(MORE:Filipino Journalists Call for Action After Murderous Month)Pork barrelis a pejorative term for Priority Development Assistance Funds discretionary annual lump sums of $4.5 million and $1.6 million provided respectively to each of the countrys 24 Senators and 289 Congressmen to pay for local infrastructure and development works. However, much of this cash is simply ferreted away through bogus NGOs and nonsensical initiatives (like$115,000 for antidengue inoculantsalthough no dengue-fever vaccine is currently available). In addition, the cash is treated as a slush fund for ensuring political patronage and successful re-election. It looks like everyone has their hands dipped in the cookie jar, Malou Mangahas, executive director of thePhilippine Center for Investigative Journalism, tells TIME.Although graft is endemic in the Philippines, the sweeping scope of pork barrel has stunned even the most cynical. The scale emerged after a businesswoman namedJanet Lim Napoleswas accused of laundering staggering sums of money for lawmakers. From 2009 to 12, Napoles allegedly provided at least six Senators and 26 Congressmen with $224.9 million, according to an Aug. 16reportby the Philippines official Commission on Audit. The 49-year-old former Laguna City housewife, who turned herself in to President Benigno Aquino III ostensibly out of fear for her own life, reportedly took a cut of 30% while delivering the bulk back to the pockets of politicians much of it cash delivered furtively in shopping bags.The opulent lifestyle enjoyed by Napoles swanky houses, sports cars and a socialite daughter seen hobnobbing withcelebrities including Justin Bieber at L.A. parties spurred public outrage. People were scandalized as you are dealing with a country where 80% of the people are poor, and the minimum wage doesnt even reach the poverty line, only to find out that they do have money but they cant have services because the officials are pocketing the money, says Harry L. Roque, professor at the University of the Philippines College of Law.In response, hordes of seething voters have taken to the street to demand an end to pork-barrel discretionary funding. So far, however, Aquino has only gone as far as to offer more transparency. Under touted reforms, each Senator and Congressman would maintain their current $4.5 million and $1.6 million allocations but must reveal where it is being spent a half-measure described as misleading the people by Roque. Unless you remove the budgetary entitlement of politicians,he tells TIME, there will always be pork.(MORE:No End in Sight to the Energy Crisis That Plagues the Philippines)Although Aquino remains untainted by the most serious allegations, he has not been immune to criticism. Aside from lawmakers, the office of the President also comes with a sizable discretionary budget like calamity relief and there are calls for this to also be abolished, as well as discretionarydevelopment funds for the judiciary and other arms of government. This comes with political risks. There could be mutiny in the Congress if all pork is phased out, warns Mangahas.Indeed, pursuing legal cases will likely prove troublesome, as both allies and enemies of the executive have been implicated. It would be difficult to file suits against so many Congressmen, says Mangahas. In addition, complex graft cases will take several years to reach the courtroom especially for the expected charges of plunder during which time even more people could be implicated. Investigation attempts are currently focusing on a paper trail via illicit bank accounts, but the likelihood of numerous cash transactions could make gathering primary evidence extremely problematic.Nevertheless, the strength of public feeling means that inaction is not an option. The President wants to finish his term and he will make sure [something is done] as people are very, very mad, explains Roque, adding that some token convictions will likely be forced through as quickly as possible. A long-awaited Freedom of Information Act is also receiving widespread public backing as it will give media the tools to properly investigate alleged impropriety. Im hoping that this anger will redefine Philippine politics and end the cycle of vote buying and corruption, says Roque.MORE:10 Questions for Benigno Noynoy Aquino IIIby TaboolaFROM THE WEB

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Read more:http://world.time.com/2013/09/11/philippines-pork-barrel-graft-probe-has-lawmakers-squealing/#ixzz2gdHul1cp

ThePriority Development Assistance Fund(PDAF) is adiscretionary fundin thePhilippinesavailable to members ofCongress. Originally established as the Countrywide Development Fund (CDF) in 1990, it is designed to allow legislators to fund small-scale infrastructure or community projects which fell outside the scope of the national infrastructure program, which was often restricted to large infrastructure items.[1]\The PDAF is commonly called the "pork barrel", and has been the subject of much public criticism following exposs on abuses perpetuated by members of Congress on use of the fund in 1996 and2013.

