THE VOICE OF JOEL P. LONGARES: PARA SA TAWO; PARA SA CAPIZ “TIME TO END CORRUPTION” Public attention is now focused on the big time issue known as the “Pork barrel scam”. The issue is just one part of the whole picture of corruption of our government funds in the hands of some corrupt politicians. Most of government agencies are known and alleged to be tinted with misused of funds and other anomalous deeds. I would like to focus my comment and observation on the recent scandal reported on the alleged misuse of over 10 billion in “Pork Barrel” which is now prompting calls from all sectors for its abolition. History of pork barrel: The Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF) also known as PORK BARREL is a lump-sum discretionary fund granted to the members of congress for spending on priority development projects of the Philippine government, mostly on the national and local level. The “pork barrel” was first introduced in the Philippines by our American Colonial Masters and first approved and institutionalized at the time of the national assembly and has been here for almost a century now. Some asks why is it that the American pork barrel system is not “misused” compared that of the Philippine Pork barrel system? Well, in my opinion, it depends on how the politicians legally and morally used it and how the Filipino people approved of its application. The first pork barrel legislation was in 1992 which is known as the Public Works Acts (RA 3044) passed by the national assembly. The pork barrel is a lump-sum appropriation of which as single payment of money is awarded rather than a periodic payment was made overtime (such as an Annuity). In the US, It was first opposed by American union leader like Samuel Gompers of the American Federation of Labor in 1911. Gompers vehemently exposed and opposed the risk of them (Politicians) squandering the money in greater scale. Years in existence from 1922-1949, the pork barrel which was the public works acts only came in the form of a “lump-sum.” in 1950 where it allows “Congress” to identify the projects to be funded by it. From 1955-1956 until martial law, the pork barrel or community projects were “further divided” into congressmen and senators for their local and national projects. The “clientelistic politics or pork barrel politics” as some says, is a particular type of constituency service through which a legislator’s geographic constituency benefits from the distribution of public works projects. It was modified during martial law in the time of President Ferdinand Marcos, making the pork barrel as a “centralized patronage schemes” under his regime to control all politicians and electorates all over the Philippines and for him to stay in power. Today, it is still being used indirectly and allegedly to control congress and the senate by a president and the leading political party to maintain control. Then in 1987, the bicameral congress under the new constitution of President Corazon Aquino, “revived” the pork barrel and was named as the “Country side Development Fund” or CDF which was formerly introduced in congress in 1990 with the initial funding of P 2.3 billion allocated to almost 300 congressional districts and national constituencies of the 24 senators. In 2000, CDF was renamed as the PDAF or the Priority Development Assistance Fund with the proposed national budget of 27 billion more than 10 times that of 2.3 billion of 1990. When Arroyo stepped down, the alleged PDAF allocation for the year 2010 is at P10.86 billion, but when Pres.Benigno Aquino III first passed its first PDAF budget for 2011, the funds doubled to P24.62 billion. Currently, it is estimated that the government was “defrauded” of some P10 billion in the course of the scam. We have the “Fertilizer Scam” in 2004, almost P900 million in royalties from Malampaya Gas field which were also lost in the scam. And now, in the front line, the list of our law makers with their names as published by some leading News papers, 28 members of Congress (five senators and 23 representatives) were named as participants in the PDAF scam. Twelve of these legislators are identified and close to P3 billion PDAF funds coming from these legislators alone were exposed to the scam. Why such a long period of cuddling the pork barrel schemes and other corrupt practices in our political and governmental system? Corruption of this magnitude has provoked public outrage and sparks series of discussion and protests on the streets and even on the internet. As I have observe, a pork barrel or any government funds are the main target of a greedy and power hungry politician for some reasons: 1. A candidate devoid of good character and ability to lead run for a position just to become rich and control power because of PDAF and even IRA for that matter. As the Modus operandi slowly activates, corrupt politicians spent excessive money during election campaign to win and eventually gain back the capital with a higher percentage of interest through anomalous projects. Just imagine the annual PDAF appropriation which is amounting to 200 million pesos allocated for every senator and 70 million pesos for each house (300 congressmen) member. The Provincial government, the LGU , our Barangay level down to our SK officials are not spared of the “corrupt practices”. The allocation can be bigger if “malapit ka sa luwag” as they say. 2. Re-election among incumbent officials is mostly easy and winnable because of the availability of “government funds” at their disposal during election. Rampant vote buying, the timing of projects during election, identifying government projects and structures with their names on it using the people’s money to advance their personal interest, etc., are the frequent scenario during election. 3. A pork barrel had also become maintaining funds to control constituency in order to stay in power. There are many things I could possibly inject as my personal opinion to the existing problems but I reserved those in the days to come. Before I embarked myself in the 2013 election, I had in mind of the hard work and vast areas to consider. A good politician needs to be concerned of the numerous problems that become a cancer to our society. I felt indebted to our people, our government workers, OFW’s, our farmers, our trisikad and tricycle drivers who are “tax payers” working hard and honestly paying taxes for the nation building….and yet our govt officials only squanders it for their self interest. Our people, the poorest of our country and our children are “deprived and raped” of their rights and privileges as a Filipino people. My intentions from leading the people of Capiz to a new era of success is not all about money and wealth for I have earned it the hard way not on the price of exploiting our people. It is not even “power” and the limelight of being known for I am secured of it long ago among great friends and known personalities around the world. Adventurism, hard work and vision as a naïve youth wanting to come out of my impoverish background in Mambusao drove me to attain true success which has benefited people not only from our province but to some people in the world. Poverty doesn’t stop me to succeed in business. What I got from experiences “I always wanted to share and do” not just for the upper sectors of our society but to the least of the Capiznon. I took the pathway of political governance for it is the quick portal to bring about change in the lives of our people. As the great principle always says: “ Think not what your government can do for you, but think and do what you can DO best for your nation.” Indeed, as our religious Christian group and civil society uniformly said…the core problem is not just the shameless corruption of a growing number of greedy corrupt officials in a system that has become “corruption-friendly”. The issue is the breakdown of our moral fiber as a Christian nation. Yes, we always blame our politicians of the magnitude of sin they’ve done…but WE ARE PARTLY TO BE BLAME as a people..let us then carry our responsibilities as CAPIZNON, a voter, a tax payer and a Filipino citizen to the betterment of our nation and our province. We are the “ones” that sends them to the government position they govern. Most people in the plenary had been discussing if the PDAF /Pork barrel be scrapped, they differ in their opinions. But what I Have in mind is OUR RESPONSIBILITIES…… “If we don’t allow the power of money in exchange of our sacred votes, then and only then, we can stop corruption in its purest form..” Let us change Capizeno..!! Let us not sell our votes..!! God bless the Philippines..God bless Capiz! Joel P. Longares: Para sa Tawo; Para sa Capiz
Posted on: Wed, 04 Sep 2013 06:24:03 +0000
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