While P25.2-billion worth of Priority Development Assistance Fund or PDAF was “removed” from the allocation, the ratified P2.68-trillion national budget still included the President’s own lump-sum appropriations, estimated at P964 billion.
“Despite thousands of Filipinos protesting against the pork barrel system, Aquino still doesn’t get it and insists on retaining his share of pork,” Isabelle Baguisi, a spokeswoman for the League of Filipino Students, said in a statement sent to the regional newspaper Mindanao Examiner.
Baguisi also warned about the realignment of the PDAF to other government agencies.
“With the implication of lawmakers and agencies like the Department of Agriculture as conduits for siphoning pork barrel funds, it is no longer enough to leave the decision to officials like these who are already deeply embedded in this corrupt system. The people must reclaim their collective right as the real sovereign in this country,” she said.
Power to the people
As a member of the Youth Act Now network, the LFS endorses former Chief Justice Reynato Puno’s call for the People’s Initiative to ensure that public funds are used for the welfare of the country.
“With Aquino’s refusal to let go of the pork barrel system and Malacañang constantly belittling the people’s efforts to eradicate corruption, it is clear that we can no longer rely on the very same government to purge itself from its own evildoers,” Baguisi said.
She said the LFS is calling out every Filipino to unite under the People’s initiative and together express their outrage over the rotten ruling system that breeds corruption, and to launch more massive campaigns and mobilizations against the misuse of public funds.
“When the government intentionally ignores and defies its people, we the people must rise up and wield our collective power over the government. It doesn’t matter if Aquino fails to comprehend our calls or again turns a blind eye to our demands: with millions of Filipinos at the doorstep of Malacañang, this system of corruption will end whether he likes it or not,” Baguisi said.
People’s Initiative vs pork barrel
Youth groups under the Youth Act Now network which is supporting the Peoples’ Initiative against pork barrel fund said it can mobilize tens of thousands of young people in expression of outrage against systemic corruption and misgovernance.
The Youth Act Now network, which includes the National Union of Students of the Philippines, College Editors Guild of the Philippines, Anakbayan, Student Christian Movement and hundreds of other organizations in the country, led the youth contingent in various demonstrations during the past months against pork barrel and corruption.
“The plan to hold a Peoples’ Initiative vs pork is a welcome development. It can be a vehicle for millions of young people to express their collective disappointment and outrage vs the corrupt and pro-pork Aquino government,” Vencer Crisostomo, Anakbayan national chairperson and convenor of Youth Act Now, said in a separate statement to the Mindanao Examiner.
Crisostomo said they will start holding youth and peoples’ assemblies in support of “People Power vs Pork” to gather signatures and pledges in the fight against pork barrel.
“It is clear now that Aquino and his administration won’t abolish pork and will not bring change. Instead, he has increased the presidential pork allocations in the 2014 budget. The congressional allocations will continue. They have refused to heed the peoples’ call for system change. We can only rely on collective action and people power to make sure the rotten, corrupt system is ended. The times call for a peoples’ uprising,” he said.
Youth Act Now also commended former Puno for “heeding the challenge of the times and for lending his wisdom, experience and reputation to the broad movement against pork barrel funds.”
“It is our hope that many other upstanding individuals and honest Filipinos come out and join the fight against pork and against the rotten system,” Crisostomo said.
Accountability on use of public money
Presidential Communications Operations Office Secretary Herminio Coloma Jr. said Aquino removed PDAF in the national budget, stressing the prudent use of public funds following the scandal involving some P10-billion pork barrel fund channelled by some lawmakers to fake nongovernmental organizations of Janet Napoles.
Coloma said the overall focus of the administration is accountability on the use of public funds particularly with regards to the issue of pork barrel scam.
“Wala po kaming particular na focus sa mga specific events na ganyan dahil napakarami ng inaasikaso ngayon lalung-lalo na iyong proseso ng pagto-to hold accountable iyong pong mga pinaghihinalaang lumustay ng pondo ng bayan,” he said.
The Senate also issued a subpoena Napoles to testify before the chamber’s blue ribbon committee on November 7.
Coloma said the Palace has no special pre-occupation on any person or event and it’s up to the lawmakers to deal with Napoles in the Senate inquiry.
Whatever the course of the investigation, he said the Palace will pursue the accountability process from the Ombudsman to the Sandiganbayan on those involved in the scam.
Asked to comment on the Pulse Asia Survey showing 8 out of 10 respondents believe that 50 percent of the PDAF has been stolen, Coloma said the Palace shares the public’s view on the need to put a stop to the abuse of pork barrel fund use.
“Nagkaisa kami na ang mga mamamayan na nagnanais na matigil ang anumang anyo ng paglulustay ng pondo ng bayan. Kailangan po talagang pagkaisahan natin ‘yan sapagkat mahalaga ang bawat piso sa pondo ng bayan sa pagpapasigla ng ating ekonomiya at sa pagpapaunlad ng ating bayan,” he said. (Mindanao Examiner)
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