (here is the section on Public Works and the National Assembly, the

    unicameral legislature at the time:Prewar GAA for National Assembly and Public Works)programs

    of the government were enumerated item by item; even individual employees were enumerated.

    This meant that members of Congress would all come to the table with their proposals for their

    localities, and these would be threshed out within Congress and with the Executive, and the final list

    laid out in the national budget, for implementation in that budget. But this involved a tremendous

    amount of discussion, and negotiations, resulting in Congressionalearmarksin the budget. But asthe population grew, and the size of Congress grew,and the funds involved grew, shortcuts became

    more and more tempting. Instead of line item appropriations, lump-sum appropriations started

    featuring (the difference say, between enumerating every bridge to be built in every barangay in

    every province in every region, and simply saying x million pesos is appropriated for bridges in

    Luzon).

    http://www.quezon.ph/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/Prewar-GAA-for-National-Assembly-and-Public-Works.pdfhttp://www.quezon.ph/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/Prewar-GAA-for-National-Assembly-and-Public-Works.pdfhttp://www.quezon.ph/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/Prewar-GAA-for-National-Assembly-and-Public-Works.pdfhttp://definitions.uslegal.com/e/earmark/http://definitions.uslegal.com/e/earmark/http://definitions.uslegal.com/e/earmark/http://definitions.uslegal.com/e/earmark/http://www.quezon.ph/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/Prewar-GAA-for-National-Assembly-and-Public-Works.pdf
  • 8/12/2019 8 Reasons Why the Pork Barrel Funds and Other Presidential Funds Should Be Abolished

    7/14

    Furthermore, if some areas have less clout for whatever reason party affiliation, or simply less

    effective representation some areas might get more than others.

    Solution? PDAF, which set aside minimum lump sums for each representative and senator, to use

    for projects. As weve seen, this system has been abused because being broadly defined, and, until

    2010, open-ended (that is, with a minimum quota, so to speak, for each legislator but no cap on what

    each could get), and furthermore, requiring the participation of the legislator not just in the

    determination of the budget, but in the execution of projects, it fostered collusion between legislators,

    friends in the private sector, and obliging bureaucrats.

    So, PDAF has to go. Again: Napoles is just the best-laid-out case. There are others being

    investigated. You cannot wait for all the cases to be rolled out because there is now hard evidence

    of how obscene the scams have become.

    So what is the solution? Two:first, find, prosecute, and punish those who broke the law.Second,

    stop the flawed system, and replace it with a new system that actually addresses the needs of the

    public instead of filling the pockets of officials. Any solution, just as a reminder, must conform to the

    Constitution and the role given to legislators and the Executive; and it is all laid out in the national

    budget, the most important law enacted by Congress each year, based on the proposals submitted

    by the President.

    Which is why the President, with the Senate President and Speaker flanking him, laid out what the

    system will be henceforth, taking into account innovations introduced since 2010, and lessons

    learned from the findings of COA (which, by the way, is part of a joint task force which is

    investigating, and prosecuting, cases involving PDAF).

    The innovations since 2010 include the Department of Budget and Management reporting, as data

    comes in, disbursements of thePDAF. The disbursements for2009, for2010, for2011, for2012,

    and for2013(to date) are online, searchable by legislator/party list representative. By the way, the

    COA itself publishes itsAnnual Report on Allotments, Obligations, and Disbursements of NationalGovernment Agencies. It also included making the allocations, even if lump-sum, more transparent

    by enumerating them in the budget (for a crash course in making sense of the budget, see Budget

    101in fact). Third, by limiting the categories under which the funds can be spent. You can explore

    the budget by visitingBudget ng Bayan.

    Here isa handy infographicon the new system.

