The Pork Barrel System

The Pork Barrel System

as the collective body of rules and practices that govern the manner by which lump-sum, discretionary funds, primarily intended for local projects, are utilized through the respective participations of the Legislative and Executive branches of government, including its members.

As mentioned in Abakada,222 congressional oversight may be performed either through: (a) scrutiny based primarily on Congress power of appropriation and the budget hearings conducted in connection with it, its power to ask heads of departments to appear before and be heard by either of its Houses on any matter pertaining to their departments and its power of confirmation;223 or (b) investigation and monitoring of the implementation of laws pursuant to the power of Congress to conduct inquiries in aid of legislation.224

6 There are two (2) fundamental tests to ensure that the legislative guidelines for delegated rule- making are indeed adequate. The first test is called the completeness test. Case law states that a law is complete when it sets forth therein the policy to be executed, carried out, or implemented by the delegate. On the other hand, the second test is called the sufficient standard test. that a law lays down a sufficient standard when it provides adequate guidelines or limitations in the law to map out the boundaries of the delegates authority and prevent the delegation from running riot.247 To be sufficient, the standard must specify the limits of the delegates authority, announce the legislative policy, and identify the conditions under which it is to be implemented.248