2. The Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF), known throughout the nation as the "pork
barrel," encourages graft by providing money for unsupervised discretionary spending. The PDAF
pork barrel is only the tip of the iceberg, however, because these special development funds
3. represent only about 1% of the national budget, and the budget process allows even greater
misappropriation.
The "Pork Barrel"
4. This year each of the 214 congressmen is allocated 60 million pesos (roughly USD1.5 million) for
spending at his discretion, and each of the 24 senators receives twice that amount.[1] With no real
oversight or accountability, this institution is rife with corruption. Some of the funds intended for
priority development projects in the congressmen's districts, such as health care, clean water, and
poverty alleviation, are typically spent on trivial projects which contribute nothing to the social and
economic development of the country. Common examples are cement outdoor basketball courts and
"waiting sheds," small awnings or covered benches beside roads, where those waiting for a bus can
get out of the rain.[2] Large signs laud the congressman for spending government funds on the
project (instead of just pocketing them?).[3] Such projects are often accomplished just before
elections, so signs touting the congressmen provide free campaign advertising for those seeking re-
election.
If congressmen do initiate substantial development projects with their PDAF monies, awarding of
contracts is widely abused. Pork barrel projects are often grossly overpriced, in some cases reaching
5. "...more than 200 percent of the market prices and government-set costs," according to The
Philippine Center for Investigative Journalism[4], and contractors pay a lot of kickbacks. Many
citizen watchdogs, journalists, and even some legislators decry the pork barrel system decorative
rain barrels and call for its abolishment. "I have to be very candid with you, that most of the P70
million a year of pork barrel or priority development assistance fund (PDAF) is not properly used,"
Congressman Herminio Teves said at a press conference last April.[5]
The Budget Process
During the budget process, instead of Congress approving, or judiciously trimming, the budget
submitted by the executive branch, congressmen insert more "pork" into departmental budgets with
stipulations that they will identify the projects, choose the contractor and suppliers, etc. Kickbacks
may be as much as half the price of contracts awarded, and contractors, in order to squeeze any
profit from their half of the project funds, are forced to use substandard materials and labor,
cheating the government and hindering national development.
As one example of this budget process, former Senate decorative barrels President Franklin Drilon
revealed last month that the House more than doubled its pork barrel allocation by inserting another
13.5 billion pesos in the budget of the Department of Public Works and Highways. He called for
lawmakers to remove this pork, but Congressman Edcel Lagman, chairman of the House Committee
on Appropriations, rejected Drilon's appeal, bragging that "The primacy of the appropriation of
public funds is a legislative prerogative, repeatedly sustained by the Supreme Court."[6]
A recent editorial laments, "Every year, when they [congressmen] deliberate on the national budget,
the first thing they do is increase their pork barrel, the fund from which they 'steal' the tax money
intended for projects and services for the people."[7]
Conclusion
Corruption is institutionalized by the Priority Development Assistance Fund allocations to
lawmakers, and on an even larger scale, by the normal budget process which allows legislators to
pad the departmental budgets and then manipulate contracts to funnel funds into their pockets.
Critics claim legislators grow rich under this system, and personal profit, not service to country,
motivates many individuals to run for Congress. Such institutionalized corruption is bleeding the
Philippines of funds desperately needed for national development.
References
1. "Junk the pork," Philippine Daily Inquirer, January 14, 2008
2. "Whistleblower's own sins," Belinda Olivares-Cunanan, Philippine Daily Inquirer, February 12,
2008
3. "Signs of patronage politics," Philippine Daily Inquirer, February 12, 2008
4. "Junk the pork," op. cit., citing The Philippine Center for Investigative Journalism book, "Pork and
Other Perks"
5. "Solons urged to report how they spend pork barrel funds," Romy G. Amarado, Philippine Daily
Inquirer, April 25, 2007
6. 6. "P13.5-B pork barrel to stay--Lagman," T.J. Burgonio, Philippine Daily Inquirer, January 13, 2008
7. "Abolish the pork barrel and save tax money," Neal Cruz, Philippine Daily Inquirer, January 14,
2008
http://suite101.com/institutionalized-corruption-a44565
