Pork barrel system 'abolished'

[Mike J]

A needed step to help curtail corruption. 

https://mb.com.ph/2023/11/4/pork-barrel-system-abolished-romualdez-insists-as-house-hands-over-budget-bill-to-senate

Speaker Martin Romualdez stressed on Saturday, Nov. 4 that the House of Representatives has "categorically abolished the pork barrel system". 

This came a few weeks after former president Rodrigo Duterte assailed the House for allegedly having "unlimited" pork barrel, or discretionary funds. 

"Honoring the Supreme Court's (SC) directive, we have instituted reforms to categorically abolish the pork barrel system. Our commitment to upholding transparency, accountability, and exemplary governance remains stronger than ever," Romualdez said during the House's submission of the P5.768-trillion General Appropriations Bill (GAB) to the Senate. 

The Lakas-Christian Muslim Democrats (Lakas-CMD) president made no mention of Duterte in his speech. 

"We have undertaken rigorous measures to ensure judicious and lawful allocation of funds. Our reforms echo our unwavering commitment to serving our people with utmost integrity," said Romualdez, who represents Leyte's 1st district. 

The submission of the 2024 spending plan by the House to the Senate was among the highlights of Saturday's special joint session between the two legislative chambers. 

It's now the senators' turn to peruse the proposed national budget, a task that they will have to finish, ideally, before end of the month. 

"I would like to extend my profound appreciation not just to the diligent members of the House but also to Senate President Juan Miguel Zubiri and the entire Senate. Your unwavering collaboration has been invaluable," Romualdez said. 

"Senate President Zubiri, as we entrust this pivotal document to you, I express my genuine gratitude for the Senate's continuous partnership in our shared vision of nation-building," he added. 

In a 2013 decision, the High Court declared pork barrel--then referred to as the Priority Development Assistance Funds (PDAF)--as unconstitutional. 

Ex-president Duterte came out in a television interview last October to crticize Congress, which he called "the most rotten institution" in the country.  

He claimed that pork barrel was "unlimited" in the House, and that he wanted House Speaker Romualdez and the rest of the chamber audited to find out how taxpayers' money was spent.   

The House has since released a clean audit report from the Commission on Audit (COA).

[Old55]

MotorSarge I hid your off topic rant about ccp and US aid.

Please keep your political opinions to yourself and try to keep more or less on topic.

Thank you for understanding.

[BrettGC]

It'd be nice if they abolished it our countries of origin.  I know it runs ramapant in Australia at least to the point some politicians are being investigated for corruption over exactly these issues.  

Glad to see PI is doing something or it could just be lip service.  The irony of D30 complaining about corruption.... 

You have to ask at what point does pork barrelling become corruption.  

Edited November 5, 2023 by BrettGC

[Possum]

Corruption is so endemic pork barrel money is like dessert. I lived for awhile in a similarly corrupt country in the Caribbean. I was visiting a candidate for president [he became president] at his home to discuss buying some furniture. I asked him why in the world he wanted to be president and he said he thought he could change the corruption. I laughed.  He said, "You have lived here awhile and know how things work so tell me. What would you do if you woke up tomorrow as president of this country?" My reply? I said I would commit suicide.

[Clermont]

I wonder what they call it in our home country, seems the way people write about it here the Philippines owns the phase, not endemic back home.

[BrettGC]

2 hours ago, Clermont said:

I wonder what they call it in our home country, seems the way people write about it here the Philippines owns the phase, not endemic back home.

It is pretty bad in Australia mate and I thought the phrase itself was pretty uniquely Australian until I lived in the US.  Whoever's in power in Australia always spends extra money in marginal seats running up to an election whether it be state or federal.  I might have been exposed to it more though as I grew up in NSW and spent a good part of my adult life in QLD when there were some very highly publicised examples of it.  Whoever's in opposition at any given time probably throws the term around more than necessary but it is common practice.

Edited November 5, 2023 by BrettGC

[longway]

On 11/4/2023 at 5:31 PM, Mike J said:

Speaker Martin Romualdez stressed on Saturday, Nov. 4 that the House of Representatives has "categorically abolished the pork barrel system". 

yes, But. The senate still has to approve it or it is Dead. Politicians Love their discretionary funds.

[hk blues]

9 hours ago, longway said:

yes, But. The senate still has to approve it or it is Dead. Politicians Love their discretionary funds.

Indeed.  Until this year I was unaware of these funds and cannot imagine how those in power can support them.  A department has to through all sorts of hoops to make and justify a budget and them justify how it was spent.  And then, alongside that, a special and not insignificant sum of money is available to be spent as and when desired.  Nonsense.

[longway]

13 hours ago, hk blues said:

Until this year I was unaware of these funds and cannot imagine how those in power can support them

Doling out these secret funds to secret recipients is the source of their power.  Now that it is in the news they might do the right thing, and vote to end. But I have seen similar things end in one session (virtue signaling) only to be quietly brought back the next year. 

[hk blues]

9 hours ago, longway said:

Doling out these secret funds to secret recipients is the source of their power.  Now that it is in the news they might do the right thing, and vote to end. But I have seen similar things end in one session (virtue signaling) only to be quietly brought back the next year. 

Not even the next year - I just read an article this morning that there is a Bicameral conference coming up which can simply reinstate the funds - it happened just last year.  I also see that almost half of the President's office budget is under confidential funds.