Author Topic: Understanding 'pork barrel' in the Philippines (Read 3326 times)

islander · « **on:** August 09, 2013, 11:40:45 AM »

Get Real

Pork barrel: costs and benefits

By Solita Collas-Monsod
Philippine Daily Inquirer
Saturday, July 20th, 2013

Institutionalized corruption. Grand conspiracy to steal taxpayersâ€™ money. Trapo at its lowest point. Thatâ€™s the pork barrel system in the Philippines. And it continues to flourish, in spite of the fact that its costs are much greater than its benefits. Why? Simply because those who benefit are the ones who decide whether the system should continue or not.

Letâ€™s define â€œporkâ€ first, and then letâ€™s take a quick look at its history (we got it from the United States), courtesy of the Internet.

Definitions of the pork in pork barrel, which apparently originated in the US Congress:

â€¢ A bill or project requiring considerable government spending in a locality to the benefit of the legislatorâ€™s constituents.

â€¢ A government appropriation, bill, or policy that supplies funds for local improvements designed to ingratiate legislators with their constituents.

â€¢ The act of using government funds on local projects that are primarily used to bring more money to a specific representativeâ€™s district. Basically, the politician tries to benefit his/her constituents in order to maintain their support and vote.

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islander · « **Reply #1 on:** August 09, 2013, 11:41:35 AM »

The first pork project in the United Statesâ€”federal funds were appropriated for the benefit of a localityâ€”was $1,500 to complete a lighthouse in what was then Massachusetts (with the backing of President George Washington). It was not a unanimously approved project, and the use of federal (national) money for local benefit was looked at askance by some of the greatest American leaders, including Thomas Jefferson.

While the US Congress was torn â€œbetween those who pursue pork and those who resist it,â€ the latter view prevailed until a â€œturning pointâ€ was reached in the 1980s, during the Reagan administration, after which the number and value of pork projects increased astronomically.

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islander · « **Reply #2 on:** August 09, 2013, 11:42:18 AM »

Here is what an American NGO, the Citizens Against Government Waste, says about the pork barrel system in the United States at present: â€œCases of out-and-out bribery are rare. But pork-barrel spending is a form of corruption, where tax dollars are dolled (sic) out on the basis of political favoritism and to advance the careers of Washington insiders.â€

Is this also the case in the Philippine pork barrel system? Only in the sense that a jeepney and a Porsche are both motor vehicles.

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islander · « **Reply #3 on:** August 09, 2013, 11:43:57 AM »

Because, as has been made even more obvious by the present scandal, cases of out-and-out bribery are not the exception, but more the rule, in the Philippines. Our legislators have constantly repeated that they never handle any of the money involved in the projects, and just choose the projects, which choices are limited to a list of projects that â€œqualifyâ€ or are acceptable by guidelines set up by the Department of Budget and Management. A list, by the way, that is as broad as all outdoors: livelihood, manpower, sports, and cooperative development, delivery of basic services, environmental protection, agricultural and fisheries diversity, rural industrialization, development of local enterprises, social services in areas that would not be ordinarily undertaken by the private sector, and construction, maintenance, operations and management of infrastructure projects. Good grief.

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islander · « **Reply #4 on:** August 09, 2013, 11:44:36 AM »

So how do crooked legislators get their hands on the money, aside from the ghost projects supposedly undertaken in the P10-billion scam? It takes a little more effort, but only just a little: The legislators reportedly tell the government agency involved who they want as contractors or project implementers. How the government agency translates that order into reality when there are bids and awards committees to safeguard procedures is another thing altogether. But one can see the elements of conspiracyâ€”the legislator, the government agency, and the contractor acting in collusion. The legislator reportedly gets his cut from the contractor. Clean hands. Reminds me of a former Chief Executive who swears that he never stole a single centavo from the government. He forgets that he was receiving all kinds of goodies from friends with government contracts.