ThePriority Development Assistance Fund scam, also called thePDAF scamor thepork barrel scam, is apolitical scandalinvolving the alleged misuse by several members of theCongress of the Philippinesof theirPriority Development Assistance Fund(PDAF, popularly called "pork barrel"), a lump-sum discretionary fund granted to each member of Congress for spending on priority development projects of the Philippine government, mostly on the local level. The scam was first exposed in thePhilippine Daily Inquireron July 12, 2013,[1]with the six-part expos of theInquireron the scam pointing to businesswomanJanet Lim-Napolesas the scam's mastermind after Benhur K. Luy, her second cousin and former personal assistant, was rescued by agents of theNational Bureau of Investigationon March 22, 2013, four months after he was detained by Napoles at her unit at thePacific Plaza TowersinFort Bonifacio.[2]Initially centering on Napoles' involvement in the 2004Fertilizer Fund scam, the government investigation on Luy's testimony has since expanded to cover Napoles' involvement in a wider scam involving the misuse of PDAF funds from 2003 to 2013.It is estimated that the Philippine government was defrauded of some10 billion in the course of the scam,[1]having been diverted to Napoles, participating members of Congress and other government officials. Aside from the PDAF and the fertilizer fund maintained by theDepartment of Agriculture, around 900 million in royalties earned from theMalampaya gas fieldwere also lost to the scam.[3]The scam has provoked public outrage, with calls being made on the Internet for popular protests to demand the abolition of the PDAF,[4]and the order for Napoles' arrest sparking serious discussion online.[5]

8 Opinions About the PDAF Scam You Should KnowThe Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF), better known as Pork Barrel, is a regular allocation of public funds to members of the Philippine Congress. Its designed to give legislators easy access to capital so that they can earmark projects for improving their respective constituencies.At the same time, Pork Barrel is a frequent target for critics who says it facilitates corruption. They say it makes it easier for politicians to divert money into their own pockets, and perpetuates the patronage politics that has kept the Philippines from progressing.We at 8List have compiled 8 varied opinions on Pork Barrel, a hot-button issue ever sincethe PDAF Scam involving Janet Lim-Napolesbecome the topic of discussions everywhere.Representative Lani Mercado, 2nd District of CaviteRepresentative Lani Mercado, 2nd District of CaviteBasta huwag lang manghihingi sa amin ang mga tao! E, anong ibibigay namin [kung wala na kaming Pork Barrel]?Hindi naman puwede yung sa pinaghihirapan namin dahil sa personal naman namin yun, sa mga anak, sa mga pang-araw-araw na panggastos namin.Basta importante lang, may transparency.Basta ako, meron akong ulat sa bayan. Isinusulat ko dun yung mga ipinapagawa ko.Coincidentally, the 2nd Legislative District of Cavite comprises only the city of Bacoor, which suffered heavy flooding thanks to Maring.Senator Jinggoy EstradaSenator Jinggoy EstradaIt is not up to the senators to determine whether an NGO [non-governmental organization] is bogus or not.Alangan naman na kami pa ang magsasabi na, Uy, bogus yan. How will we know?Gusto ko lang malaman sa mga kinauukulan kung saan talaga napunta yong para sa ating magsasaka dahil ang ating mga magsasaka, mga kababayan nating mahirap, sila mismo ang nagre-request sa aking tanggapan na sila ay mabigyan ng ayudaTo summarize: Estrada said that its not his responsibility to check whether an NGO allocated pork barrel funds is actually doing its job, but he does want to know where the money goes.Senator Miriam Defensor-SantiagoSenator Miriam Defensor-Santiago[Pork Barrel are the senators'] personal responsibility. You cannot just plead that other agencies have been created for the sole purpose of checking those NGOs [who have been given Pork Barrel funds]. That is such a lame excuse. Its an evasion of responsibility.President Noynoy AquinoPresident Noynoy AquinoMaybe what we should do is that those who misuse the pork barrel should really face more serious punishmentIf we take it out, that means we rely on the national government to know the needs of every district and to solve these all the time. Thats hard to do.There [are] already huge improvements in safeguards which have lessened the chances pork barrel can be misused, but I think there are more ways we can improve the process so there would be no opportunities to take advantage of themAt the very least, the president is consistent with his positive stance on pork barrel allocations. See what he said about them duringan interview conducted before his election.Update:Seems like the President has changed his mind. In a press conference yesterday, he announced theabolishment of PDAF:There are those who treat the PDAF as their own private fund, to use as they please. This is clearly wrong: What is involved here is the peoples money; it should be used for the benefit of the people, and not for the benefit of a few greedy individuals.The shocking revelations of this misuse the latest being the COA (Commission on Audit) Special Audit Report in the 2007-2009 PDAF which was released this past week are truly scandalous.Sorry pigs, youve lost an ally.Clare Amador, Department of Budget and Management EmployeeClare Amador, Department of Budget and Management EmployeeFor the 2009-2010 data, there is no specific amount attributed per LegislatorIn 2011, our first year to craft the budget [under the Noynoy administration], there was a decision to officially state the cap on the amount of funds Legislators can identify projects for: 40M Hard (infra), 30M Soft (social services) for the lower house [representatives] and 100m Hard and 100m soft for the upper house [senators] per member per year.Amador is implying that its just a matter of setting clear rules and delineations for pork barrel. She points people towardsbudgetngbayan.comfor more layman-language information.CODE-NGOCODE-NGOwe firmly believe that any proposal to disqualify all NGOs/CSOs from receiving PDAF or other government financial support is grossly unfair to the many legitimate CSOs doing good work in many parts of the country and merely diverts attention from the true causes of the pork barrel scam.In their own words, CODE-NGO (The Caucus of Development NGO Networks) is the largest coalition of competent, credible and committed development CSOs [Civil Service Organizations] in the Philippines that influences public policies, shapes development and creates tangible impact in its partner communities.Citizens Congress for Good Governance (C2G2) Inc.Citizens Congress for Good Governance (C2G2) Inc.The pork barrel is the bargaining chip that the executive branch of government needs to bribe and keep the lawmakers in tow. By not scrapping the pork barrel, President Noy Aquino is showing to his Bosses (the people) that political expediency is the route to take in arriving at his promised Daang Matuwid (the straight or righteous path) which in actuality is the short-cut road to condemning the people to poverty.This part ofC2G2s online petition, which asks the Philippine Congress to abolish pork barrel.Prof. Randy DavidProf. Randy DavidCan pork be good after it is cured? Not in a political system dominated by insatiable swine.The wordplay is beautiful, and summarizes the journalists stance against pork barrel.Bonus:Makibaka, wag mag baboy!The rallying cry used for organizing the upcomingAugust 26 anti-pork picnic/rallyis inspired by the classic 70s slogan Makibaka, wag matakot!, and is the sibling of thekolehiyalaversion: Lets make baka, dont be takot!