    http://www.gov.ph/2013/08/22/q-and-a-inter-agency-anti-graft-coordinating-council-iaagcc/http://www.gov.ph/2013/08/22/q-and-a-inter-agency-anti-graft-coordinating-council-iaagcc/http://www.gov.ph/2013/08/22/q-and-a-inter-agency-anti-graft-coordinating-council-iaagcc/http://pdaf.dbm.gov.ph/index.phphttp://pdaf.dbm.gov.ph/index.phphttp://pdaf.dbm.gov.ph/index.phphttp://pdaf.dbm.gov.ph/index.php?r=Site/Listing_per_legislator/fy/2009http://pdaf.dbm.gov.ph/index.php?r=Site/Listing_per_legislator/fy/2009http://pdaf.dbm.gov.ph/index.php?r=Site/Listing_per_legislator/fy/2009http://pdaf.dbm.gov.ph/index.php?r=Site/Listing_per_legislator/fy/2010http://pdaf.dbm.gov.ph/index.php?r=Site/Listing_per_legislator/fy/2010http://pdaf.dbm.gov.ph/index.php?r=Site/Listing_per_legislator/fy/2010http://pdaf.dbm.gov.ph/index.php?r=Site/Listing_per_legislator/fy/2011http://pdaf.dbm.gov.ph/index.php?r=Site/Listing_per_legislator/fy/2011http://pdaf.dbm.gov.ph/index.php?r=Site/Listing_per_legislator/fy/2011http://pdaf.dbm.gov.ph/index.php?r=Site/Listing_per_legislator/fy/2012http://pdaf.dbm.gov.ph/index.php?r=Site/Listing_per_legislator/fy/2012http://pdaf.dbm.gov.ph/index.php?r=Site/Listing_per_legislator/fy/2012http://pdaf.dbm.gov.ph/index.php?r=Site/Listing_per_legislator/fy/2013http://pdaf.dbm.gov.ph/index.php?r=Site/Listing_per_legislator/fy/2013http://pdaf.dbm.gov.ph/index.php?r=Site/Listing_per_legislator/fy/2013http://www.coa.gov.ph/Financial_Reports.htmhttp://www.coa.gov.ph/Financial_Reports.htmhttp://www.coa.gov.ph/Financial_Reports.htmhttp://www.coa.gov.ph/Financial_Reports.htmhttp://budgetngbayan.com/budget-101/budget-preparation/http://budgetngbayan.com/budget-101/budget-preparation/http://budgetngbayan.com/budget-101/budget-preparation/http://budgetngbayan.com/budget-101/budget-preparation/http://budgetngbayan.com/http://budgetngbayan.com/http://budgetngbayan.com/http://images.gmanews.tv/v3/webpics/v3/2013/08/2013_08_31_16_58_42.pnghttp://images.gmanews.tv/v3/webpics/v3/2013/08/2013_08_31_16_58_42.pnghttp://images.gmanews.tv/v3/webpics/v3/2013/08/2013_08_31_16_58_42.pnghttp://images.gmanews.tv/v3/webpics/v3/2013/08/2013_08_31_16_58_42.pnghttp://budgetngbayan.com/http://budgetngbayan.com/budget-101/budget-preparation/http://budgetngbayan.com/budget-101/budget-preparation/http://www.coa.gov.ph/Financial_Reports.htmhttp://www.coa.gov.ph/Financial_Reports.htmhttp://pdaf.dbm.gov.ph/index.php?r=Site/Listing_per_legislator/fy/2013http://pdaf.dbm.gov.ph/index.php?r=Site/Listing_per_legislator/fy/2012http://pdaf.dbm.gov.ph/index.php?r=Site/Listing_per_legislator/fy/2011http://pdaf.dbm.gov.ph/index.php?r=Site/Listing_per_legislator/fy/2010http://pdaf.dbm.gov.ph/index.php?r=Site/Listing_per_legislator/fy/2009http://pdaf.dbm.gov.ph/index.phphttp://www.gov.ph/2013/08/22/q-and-a-inter-agency-anti-graft-coordinating-council-iaagcc/
  • 8/12/2019 8 Reasons Why the Pork Barrel Funds and Other Presidential Funds Should Be Abolished

    8/14

    The ultimate check and balance on government as a whole is public opinion. And here it follows a

    pattern.A good example is how, in 1945, Congress, which hadnt even convened during the entire

    Japanese Occupation, paid itself back wages.The public, in disgust, voted members of Congress

    out of office wholesale. The result was a purge: and then the new crop, over the following two

    decades, hit upon staggering benefits paid out to themselves, by instituting something unheard of

    before World War II: the system of Congressional allowances. Yet, by the eve of martial law, public

    disgust had mounted to the extent that whenGuadencio Antonino, campaigning on an anti-

    allowances platform, died on the eve of elections, the national electorate voted his widow into office.

    This is what were seeing taking place in terms of the PDAF. What started out as an arguably

    improved way to ensure an equitable allocation of resources to all areas, became a giant honey trap.

    So now its been scrapped, and in a sense, having proven that too much leeway or discretion leadsto wrongdoing, that discretion has been taken away from members of Congress and bureaucrats

    who may be willing to oblige racketeers. Politics is like Newtons First Law of Motion: an object is at

    rest unless acted upon by outside force.

    http://www.gmanetwork.com/news/story/324453/opinion/the-abolition-of-pdaf

    Makabayan branded hypocrites for using porkfunds, then calling for its abolition

    ByGil CabacunganPhilippine Daily Inquirer10:03 pm | Sunday, September 15th, 2013

    73 3215 2145

    Bayan Muna Rep. Neri Colmenares. INQUIRER FILE PHOTO

    MANILA, PhilippinesWhat do you call a group opposing the retention of the pork barrel system in the proposed2014 after pigging out on P852 million in Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF) under the Aquinoadministration?Hyprocrites, say two lawmakers.Cavite Rep. Elpidio Barzaga Jr., a member of the National Unity Party, said the Makabayan bloc, composed ofmilitant party-list groups, should stop its charade of pushing for the abolition of the pork barrel because it did notabstain from partaking of pork when the group was given access to the fund in the 15th Congress.You just cant say pork is bad or good when it suits your propaganda. They all claimed that their pork went to goodcauses, without graft and corruption, when they used it from 2010 to this year. So, why did they suddenly brand it evilnow just because its the fashionable thing to say? Where is the conviction? Where is the integrity? Can you blamepeople for calling them hypocrites or two-faced? said Barzaga.He also supported the abolition of the Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF), the official name of the porkbarrel of lawmakers, but he refused to actively push for the scrapping of the pork barrel system because he stillbelieved in its merits if properly implemented.I think that they have lost the moral high ground to preach on the pork barrel issue because they were free to say`no to pork then, Barzaga said of the the Makabayan bloc.The proposed P2.268-trillion budget for 2014 is the first national budget in a long time that would not contain the lumpsum PDAF.

