The Pork Barrel System Witness Atty Neri Javier

The Pork Barrel System Witness: Atty. Neri Javier Colmenares Member Philippine House of Representatives

PORK BARREL DEFINED Pork Barrel – Public funds, the disposition of which rests on the sole discretion of a public official as to the amount, project and beneficiaries What transforms a fund into pork is the entitlement to choose the projects, the amounts and their beneficiaries.

4 Types of Pork Barrel 1. Lump-Sum– funds allocated without being broken down into detailed purpose/s, leaving a great deal of discretion to the hands of the head of the agency or department, most especially the President. Total 2014– at least P 502 Billion

2. SAVINGS (DAP—P 142 Billion) 1. The withdrawal of unobligated allotments when the project is not finished/abandoned 2. Cross-border transfers 3. Non existent items-Funding of projects, activities, programs not covered by appropriations in the GAA

3. Off-Budget Funds – funds derived from other sources not specified in the Budget. Its use is under the sole discretion of the President without need of congressional approval such as Malampaya, Presidential Social Fund, etc. Malampaya fund------ P 208 Billion Presidential Social Fund -P 2. 5 B/year

PDAF – 25 Billion per year 4. PDAF – lump sum appropriations in the GAA Act to fund projects considered a “priority” by a legislator. It is also used for “patronage politics” by the President to ensure the support of members of Congress.

Presidential Pork

Why is pork barrel inherently anomalous? 1. It is a source of graft and corruption 2. Pork is patronage politics where public funds are given to allies and voters and withheld from political enemies 3. PORK distorts budgetary needs and processes

BASIC SERVICES DEPRIVED OF BUDGET LAND REFORM EDUCATION HOUSING HEALTH

YET THERE IS MONEY FOR THE FOLLOWING: D N U F SE S O D P D N R N U U U F P F A L P 1 ’S Y A I R A 0 -B E EC A MP S D P U N S PD U L E F B L A L C M AF I 10 A I H B 3 E C P SC V O 32 1 S R P AM S O ’ T T O N M E D SI 2 -B E 1 R P P P 5 -B 5. 0 -M P 2 DA PT O SE NA TO RS Mariawa-Namantao Road P 38. 2 M

What is Disbursement Acceleration Program?

Peoples Call to abolish Pork 1. Itemize lump sum amounts to take away the discretion of the pork holder to select projects and beneficiaries 2. Transfer pork barrel to social services so that they can be directly accessed by the people without need of the approval of the pork holder

Art. VI Sec. 32 Peoples Initiative “whereby the people can directly propose and enact laws or approve or reject any act or law or part thereof passed by the Congress (upon) a petition signed by at least 10% of the total number of registered voters, of which every legislative district must be represented by at least 3% of the registered voters thereof

Possible use of the novel constitutional provision on the peoples initiative to pass a national legislation