We are calling for the IMMEDIATE SUSPENSION of the PDAF! Resolution has been filed with the House.-------RESOLUTIONTO IMMEDIATELY SUSPEND THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE PRIORITY DEVELOPMENT ASSISTANCE FUND (PDAF) PENDING THE COMPLETION OF THE INVESTIGATION BY THE CONCERNED GOVERNMENT AGENCIES REGARDING THE ALLEGED ANOMALIES RELATIVE THERETO.

WHEREAS, very serious accusations were made by several whistleblowers against certain individuals and entities claiming that the Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF) of several Senators and Congressmen were illegally coursed through fictitious persons or entities, disguised as Non-Government Organizations (NGOs) for non-existing or unauthorized projects;

WHEREAS, the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) is presently conducting an investigation relative to alleged anomalous practice and use of the PDAF, which surfaced in the course of an investigation undertaken by the NBI in connection with an alleged kidnapping of a person who later was placed under the witness protection program;

WHEREAS, the alleged anomalous use of the PDAF has scandalized not only some members of both Houses but likewise the institutions they belong to; and until the matter is clarified, the continued use of the PDAF will certainly cast a cloud of suspicion that said funds will be misused by those who avail of this;

WHEREAS, obviously, there is an urgent need to initiate reforms to improve the system and provide better safeguards to ensure that these public funds are utilized more properly and with utmost transparency and accountability;

NOW THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, as it is hereby resolved that the implementation of the PDAF be suspended, so as not to further tarnish this most hallowed institution of Congress, at least until the completion of the investigation being undertaken by the Department of Justice.To:Franklin Drilon, President, Senate of the PhilippinesFeliciano Belmonte, Jr., Speaker, House of RepresentativesSuspend the Implementation of the Priority Development Assistance FundSincerely,[Your name]