    http://mlq3.tumblr.com/post/58381590434/archive-friday-on-official-allowances-2007http://mlq3.tumblr.com/post/58381590434/archive-friday-on-official-allowances-2007http://mlq3.tumblr.com/post/58381590434/archive-friday-on-official-allowances-2007http://mlq3.tumblr.com/post/58381590434/archive-friday-on-official-allowances-2007http://philippinesfreepress.wordpress.com/1968/01/06/gaudencio-antonio-man-of-the-year-1967/http://philippinesfreepress.wordpress.com/1968/01/06/gaudencio-antonio-man-of-the-year-1967/http://philippinesfreepress.wordpress.com/1968/01/06/gaudencio-antonio-man-of-the-year-1967/http://www.gmanetwork.com/news/story/324453/opinion/the-abolition-of-pdafhttp://www.gmanetwork.com/news/story/324453/opinion/the-abolition-of-pdafhttp://newsinfo.inquirer.net/byline/gil-cabacunganhttp://newsinfo.inquirer.net/byline/gil-cabacunganhttp://newsinfo.inquirer.net/byline/gil-cabacunganhttp://newsinfo.inquirer.net/source/philippine-daily-inquirerhttp://newsinfo.inquirer.net/source/philippine-daily-inquirerhttp://newsinfo.inquirer.net/source/philippine-daily-inquirerhttp://newsinfo.inquirer.net/byline/gil-cabacunganhttp://www.gmanetwork.com/news/story/324453/opinion/the-abolition-of-pdafhttp://philippinesfreepress.wordpress.com/1968/01/06/gaudencio-antonio-man-of-the-year-1967/http://mlq3.tumblr.com/post/58381590434/archive-friday-on-official-allowances-2007http://mlq3.tumblr.com/post/58381590434/archive-friday-on-official-allowances-2007
  • 8/12/2019 8 Reasons Why the Pork Barrel Funds and Other Presidential Funds Should Be Abolished

    9/14

    Last week, the House of Representatives agreed to realign Congress P25.2 billion and the Vice Presidents P200million pork barrel to the Department of Education, Commission on Higher Education, Department of Health,Department of Labor and Employment, Department of Social Welfare and Development, and Department of PublicWorks and Highways.Lawmakers could refer their beneficiaries of scholarships, medical assistance and the like to the concerneddepartments. As for infrastructure projects, they would still be able to propose these, but would have to identify themearly for inclusion in the budget as a line item.

    Isabela Rep. Rodolfo Albano III, a member of the minority group just like the Makabayan bloc, said he found it theheight of irony that the same people who were silent when they spent their pork in the last three years would bethe loudest in Congress in pushing for the abolition of pork.They are my peers in the minority. But I believe that they missed a chance to continue accessing their pork becausethey could have put it to good use, said Albano. Now, they have nothing to do but count the rainwater dripping fromthe ceiling of Batasan.In a text message, Bayan Muna Rep. Neri Colmenares said that just like the public, the Makabayan bloc was angryat the abuse and not the use of pork.But because of (Janet Lim) Napoles, the call for the abolition of pork even for those who merely used it but did not[mis]use it was legitimate. So, even if we did not abuse, we believe its but proper for the people to call for itsabolition. Were just supporting the peoples call now, said Colmenares in a text message.Napoles is believed to be the mastermind in the P10-billion pork barrel scam that involved the channeling of 28lawmakers lump sum funds to bogus NGOs in exchange for kickbacks in 10 years.Benhur Luy, a former employee of Napoles, testified in the Senate last week that lawmakers, including a fewsenators, got kickbacks equivalent to 50 percent of the project cost.

    Based on a Department of Budget and Management report on the use of pork barrel, the party-list lawmakerscollectively known as Makabayan Neri Colmenares (P151.341 million) and Teodoro Casio (151.675 million) ofBayan Muna; Luzviminda Ilagan and Emi de Jesus (P105 million each) of Gabriela; Antonio Tinio (P105 million) of

    Alliance of Concerned Teachers (ACT); Raymond Palatino (P84.995 million) of Kabataan; and Rafael Mariano(P148.845 million) of Anakpawis were granted a total of P851.856 million in PDAF from 2010 to the first half of2013.In the first six months of the Aquino administration, all seven lawmakers received P35 million each, half the P70million annual PDAF allocation.In 2011, when then Chief Justice Renato Corona was impeached, each Makabayan representative received the fullP70 million allocation except for Palatino who got P49.995 million.In 2012, only Colmenares (P35.996 million), Casio (P46.675 million), and Mariano (P32.5 million) were given porkallocations while the rest got zero.In the first half of this year, only Colmenares (P10.375 million) received pork among his Makabayan peers. Curiously,Mariano (P14.55 million) managed to get pork among the Makabayan members in 2009 despite the the Arroyoadministrations zero pork release policy for her critics in Congress.