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islander · « **Reply #5 on:** August 09, 2013, 11:45:45 AM »

Moreover, in the Philippines, while the big guns get the lionâ€™s share of the pork, legislators donâ€™t have to fight over it. The division is institutionalized: at least P70 million worth of pork a year for a House legislator, and P200 million a year for a senator of the republic.

And worst of all (if the current scam is any indication), the pork may not even help the local constituents; it stops in the legislatorsâ€™ pockets and those of their private-sector co-conspirators, with the active help or benign neglect of the government agencies and the Commission on Audit.

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islander · « **Reply #6 on:** August 09, 2013, 11:46:15 AM »

In sum, what are the benefits of the pork barrel system in the Philippines? One, it gives the executive branch tremendous leverage over the legislature, which is supposed to provide checks and balances (the executive branch can withhold the pork). Two, it gives incumbent legislators an unfair advantage over their electoral opponents, because of the projects (if successfully implemented) they bring, or the money (if pocketed) they can use to buy votes. And what are the costs? At least P21 billion a year of taxpayersâ€™ money that arguably could have been more efficiently and equitably used for the welfare of the Filipino people.

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islander · « **Reply #7 on:** August 09, 2013, 11:46:46 AM »

Notice, Reader, that the benefits accrue to individuals; the costs are borne by society. The â€œservantsâ€ of the people screw their bosses with impunity.

And do not tax my patience by saying that not all legislators are involved. True. But they havenâ€™t done a thing about it either. All it takes for evil to triumphâ€¦.

Abolish the pork barrel.

http://opinion.inquirer.net/

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diablo · « **Reply #8 on:** August 09, 2013, 08:53:11 PM »

mao ni nga way asenso ang pinas. corruption is embedded in our govt. ilis ilis lang ug kinawatay kong kinsay ma elect

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hubag bohol · « **Reply #9 on:** August 09, 2013, 08:58:15 PM »

Any idiot who does not understand this subject is free to post a "wise" response. And--surprise, surprise!--he just did!

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diablo · « **Reply #10 on:** August 09, 2013, 09:30:54 PM »

you dug your grave deeper. now i will make my decision. start running after august 17. you are the prey. i will be the hunter

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diablo · « **Reply #11 on:** August 09, 2013, 09:32:30 PM »

MAYBE i will do away with surveillance and reconaissance. go straight to EXTRACTION

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diablo · « **Reply #12 on:** August 09, 2013, 09:34:17 PM »

i do not underestimate my enemies. better brush up on your make believe bartitsu. i will review my kung fu.

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islander · « **Reply #13 on:** August 09, 2013, 09:43:33 PM »

the philippines is improving despite its government's corruption, real or perceived. period.

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diablo · « **Reply #14 on:** August 09, 2013, 09:45:48 PM »

the philippines is improving despite its government's corruption, real or perceived. period.

that is well and good. thanks for posting this

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hubag bohol · « **Reply #15 on:** September 13, 2013, 04:00:53 PM »

MAYBE i will do away with surveillance and reconaissance. go straight to EXTRACTION

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hubag bohol · « **Reply #16 on:** September 13, 2013, 04:04:00 PM »

you dug your grave deeper. now i will make my decision. start running after august 17. you are the prey. i will be the hunter

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islander · « **Reply #17 on:** September 13, 2013, 04:40:45 PM »

oink, oink.

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hubag bohol · « **Reply #18 on:** September 14, 2013, 12:14:29 AM »

Wa uroy mosulod ang kaliwat og boang...

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robert · « **Reply #19 on:** September 14, 2013, 12:19:37 AM »

hehehe. di na mo dot nang imong bala. di na mo boilblood kong tawagon ko nimong boang. ikaw maoy kwanggol kong di ka mo patoo ug tambag. mahimo poniton ka before all souls day. pero ang schedule jud, after the chess tournament. di na maka laban si islander. kay face to face naman ta

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hubag bohol · « **Reply #20 on:** September 14, 2013, 12:36:07 AM »

Empty threats of a pathetic cuckold...

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