Pork Barrel, Philippine Politics and the EconomyBy Adrian M. Tamayo

Pork barrel defined

Pork barrel has its origin in the American history. Prior to the civil war, the slaves in the Southern part of America were traditionally provided salted pork as a gift to enjoy on holiday. The slaves would run into frantic for the barrel . Kawanaka cited Evans that the onrush of the legislators to get a subsidy was evocative of the stampede of the slave of the pre American Civil war. Pork barrel formally defined as the appropriations of public funds for projects that do not serve the interests of any large portion of the countrys citizenry but are nevertheless vigorous promoted by a small group of legislators because they will pump outside taxpayers money and resources into the local districts these legislators represent ; an effective legislation and use of pork barrel results into the legislator being re-elected. As defined by a Civil Society group in the Philippines, PDAF Watch, pork barrel funds are those allocated to politicians such as congresspersons and senators, to be used, based on their decision, to fund programs or projects in their districts .

Keeping the pork thin or thick?

In a position paper of Nograles and Lagman to decry the scrapping of PDAF , it was brought into the fore the origin of the pork barrel and how was it used in the Philippine fiscal activity. It described the American colonial accent with the keeping of central leadership of the ruling party with the pork barrel as spoiling incentives for the legislators. Towing the line would mean an increased access to the fund without contest of use or misuse during the martial law era. This offensive taking of the government fund by the legislators resulted into a mechanism after the famous EDSA of the 8th Congress that will ensure fund will make the unequal equal by setting up parameters, equal apportionments, built-in accountability and transparency (Nograles and Lagman). However, the current system provided a system where funds are included in the general appropriations act (GAA) but as an independent item without mention of definite project. Also, the GAA includes items where each legislator is given a definite monetary value which is reflective of the projects that can be made out from the amount. Kawanaka described the system vividly in lieu of the appropriation and the legislators control of the fund as:

.legislators have been given items, namely the Priority Development Fund Assistance Program (PDAF) and the budget of the Department of Public Works and Highways. While an appropriation act is prepared in congress, no specific projects need be listed, since these lump sum allocations. A legislator is given a free-hand to identify her pet projects, programs within budget, and requests the concerned departments to implement them, after a general appropriation act has been promulgated.

The above statement signifies the space accorded to the legislator to determine the socially acceptable project in order to indicate bringing the pork to the level of the constituents as demands are effectively meet by the legislators. Such provision of the public good will be in competition with the executive branch with its implementing agency working along the line of a systematic and sustainable development.

As it was noxiously termed, pork barrel was changed into an innocuous Countrywide Development Fund in 1990 where which the intention is to fast-track development. However, it evolved itself in 2000 into an even milder which up to present holds it name, the Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF) .

The Philippine Constitution describes the separation of the powers between the Legislative and the Executive departments with the former having the power of the purse and appropriation while the latter has the power to implement or veto the Congress resolution. With the Executive department directly engaged in the operation of the government being apprised by the bureaucratic office of every agency down the-line up, the Executive holds a better vantage than the Legislative department on the priority needs of the whole nation, thus information of the important projects, programs which can significantly re-structure the economic status of the poorest of the poor. This will therefore place the Legislative department in a comparable insufficient situation for project or program implementation. But with the intention of the separation of powers, the check-and-balance mechanism will indicate the need for the later to determine the priority needs of the whole nation thus allocation of fund, the monitoring and monitoring of the same being the representative of the general public.

Such mechanism will ensure that the resource allocation is a constitutional public spending and taking out of the purse mean thickening of the pork of the legislators.

Types of Pork barrel

Kawanaka (2007) described two types of pork barrel. The first type refers to the pork-barrel that focuses on the discretion of the national leaders. This emphasizes the tow the line principle as it highlights the control of the leader over the members of the legislative. The second looks at the characteristics of the legislators. This means that the legislators stay in congress, position in the legislative branch, and expertise are factors that settle distribution of the fund.

The first type tells that the legislators who are members of the ruling party are given share of the government share in abundance as a mode of tapping the shoulder for supporting the priority programs, initiatives and development projects of the Executive department. The second type will stress the discriminating aspect of seniority, positions in the committee to distribute the fund. The Speaker of the House, the House leaders will have a greater piece of the pork.

The Pork barrel and its many influences

In Philippine politics, the manifest of legislated pork barrel includes construction of waiting shed, single school room construction/re-painting of schoolrooms , road pavement, local health spending, training centers, purchase of chairs,tables, computers, scholarships, construction of overpass, livelihood programs and many other geographic-specific projects which would benefit a constituency residents of the political districts.