    Nearly half or P391.856 million of their pork allocations were spent on soft projects in state universities, localgovernment units and hospitals.Despite the scrapping of the lump sum Priority Development Assistance Fund and its realignment to agencies, porkbarrel questions would continue to hound the proposed 2014 budget, which has scheduled for plenary deliberationsin the House of Representatives starting on Monday (Sept. 16).Some lawmakers doubt that the re-channeling of Congress PDAF to the agencies would remove the pork barrelsystem that has been criticized for breeding patronage politics. They intend to raise this matter during the sessionBut Bayan Muna Rep. Neri Colmenares noted that Congress would still be able to exercise some form of control anddiscretion over the funds.Entitlement to nominate is what transforms a fund into pork, said Colmenares, who disclosed that the Makabayanbloc would challenge in the plenary the claim that the pork barrel has been truly abolished.Under the new plan, operators who cook up schemes to pocket pork could now shortcut the process and go directlyto the departments, he said.

    ACT Teachers Rep. Antonio Tinio, one of those critical of the move, planned to point this out in the plenary.I will first of all inquire as to how the appropriations committee intends to amend the general appropriations bill toinsert their proposed changes, then proceed to establish through questioning that the pork barrel system forlegislators will remain intact despite the so-called abolition of the PDAF, he said yesterday.Tinio earlier said that while the PDAF allocation had been unbundled and realigned to other agencies, the keyfeatures of the pork barrel were still in place.

    According to him, these include the earmarking of specific amounts, the lawmakers exercise of individual discretionto provide for local infrastructure projects and the recommendation of beneficiaries to the executive agencies.The Makabayan lawmakers also plan to call for the abolition of other lump sum funds in the budget, including thePresidents own. The use of these funds had often escaped scrutiny.Without eliminating the lump sums in the budget which constitute presidential pork, the use of public funds forcorruption, abuse, and patronage politics will not be abated, Colmenares said.

  • 8/12/2019 8 Reasons Why the Pork Barrel Funds and Other Presidential Funds Should Be Abolished

    10/14

    He said the fight against all forms of pork barrel must continue.The people must not get distracted by attempts to deodorize pork now that we have the chance to deliver that fatalblow to the pork barrel system.The first day of plenary budget deliberations is reserved for the sponsorship speech, the debate on the generalprinciples and provisions of the budget, and the allocations for the Department of Finance, National Economic andDevelopment Authority, and the Legislative-Executive Development Advisory Council.There is also a period allotted to discuss lump sum funds in the proposed 2014 budget. This is scheduled for Sept.

    27, the last day of plenary deliberations.

    Read more:http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/488167/makabayan-branded-hypocrites-for-using-pork-barrel-funds-then-

    calling-for-its-abolition#ixzz2hEJ6z6K5

    Follow us:@inquirerdotnet on Twitter|inquirerdotnet on Facebook

    http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/488167/makabayan-branded-hypocrites-for-using-pork-barrel-funds-then-

    calling-for-its-abolition

    Abolish Pork BarrelThere must be an alternative program to abolish pork barrel in the Philippines to makesure Congress doesn't have enough reasons to say no.

    Sunday, April 15, 2012

    Abolish Pork Barrel in the PhilippinesABOLISH PORK BARREL IN THE PHILIPPINES

    WHAT IS A PORK BARREL?

    ANG PORK BARREL AY PUNDO NA INILAAN NG NATIONAL GOVERNMENT PARA SA MGA

    MAMBABATAS NG PILIPINAS TULAD NG KONGRESO AT SENADO. MINSAN ITONG TINAWAG NA

    CDF O COUNTRYWIDE DEVELOPMENT FUND AT MINSAN DIN ITONG TINAWAG NA

    CONGRESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT FUND. SA KASALUKUYAN, ITO ANG TINATAWAG NA PDAP O

    PRIORITY DEVELOPMENT ASSISTANCE FUND.

    ANG PANGALANG PORK BARREL AY SUMIKAT ITO NONG PANAHON NI DATING PRES. CORAZON

    AQUINO. TINAWAG ITONG PORK BARREL DAHIL ITO DAW ANG NAGPAPATABA NG MGA

    MYEMBRO NG KONGRESO AT SENADO SA PAMAMAGITAN NG KICKBACK O COMMISSION.

