Pork barrel refers to the informal term, an offensive expression, which means legislation (such as the Annual General Appropriation Act) which authorizes the appropriation of public funds by Congress and other legislative bodies, earmarking specific tasks/projects/programs, coursed through line agencies, ideally designed to benefit its constituency.
This is now known as the Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF), which is the matter that is the subject of inquiry of the Ombudsman and the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee, and the disgust of majority of the populace.
In accordance with the democratic principle of separation of powers, it is Congress who has the power to pass revenue bills, as provided under Art. VI, Sections 24 and 25 of the 1987 Constitution; This is the “power of the purse”, it is illegal to disburse public funds without any law authorizing any appropriation for public purposes, with the Executive Department implementing through line agencies.
The problem with businesswoman Janet Lim-Napoles shows that it is the legislators (senators and congressmen) who are spending the public funds, under a law which they themselves enacted.
Worse, the public funds did not trickle down to the supposed beneficiaries, but to the pockets of Napoles and their conspirator/legislator.
It is hard to swallow that fact because all the public funds misappropriated were drawn from the sweat, blood and tears, hardships of all Juans, Mang Pandoys, titsers, indays, nanays, tatays, titos and titas abroad, and the common man.
While they toil to earn a livelihood, it is hard to comprehend the extent of the greed of the legislators, without any conscience, fraudulently taking public funds to support luxurious lifestyles, vote buying, etc.
Citizens cannot escape taxes because each item you buy has VAT — the poorest of the poor bears the most burden.
“Dili tanang politico corrupt.…”, one may argue; well, yes, we know of some legislators who used the appropriated funds for their legal public purpose.
This is the reason why the system in itself benefits all legislative districts equally, allegedly P70 million per District, P200 million per senator.
This system was adapted partly to eliminate the practice of the Executive Department (lead by the President) to award favorites (usually political allies) especially in Imperial Manila to get the lion’s share, the oligarchs, and the Kamag-anak Inc.
At least in a way, our local leaders now can expect regular appropriations yearly, not depending on the whims of Malacanang. Remember what happened during the Martial Law era.
Now, the one referred to as “presidential pork” is another matter. These are sourced from “Other Incomes” generated by government owned/ controlled corporations, in the exercise of its proprietary functions, under the Office of the President (Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office, the Malampaya gas rig revenues, etc.).
Disbursed only for public purposes, this fund is directly under the President meant for expenditures like rehabilitation after calamities (typhoons, earthquakes, floods, epidemics, blood money for jailed OFWs, repatriation of OFWs from war torn areas, etc.)
Recently, P-Noy allotted P3.9 billion for Zamboanga.
In view of the emergency nature of disbursements, it is logically within the control and supervision of the President, as needed.
Just the same, it is covered by the public accounting rules and legislation which is controlled by the Commission on Audit in the exercise of its functions defined by law.
This is applicable to the P960 million allotted for Negros Oriental after the earthquake and the typhoon.
This was an extraordinary disbursement by P-Noy to meet an emergency to provide funds for the immediate rehabilitation of the affected areas.
But the Presidential Social Fund, strictly should not be confused with the funds that come from taxes paid for by the people. What happened to the Negros Oriental 2012 calamity funds is another story.
Prudence and caution should be exercised, and not emotions or any another motive. There has to be separation of powers to avoid concentration of power, which is subject to abuse.
What is to be reformed is the system of checks and balance, the harshest penalty to those proven to have committed plunder.
Our democratic system is at work; after all, Filipinos have been able to jail previous Presidents, and have impeached a Chief Justice of the Supreme Court.
Punish the plunderers! Abangan ang susunod na kabanata.
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