Of equally interesting case is the pork barrels legislation practices of the senators who are elected nationally. In order to avail of the rent-seeking benefits, these politicians will spend on a specifically defined geographic district that can assure of high voters turn-out. Normally, these are political districts found in highly urbanized cities/provinces with dense population catering into immediate remedies done through legislative spending. Pork barrel is the misuse of the peoples money for the purpose of gaining political advantage over a location-oriented accruing of benefits using a national budget.

The pork barrel legislation will cut expected efficiency of public finance. Rossi and Inman (1998) described pork barrel as having a distributive nature of public goods citing Lowi with benefits concentrated within an identifiable constituent group using general taxation of government borrowing . This would mean, the whole society will pay for the project which full benefit accruing to a small portion of the public. Allowing the legislators to fund the local projects using a nationally legislated resource using the national governments revenue will further thin out the slices of the pie thus pressing the depressing conditions of the not politically aligned constituency even more poor.

The Rossi and Inman paper theorized that if the demands of the constituents were echoed by the elected representatives, and that, it leaves no spillover effects to non-constituents will result into inefficiency of public spending on the distributive goods, with the elected officials crying for an increased budget for the constituencys needs while the constituents share of paying in the form of tax declines. This is attributable to the non-zero elasticity of demand. This will lead into Harberger triangle which is an indication of the problematic political economy, and a consequent reduction in the benefit of the public spending.

The planned expenditure of the government will be hampered as a result of the PDAF as the governments limited resources were used to fund locally-beneficial programs, leaving national agencies deficit of budget of its carefully planned spending using the most appropriate formula to address systematic perils of the society like hunger, criminality and the chronic poverty and hunger. Also, it is hard to dissociate the impressions of corruption in the dealings of infrastructure projects which leads into usurping the DPWH with its notorious tag as the most corrupt agency, scholarship programs with DEPED officials dirty hands and many other agencies. Proven or not, the impressions of the public remained glaringly suspicious.

As earlier stated, the fund is a lump-sum allocation of the appropriations act, but with the full discretion of the legislator on the amount, is an inviting scene for corruption. Parreno(1998) described in a report for the Philippine Center for Investigative Journalism on the rates that a Congressman will be receiving as a cuts, kickbacks, commissions, rebates and discounts are robbery done on the very poor. The report mentioned that the contractors have to provide 30-50% discount or rebates to a legislator for granting the contract. This will lead into reducing by 20% the cement on a road project making it substandard the poor thus paying the high cost.

On the one hand, the PDAF is a representation of an effective leadership of a peoples representative. If the districts needs for bridges, roads, bridges are meet due to the PDAF or initiative of the Congressman. If the social benefit is higher on the benefit of congressional project such as providing scholarship to students for training or formal education belonging to a poor family but wanted to learn, the social and personal benefit will be higher than the social cost as these individuals will contribute productively in the society thus, reducing the risk of potential criminals and societys menace.

Also, the PDAF brings the government into the small units in the community who were away from the short but caring arms of the State. The PDAF supports the small important projects that will directly enjoyed by the district constituents hence, providing an opportunity for democratic and productive practices towards economic development.

In Conclusion

The Pork barrel, PDAF or CDF in any of its moniker has its Janus face indicating its sullen past and its likely future.

1. It had perennially showed that it will undermine the whole framework of the organization, fund and budget, and operation in favor to a small and geographically determined beneficiary.2. When the benefit is large and the obligation of the constituents is small, there is the tendency to demand for an increasing pork value. Pork barrel promotes inefficiency of public spending resulting to a loss in the welfare of the greater number of people, that is the marginal national benefit (benefit of carrying the national plan) against marginal local benefit (political district project).3. Looking at pork barrel as a reward for support of the ruling partys priority agenda, of the attribute of the legislator may result to corrupt the officials of its slightest padding of budget into the most horrendous misuse of public funds.4. PDAF projects effectively and efficiently addresses the needs of the political constituents as opposed to the national agenda.5. The misuse of the fund will be reduced when the mechanism of transparency and accountability will be put in place and appropriately implemented.6. Pork barrel remained an American model which cannot be transplanted into the political system of the Philippines as this will only cause the on-rush of the politicians to get a share of the pork leaving the poor Juan crumbs for his family, and the generations to come beholden to the vicious cycle of poor getting poorer and the politicians getting richer.