    SA MADALING SALITA, ITO ANG TINATAWAG NA MILKING COW NG MGA MAMBABATAS. AYON

    SA PAGSUSURI NG PCIJ OR PHILIPPINE CENTER FOR INVISTIGATIVE JOURNALISM, UMABOTMULA 20 - 40 % ANG COMMISSION NGA MGA MAMBABATAS GALING SA MGA CONTRACTOR NA

    SYANG NAKAKAKUHA NG KONTRATA SA BAWAT PROYEKTONG PINAGLAANAN NG NASABING

    PUNDO.

    AYON DIN SA NASABING PAGSUSURI, ANG GANITONG KALAKARAN AY KAUGALIAN NA NG

    BAWAT MAMBABATAS LALONG LALO NA SA MGA MEMBRO NG MABABANG KAPULUNGAN O

    KONGRESO. DITO DAW BUMABAWI ANG MGA NASABING CONGRESSMAN SA KANILANG

    http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/488167/makabayan-branded-hypocrites-for-using-pork-barrel-funds-then-calling-for-its-abolition#ixzz2hEJ6z6K5http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/488167/makabayan-branded-hypocrites-for-using-pork-barrel-funds-then-calling-for-its-abolition#ixzz2hEJ6z6K5http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/488167/makabayan-branded-hypocrites-for-using-pork-barrel-funds-then-calling-for-its-abolition#ixzz2hEJ6z6K5http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/488167/makabayan-branded-hypocrites-for-using-pork-barrel-funds-then-calling-for-its-abolition#ixzz2hEJ6z6K5http://ec.tynt.com/b/rw?id=bSAw-mF-0r4Q-4acwqm_6r&u=inquirerdotnethttp://ec.tynt.com/b/rw?id=bSAw-mF-0r4Q-4acwqm_6r&u=inquirerdotnethttp://ec.tynt.com/b/rw?id=bSAw-mF-0r4Q-4acwqm_6r&u=inquirerdotnethttp://ec.tynt.com/b/rf?id=bSAw-mF-0r4Q-4acwqm_6r&u=inquirerdotnethttp://ec.tynt.com/b/rf?id=bSAw-mF-0r4Q-4acwqm_6r&u=inquirerdotnethttp://ec.tynt.com/b/rf?id=bSAw-mF-0r4Q-4acwqm_6r&u=inquirerdotnethttp://newsinfo.inquirer.net/488167/makabayan-branded-hypocrites-for-using-pork-barrel-funds-then-calling-for-its-abolitionhttp://newsinfo.inquirer.net/488167/makabayan-branded-hypocrites-for-using-pork-barrel-funds-then-calling-for-its-abolitionhttp://newsinfo.inquirer.net/488167/makabayan-branded-hypocrites-for-using-pork-barrel-funds-then-calling-for-its-abolitionhttp://nwagas.blogspot.com/http://nwagas.blogspot.com/http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/488167/makabayan-branded-hypocrites-for-using-pork-barrel-funds-then-calling-for-its-abolitionhttp://newsinfo.inquirer.net/488167/makabayan-branded-hypocrites-for-using-pork-barrel-funds-then-calling-for-its-abolitionhttp://ec.tynt.com/b/rf?id=bSAw-mF-0r4Q-4acwqm_6r&u=inquirerdotnethttp://ec.tynt.com/b/rw?id=bSAw-mF-0r4Q-4acwqm_6r&u=inquirerdotnethttp://newsinfo.inquirer.net/488167/makabayan-branded-hypocrites-for-using-pork-barrel-funds-then-calling-for-its-abolition#ixzz2hEJ6z6K5http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/488167/makabayan-branded-hypocrites-for-using-pork-barrel-funds-then-calling-for-its-abolition#ixzz2hEJ6z6K5
  • 8/12/2019 8 Reasons Why the Pork Barrel Funds and Other Presidential Funds Should Be Abolished

    11/14

    GINASTOS SA BAWAT ELECTION NA SILAY KUMANDIDATO.

    NONG PANAHON NI DATING PRES. CORAZON AQUINO, UMABOT SA 25 MILLION PESOS ANG

    BUDGET BAWAT DISTRITO O KADA CONGRESSMAN. SA PAGLIPAS NG PANAHON SA KABILA

    NG MGA BATIKOS AT AKUSASYON DAHIL SA LAGANAP NA KURAPSYON, AY MAS LALONG

    TUMAAS PA ITO.

    SA MGA NAKARAANG ADMINISTRAYON, UMABOT ITO HANGGANG 70 MILYON PESOS BAWAT

    DISTRITO O KADA CONGRESSMAN AT TIG 200 MILYONG PESO NAMAN BAWAT SENADOR AT

    HINDI PA KASAMA DITO ANG TINATAWAG NA CONGRESSIONAL ISERTIONS.

    AYON SA DEPARTMENT OF BUDGET, UMABOT SA HALOS 20 BILYON PESOS ANG KABUUANG

    PORK BARREL NA NATANGGAP NG ATING MGA MAMBABABATAS NONG 2011.

