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FEATURES The Bicol Universitarian
FAIRNESS. ACCURACY. GENUINE STUDENT SERVICE.
Pork:Telenovela in thePhilippine Politics It is easy to forgive and forget when a burglar robs your house and takes all your precious things. But when a revered public official whom you’ve entrusted your vote with robs something from the “kaban ng bayan,” it is a different story. This may be an untold story for a long time, but this will always be unfolded. The Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF), or the Pork Barrel as it is widely known, is now the national trending issue. On Nov. 19, with a 14-0-1 vote, the Supreme Court declared it unconstitutional. This has been the favorite topic of the mainstream media, minding even the blood pressure of Janet Lim Napoles. This became the apple of the eyes of every concerned citizen of this country for several months. The “Napoles-centered drama” started when the lead star Janet Lim Napoles was accused of setting up 20 bogus non-government organizations (NGOs) that ate up the “pork” of some senators and representatives. It also featured how Napoles had dramatically manipulated the “kaban” turning it to her and to her family’s source of plentiful lifestyle. Everyone became aware, although three-fourths of us are still armchair momus, who incessantly believe that it was all Napoles’s fault. The horrors of Napoles’ scandal was evident: It ignited every Filipino’s zeal for truth, justice and equality. The Php10-billion Pork Barrel Scam was the sickening brainchild of the “Mother of all Pork.” The scam was first revealed on a six-part exposé of the Philippine Daily Inquirer last July 12, 2013 that revived the citizens’s interest in current events again. Short Journey to Fort The short history of Janet Napoles’s journey to Fort Sto. Domingo started back in 2001 when she allegedly participated in fraudulent contracts with the military for the supply of Kevlar helmets. She was charged with Graft and Malversation of Public Funds. Napoles was also one of the brilliant minds in the Php728-million Fertilizer Fund Scam in 2004. Reports say that the money was utilized by the former president and now Pampanga Congresswoman Gloria Macapagal Arroyo as her fund in her reelection campaign for presidency. Allegations say that Napoles’s latest manipulation to the kaban ng bayan is
the PDAF Scam. Trading Game The JLN Corporation is owned by the Napoleses. It is a trading company with the lawmakers as their playmate in the winwin trading game wherein the prize of the latter is the hefty kickback. Whistleblower Benhur Luy, who is also Napoles’s cousin, said, “The Corporation took risk of filling out necessary documents, forging signatures of government officials, fabricating identities and manufacturing receipts to make appear that the pork barrel money was actually being used for something worthwhile.” The whistleblower shocked the country even more when he revealed Napoles’s infiltration of the justice system and the Commission on Audit to make her JLN’s operations last long. Moreover, there are senators and representatives of the House involved. As the political plots in this country go, the lawmakers denied involvement. History of the ‘Pork’ The Pork Barrel originated in the United States and became popular during the 70s. Traditionally, the slaves of the Southern part of America were provided with salted pork in a barrel as a holiday gift, and then the slaves would run for it. Currently, pork barrel in the U.S., which comes from the federal treasury, is used for local improvements, primarily to make political representatives get good graces from their constituents. In Finland, it is called Siltarumpupolitiika or “culvert politics” because it concentrates on small local matters such as the construction of the culverts (waterways) and other public works in the politician’s home municipality. If the Philippines and U.S. have “pork,” Czech Republic has a “bear.” The Pocovani or “portioning the bear” is the process of diverting budget funds in favor of a project in a particular constituency. In Serbia, the loyal winning candidates get a portion of the government’s budget in a practice called Podela Kolaca or “cutting the cake.” The Germans call it “gifts.” Known as Wahlgeschenke or “election gifts,” Germany shared the curse of the trapos (traditional politicians). This refers to the campaign goodies distributed around election dates while the Kirchturmpolitik or the
“church town politics” is the concentration of Germany’s funding and reliefs to home country of a politician. In the Philippines, on 1990, pork barrel is called as Countrywide Development Fund (CDF) during Corazon Aquino’s presidency and was later changed to PDAF on 2000 during Joseph Estrada’s term. The fund was used to generate legislative support for the Executive’s programs. In a wider scope, it is known as patronage politics which is the power to grant political favors. The practice may go by some other names in different countries, but it corrupts administrations—and thus affects a great number of citizens—the same way it distresses Filipinos. The names are hard to pronounce, the coined words have different histories but they all share one evil: Corruption. Albay “Pork” Albay may be miles away from the Metro, but the scandal still reached the Brain of Bicol. In a report by Maki Pulido, it was revealed that the Php38-million MariawaAnislag Road in Legazpi City which was funded by Albay’s 2nd District Representative Al Bichara was given a multi-million funding. The allocation of the fund is supposedly for the 1.5-kilometer road opening, slope perfection, cross drainage and for 300-meter concreting. The Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) Region V gave it an “accomplished” status which residents believe is far from the present condition of the road. The Php100-million dredging project of Yawa River along the stretch of Rawis, Legazpi City is also a subject for public’s scrutiny when news reports said that it came from the pork barrel fund of Senator Francis Escudero. The dredging project is one of the region’s most controversial. The rehabilitation of the flood control system of Narcascasan River in Polangui, Albay is a recipient of Php10 million of the original Php25 million that came from the pork barrel fund of Ako Bicol (AKB) Rep. Christopher Co. The Bicol Mail reported that the bidding for the multi-million project was conducted on the day when the whole nation was raging against the pork barrel scam. The same newspaper questioned AKB’s Php630-million PDAF fund. The news report stated that the partylist failed to
produce high-impact projects in the region. According to The Bulletin Today, the Department of Justice charged 38 individuals in connection to the pork barrel scam. The article revealed that Rizalina Seachon-Lanete, Masbate governor, is prominently listed getting an amount totaling to Php108.4 million when she was still seated as Masbate’s 3rd district representative. Bad Taste of “Pork” Despite its name “priority assistance,” the PDAF is now considered as “the source of all evils” in the politics. Because of this, the nation placed the Congress in the spotlight when netizens called for the abolition of the PDAF. Similarly, when the Aquino administration doubled the pork barrel allocation for 2014, a proposal for the General Appropriations Act for 2014 was filed on Oct. 21. The proposal, filed by Senator Franklin Drilon, called for the removal of the PDAF as a lump sum allocation. It is just disappointing to know that while there are honest taxpayers, the lawmakers are also very eager in using these taxes for their self-aggrandizement. They may use the money in something worthwhile, but, their ego is still boosted because of the tarpaulins that show off their faces, as if they are the ones who financed the project. For months now, the Napolescentered telenovela became the instant favorite of Filipinos. Her cleverness in stealing our money led to her infamous stardom and consequently to Filipinos’s demise. Her unstable blood pressure became our nation’s ups and downs. She is the “Mother of all Pork” but she is not a reverie. Janet Napoles ignited the fervor of Filipinos for truth and justice, let it be the nation’s guiding light for an honest and transparent government officials; let it be the inspiration of the future generation to be the foundation of a better Philippines. The PDAF Scam is not just a story to unfold but a lesson to learn. It only takes one brave person to start the transition towards a better Philippines. This country is not in dire need of someone who knows everything, instead, it needs someone who will truly care for it and its citizens no matter what and no matter who he needs to face.
by Ariane Mae Cornejo Illustration by Joshua Caleb Pacleta