I felt like celebrating yesterday afternoon when I found out that the Supreme Court had ruled that the Disbursement Acceleration Program (DAP) was UNCONSTITUTIONAL. It’s like the knock out punch in a one-two combination, the first punch being the Supreme Court decision declaring the Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF) or pork barrel fund unconstitutional.
Well, not quite this yet…
Let’s not forget what the DAP and PDAF are really used for and let’s not mince words: President Noynoy Aquino used DAP and PDAF BRIBE lawmakers.
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In previous administrations, PDAF and other types of funds were used to thwart impeachment attempts and railroad the passage of bills as well as other legislative measures.
The pork barrel and other types of discretionary funds were the main tools in the sort of transactionalism which has come to characterize Philippine politics.
Now, without this tool, perhaps we can now hope that the Philippine congress can function without the sort of mind addling and principle warping effect that millions of pesos have.
Also, because there’s little or no ‘other people’s money’ to be had by being a congressman or senator in the form of pork barrel funds or DAP, perhaps the people running for a seat in congress or the senate will be ones who are less motivated by money.
For all we know, there may not really be anything wrong with the Philippine presidential system and the thing that was really throwing things out of whack was the way pork barrel funds were used to greatly influence the behavior of congressmen and senators.
With the chief means of legal bribery out of the way, perhaps we’ll see a legislative branch that is more focused on legislation (crafting the policies that will guide the executive branch) and oversight (making sure that the executive implements policies properly).
Then in instances where national issues have to be debated in the lower house or upper house of the Philippine congress, the executive will have no means of influencing the outcome other than to harp on party or personal loyalties.
Of course, I am not saying that this spells the end to corruption in government. I’ve been around long enough to actually see one corruption practice end and several new corrupt practices take its place. Or perhaps, what happens is that when one corrupt practice ends, people just shift to another type of corrupt practice.
Perhaps one of the money rackets that will continue in congress will be that of legislators receiving ‘generous donations’ from organizations to push for the passage of a bill, conduct a formal probe, or deliver a privilege speech — otherwise known as LOBBYING.
Thing is, this will actually be raising the bar for congressmen and senators. Where, before, the only requirement for congressmen and senators to get their loot was to be present and be able to signify their approval for one measure or another, LOBBYING will require a higher level of skill sets like being to speak coherently and being able to display a mastery over a subject matter — something that people like Bong Revilla or Lito Lapid aren’t known to do.
Writer.
Be on the lookout for blatantly overpriced projects like websites or building constructions. Those projects are also easy to hand out to cohorts, since there is no formal external audit of the awards and awardees. In the US, those govt projects are audited by random external audit firms that win projects based on requirements and lowest bids. In the PH, I learned (because I wanted to bid on a website project) – that even if you fully qualify for all requirements AND have the lowest bid, they can still pick and choose who to give the job to. Probably why govt websites in the PHL are so shitty.
Agree ako na dapat ay external accountants ang gumagawa ng auditing.
Kahit sa simpleng notebook at ballpen, laging may kamag anak incorporated sa government transactions. At malabong ma-eliminate yan dahil sa gobyerno natin, ang mabait ang napapatalsik at napapasama. Ang dapat gawin ng taxpayers ay kulitin ang mga lawmakers na gumawa ng mas mahigpit na batas kahit sa maliit na violation. Exaggerated man ang dating pero sa ganitong paraan umunlad ang Singapore.
I’ve just heard recently in the news (though I can’t confirm who said it because I just want to here the bits and have to go to work) that some asshole is proposing that Congress should not be given the power to allocate govt. budgets because it just “makes matter worst” and that the administrative department should be free to do whatever they want with their funds.
And all of a sudden I thought: Noynoy and his yellow minions are already moving
Let’s push the FOI bill as soon as possible, transparency is the only solution to this mishandling of funds.
Kaya naman pala nagagawang kurakutin ng mga mambabatas natin ang PDAF at DAP kasi alam nila before hand na ginagamit lang din sa maling paraan ng president itong mga funds na ito, kayo man ang malagay sa position nila. Kaya pala hindi makausad-usad ang bansa natin dahil diyan sa maling pag gamit mga fund na iyan. Talagang may dipirensya ang 1987 Cory Constitution natin at kailangang maamiyendahan na kaagad iyan.
Alam na nila yan simula pa lang aprubahan ni Ngoyngoy yan. Naforecast na nila ang kikitain nila dyan. Dapat gayahin natin ang Singapore na mahigpit ang penalty sa mga ganyang anomalies. Kahit ang cory constitution na yan ay stupid. Lahat ng inapprove ni cory ay advantage sa mga company na tumulong sa kanya noon. Kung corrupt si gloria, barya lang yun kumpara sa na-amass ng aquino at cojuangco after marcos era.
Si Napoles ang dapat makulong!
Excuse me Kim. You really believe that a barely educated woman who never officially worked for the government is SOLELY responsible for the disappearance of billions??? Damn, I going to lease you some office space inside the President’s brain.
Dagdagan pa ang imbestigasyon sa kasong pdaf scam para mahuli ang mastermind nito.
Sawa na ako sa balitang ito, iba naman !
Eh di wag mong basahin yung article. Blog site ito, hindi e-newspaper. Gamit din ng utak pag may oras.
Hindi na makakalabas ng kulungan si Janet Napoles, unless tulungan ng Palasyo…
Where did Lito Lapid’s wife got the money in U.S. dollars, that she tried to smuggle it in the U.S.? Why is it, we have political dynasties? Why is it that winning a political seat in Congress and Senate is a life-and-death situation for most candidates?
The Pork Barrel is used by Aquino as a carrot-and-stick; to prod Senators and Congressmen to do his will. Pork Barrel is also used as a endless source of private funds of politicians…It already corrupted the political system of our country to the core.
There is nothing to celebrate. People must work together, to remove this EVIL in our political sytem…and the time is Now!
Well, you can celebrate, even just a little bit. I do take every victory in stride, but still allow myself to savor its sweetness.
What the crocs are now realizing is that, netizens do make a difference, and their opinions are heard. In the internet, everyone’s idea can be clapped on or debated, but at least democracy is alive and well. With their controlled mainstream media, people remain ignorant of the truth. In the internet, their lies are picked on and exposed in layman’s terms that everyone can understand.
So go ahead and have a small victory drink. We could all use it.
What will their lives be like after the removal of DAP and PDAF? I am guessing they will just have it another way, if the people will not be vigilant. Actually they are at it now with their creation of BUB. I am guessing more pockets to be lined with taxpayer’s money just to get their hands in the cookie jar. Pnoy had it figured out, he has lap dogs in key positions. And the declaration of DAP as unconstitutional will once again be proclaimed by him and his minions, together with his family media as his great triumph and achievement towards his mantra of “daang matuwid”. And all the idiot pinoys will sing their hallelujahs to this idiot of a “god”.
“A dog cannot be taught new tricks when you already gave him a crown.”
–Tyrion Lannister