    KONG MAY BASIHAN ANG PAGSUSURI NA GINAWA NG PCIJ NA UMABOT HANGGANG 40 % ANG

    KICKBACK NG MGA CONGRESSMAN SA BAWAT PROYEKTO, IBIG SABIHIN, AABOT SA 8

    BILYONG PESO SA KABUUAN ANG NAWAWALDAS NA PERA NG TAONG BAYAN KADA TAON.

    KONG SA BAWAT DISTRITO NAMAN ANG PAG UUSAPAN, KAHIT SABIHIN NATIN NA 20 % LANG

    ANG KICKBACK NI CONGRESSMAN SA BAWAT PROYEKTO NITO, AY MAKAKAKUHA PA RIN SI

    CONGRESSMAN NG COMMISSION NA HINDI BABABA SA 14 MILYON PESOS BAWAT TAON. SA

    LOOB NG KANYANG 3 TAONG TERMINO AY AABOT NG 42 MILYON PESOS ANG PERANG

    NAPUPUNTA SA BULSA NI CONGRESSMAN NA DAPAT SANA AY PARA SA MGA PROYEKTO AT

    PROGRAMA. SAPAT NA ITO PARA PAMBAWI SA KANYANG NAGASTOS SA NAKARAANG

    ELECTION O PANGGASTOS PARA SA KANYANG REELECTION.

    ABOLISH THE PORK BARELL

    ANG IMPORMASYONG ITO AY SAPAT NANG DAHILAN KONG BAKIT MARAMI ANG NANAWAGAN

    NA DAPAT NANG I ABOLISH ANG PORK BARREL. NGUNIT SA HALIP NA MATUGUNAN ANG

    NATURANG PANAWAGAN O PANUKALA AY MAS LALO PANG NADAGDAGAN ANG NATURANG

    PUNDO.

    AT KUNG BAKIT, AY MARAMI ANG DAHILAN

    1. BAWAT PANGULO NG PILIPINAS AY KAILANGAN NIYANG SUYUIN ANG SUPORTA NG BAWAT

    MAMBABATAS PARA MAITAGUYOD NIYA ANG KANYANG NATIONAL AT PERSONAL AGENDA.

    SA MADALING SALITA, ANG PORK BARREL AS ISANG SUHOL NG MGA MYEMBRO NG KAMARA

    KAPALIT ANG SUPPORTA NG PALASYO. KATUNAYAN NITO AY ANG PAGPILI NG SPEAKER OF

    THE HOUSE NA TAUHAN NG NAKAUPONG PANGULO.

    2. AYON SA ATING SALIGANG BATAS, MAY KAPANGYARIHAN ANG KONGRESO NA MAG

    IMPEACH NG PANGULO TULAD NG NANGYARI KAY DATING PANGULO JOSEPH ESTRADA

    NOONG 2001. PWEDE DIN ITONG MAG IMPEACH NG ILANG OPISYAL NG GOBYERNO NA HINDI

    KAALYADO NG PANGULO TULAD NG NANGYARI KAY OMBUDSMAN MERCEDITAS GUTTUIREZ AT

    CHIEF JUSTICE RENATO CORONA.

    3. KARAMIHAN SA MGA MYEMBRO NG KAMARA, AY MYEMBRO DIN NG COMMISSION ON

  • 8/12/2019 8 Reasons Why the Pork Barrel Funds and Other Presidential Funds Should Be Abolished

    12/14

    APPOINTMENTS NA SYANG MAGBIGAY CONFIRMATION SA MGA PRESIDENTIAL APPOINTEES

    TULAD NG MGA CABINET SECRETARIES.

    4. LAGING DINADAHILAN NG MG CONGRESSMAN NA MAHIRAP TANGGALIN ANG PORK BARELL

    DAHIL ITO DAW AY PARA DIN SA KANILANG SA MGA CONSTITUENTS AT MARAMI DIN DAW ANG

    NAKINABANG NITO. KATULAD NG PAGPAPAGAWA NG BASKETBALL COURTS, WAITING SHADES,

    FLY OVERS OR OVERPASS, HEALTH CENTERS, PAMUMUDMOD NG PHILHEALTH CARDS AT IBA

    PANG PROGRAMANG PANGKABUHAYAN.

    SA LOOB NG MATAGAL NA PANAHON AY PARANG TANGGAP NA NG ATING MGA KABABAYAN NA

    ANG PORK BARREL AY BAHAGI NA NG ATING SISTEMANG POLITIKAL.

    ALTERNATIVE

    ANG TANONG NGAYON, AY ANO ANG ATING ALTERNATIBONG SOLUSYON KONG I ABOLISH

    NATIN ANG PORK BARREL?

    ANG SABI NANG ILANG POLITICAL OBSERVERS, ANG PROBLEMA DAW SA MGA KUMUKONTRA

    NG PORK BARREL AY WALA RING MAIBIGAY NA ALTERNATIBONG PROGRAMA PARA NAMAN

    HINDI MAIPAGKAIT SA MGA NASABING CONSTITUENTS ANG MGA BIYAYANG NAIBIGAY NG

    KANILANG MGA CONGRESSMAN.

    KAYA MULA PO SA AKING SIMPLENG PAG IISIP, AKO POY NAKAHANAP NG ISANG PARAAN PARA

    MATUGUNAN KONG PAPA ANO NATIN MA ABOLISH ANG NASABING PORK BARELL NA HINDI

    NAMAN MA PURWESYO ANG MGA NASABING CONSTITUENTS NA SYANG BENIFICIARY NITO.

    DAHIL ITO ANG PALAGING GINAGAMIT NA DAHILAN NG MGA MAGAGALING NA CONGRESSMEN

    NATIN. ITO PO ANG TINATAWAG NA BARANGGAY DEVELOPMENT FUND.

    BARANGGAY DEVELOPMENT FUND

    ANO PO BA ANG IBIG SABIHIN NITO? ANG BARANGGAY DEVELOPMENT FUND AY ANG PUNDO

    GALING SA NATIONAL GOVERNMENT NA INILAAN SANA PARA SA MGA MAMBABATAS NA KONG

    TAWAGIN AY PORK BARREL. SA MADALING SALITA, TATANGGALIN NATIN ANG PORK BARREL

    GALING SA MGA MAMBABATAS AT ILAAN ITO DERETSO SA MGA BARANGGAY AT MAGIGING

    BAHAGI NA ITO SA PUNDONG PAMBARANGGAY.

    MAAARING ANG UNANG TANONG NA PAPATAK SA ISIPAN NATIN AY KONG ANO ANG MGA

    ADVANTAGES AT DISADVANTAGES SA NASABING PROGRAMA.

    1. THE PRINCIPLE OF CHECK ANG BALANCE

    SA PORK BARELL, IISANG TAO LANG ANG NAGDEDESISYON KONG ANONG KLASENG

    PROYEKTO O PROGRAMA ANG DAPAT UNAHIN AT ITOY SI CONGRESSMAN LAMANG.

    SAMANTALANG KONG ITOY MAPUPUNTA SA BARANGGAY, AY MAS MARAMI ANG MA INVOLVE

    SA DECISION MAKING. SA BAWAT BARANGGAY AY MAY ISANG CHAIRMAN AT MAY WALONG

    MYEMBRO NG KONSEHO KASAMA NA ANG SK CHAIRMAN NA SYANG MAGDEDESISYON O

  • 8/12/2019 8 Reasons Why the Pork Barrel Funds and Other Presidential Funds Should Be Abolished

    13/14

    DADAAN SA ISANG DELIBERATION. SA MADALING SALITA, 9 NA BARANGGAY OFFICIALS

    LABAN SA ISANG CONGRESSMAN AY MAS MAIBSAN ANG TENTASYON NG KURAPSYON O

    ANOMALIYA DAHIL MAS MARAMING MATA ANG NAKATOTOK SA BAWAT PROYEKTO O

    PROGRAMANG PINAGLAANAN NG PUNDONG ITO.

    2. VISIBILITY AND AVAILABILITY OF OUR LEADERS

    MULA LUNES HANGGANG BYERNES, SI CONGRESSMAN AY NASA KONGRESO PALAGI AT

    MALAYO SA KANYANG MGA NASABING CONSTITUENTS. SAMANTALANG SI CHAIRMAN AT ANG

    KANYANG MGA KAGAWAD AY HALOS ARAW ARAW MAKIKITA SA BARANGGAY HALL KONG

    SAAN SYA NAG OOPISINA. ANG IBIG SABIHIN, MAS ALAM NG MGA BARANGGAY OFFICIALS

    NATIN ANG PROBLEMANG PAMBARANGGAY KAYSA SA ATING MGA MAGAGALING NA

    CONGRESSMAN NA NASA MAYNILA PALAGI.

    3. DECENTRALIZATION OF POWER

    SA LOOB NG MATAGAL NA PANAHON, ANG KAPANGYARIHAN SA PAGDEDESIYON AY LEMITADO

    LAMANG SA MGA TAONG NASA ITAAS AT MAKAPANGYARIHAN. ANG BAWAT CONGRESSMANSA KADA DESTRITO AY NAGMISTULANG MGA HARI AT ANG MGA BARANGGAY OFFICIALS

    NAMAN AY NAGMISTULANG MGA ALIPIN O PULUBI. HALOS LULUHOD AT MAGMAKAAWA SA

    KANILANG CONGRESSMAN PARA LANG MAKAKAKUHA NG BIYAYA O PROYEKTO GALING SA

    PUNDONG PORK BARREL. MALIMIT GINAGAMIT NI CONGRESSMAN ANG KAPANGYARIHANG

    ITO PARA SA KANYANG PERSONAL AT POLTICAL INTEREST.

    4. EQUAL DISTRIBUTION OF RESOURCES

    KARAMIHAN SA MGA PROYEKTONG GALING SA PORK BARREL AY NAPUPUNTA SA MGA

    WALANG KWENTANG PROYEKTO AT WALANG KAPAKIPAKINABANG SA TAONG BAYAN.

    HANGGANG NGAYON MAY MGA BARANGGAY PA NA HINDI NAKATIKIM NG BIYAYA GALING SA

    NASABING PUNDO DAHIL UMANOY KALABAN SA POLITIKA NI CONGRESSMAN ANG CHAIRMAN

    NG BARANGGAY. KARAMIHAN SA MGA PROYEKTONG ITO AY NAPUPUNTA LAMANG SA MGA

    LUGAR KONG SAAN AY KAALYADO NI CONGRESSMAN ANG MGA BARANGGAY OFFICIALS. SA

    MADALING SALITA, MAY FAVORITISM AT HINDI PANTAY ANG DISTRIBUTION NITO.

    5. BIG FISH VS. SMALL FISH

    ALAM NG LAHAT NA MAHIRAP TALAGANG HULIHIN ANG MALALAKING ISDA KAYSA MALILIIT.

    KONG SI CONGRESSMAN ANG MAGKASALA, MAHIRAP DAW ITONG MAIPAKULONG DAHIL SA

    LAWAK NG KANYANG KAPANGYARIHAN AT CONNECTIONS. KAYA DAW NITONG PAIKUTAIN

    ANG BATAS. MAY KASABIHAN TAYO NA THE BEST LAWMAKER IS OFTENTIMES THE BEST

    LAWBREAKER. SAMANTALA KONG SI CHAIRMAN O SI KAGAWAD ANG MAGKASALA AY MADALIITONG MAIPAKULONG DAHIL MGA PIPITYUGIN LANG ITO.

    POLITICAL IMPACT ON THE NATIONAL LEVEL

    SABI NG MGA POLITICAL ANALYST, WALANG PANGULO SA PILIPINAS ANG MAGPUPURSIGE NA

    ISULONG ANG NATURANG PANUKALA DAHIL ISA ITONG POLITICAL SUICIDE. MAHIRAP DAW

    KALABANIN ANG KONGRESO AT HANGGANG KAMATAYAN HINDI DAW ITO BIBITAWAN NG MGA

  • 8/12/2019 8 Reasons Why the Pork Barrel Funds and Other Presidential Funds Should Be Abolished

    14/14

    MYEMBRO NG KAMARA. MAARI DAW ITONG MAKAKALUSOT SA SENADO PERO NEVER SA

    MABABANG KAPULUNGAN DAHIL DITO NANGGAGALING ANG KANILANG PINAGKAKITAAN NG

    PUNDO PARA SA KANILANG REELECTION.

    MAY KASABIHAN TAYO NA ANG PULITIKA AY NUMBERS GAME. KONG SINO DAW ANG MAS

    MARAMI AY SYANG MANANALO.

    MAYROON LANG TAYONG 250 CONGRESSMEN SAMANTALANG MAY HUMIGIT SA 42,000 ANG

    BARANGGAY SA BUONG KAPULUAN.

    KAYA ITO PO AY ISANG SIMPLENG KALKULASYON LAMANG PARA SA TAGA MALACANANG.

    SINO PO BA ANG MAS MARAMI, ANG MGA KONGRESISTA O ANG MGA BARANGGAY OFFICIALS?

    NATURAL LAMANG SA ISANG PANGULO NA MAG DALAWANG ISIP NA GAGAWIN ITO DAHIL ITOY

    ISANG MALAKING SUGAL SA KANYANG POSITION. SINO PO BANG PANGULO ANG GUSTONG

    MALAGLAG SA PWESTO KONG PWEDE NAMAN ITONG MAIPAGPATULOY NA WALANG

    KAPAGODPAGOD.

    LAGING BINABANGGIT NG MGA KANDIDATO ANG KATAGANG SILAY PARA SA MAHIRAP.

    NGUNIT PAGKATAPOS NG ELECTION, KARAMIHAN SA KANILANG GINAGAWA AY TALIWAS SAKANILANG MGA PANGAKO. KAYA HINAHAMON KO ANG KASALUKUYANG ADMINISTRATION NA

    ITO NA ANG TAMANG PANAHON NA TUPARIN NYO ANG INYONG MGA PANGAKO.

    SIMPLENG SUHESTYON LANG PO GALING SA ISANG SIMPLENG MAMAMAYAN. KAHIT AKO POY

    NASA IBANG BANSA NA, PILIPINO PA RIN ANG AKING PUSO.

    MARAMING SALAMAT PO.

    NEIL EDWIN WAGAS

    CALIFORNIA, U.S.A.

    http://nwagas.blogspot.com/2012/04/abolish-pork-barrel-in-philippines.html

    http://nwagas.blogspot.com/2012/04/abolish-pork-barrel-in-philippines.htmlhttp://nwagas.blogspot.com/2012/04/abolish-pork-barrel-in-philippines.htmlhttp://nwagas.blogspot.com/2012/04/abolish-pork-barrel-in-philippines.html