On PDAF

I'll just give a brief two cents on the Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF) aka the Pork Barrel. No doubt much news has escalated over the internet with regards to the perceived corruption undertaken through this system. Many have asked about the next step that should be undertaken with regards to PDAF? Should it be abolished? Should it be reformed? If abolished, what about the ongoing projects that are being funded by pork? If it shall be reformed, how so? Will it be prone to corruption in another form?

Here's my take on the whole issue. First of all, what many people fail to realize is that we are under a presidential system. In most presidential republics, there is a concept of "separation of powers" in government. The three branches, the executive, the legislative and the judiciary, each perform respective responsibilities to ensure that efficient and transparent administration of the state. The executive is in charge of running the daily activities of the state, such as project implementation, foreign policy, heading the armed forces of the country, and other responsibilities in charge with direct administration. The legislative, in term, is in charge of passing bills, as well repealing and amending laws, which are then implemented by the executive in the daily governance of the state. Lastly, the judiciary is in charge of interpreting and applying the laws passed by legislation, particularly in criminal and civil cases. The different branches are independent in our presidential system, which prevents one branch from having too much power. The different branches serves as "checks and balances" for each other, allowing for safety mechanisms if one branch starts to "abuse" their powers or office, such as in the case of the Senate being in charge of Corona's impeachment. Personally, I disagree with this system of government, as I'm more for a parliamentary system akin to the Westminster system, as it keeps the government directly accountable to the people (through the dependence of the executive on the legislative, which is voted per constituency). This isn't the venue to talk about it, though I might talk about it in more detail at another time.

The Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF) is an appropriation given to members of the legislative branch for implementing projects. Anyone who has a basic understanding of how the government is meant to work realizes innately why PDAF shouldn't exist. The legislation is not in charge of implementing projects! We do not elect congressmen or senators to produce waiting sheds or to fund scholarships. We elect them to write laws, to represent the constituencies and produce laws that will benefit the constituencies. If one seeks to maintain the integrity of "separation of powers" then one must abolish PDAF, as this gives the executive a major sway of influence over the law making body, which may supersede the democratic processs that got those congressmen elected in the first place.

I don't give a fuck about the lost scholarships or the miscontinued projects that PDAF abolition would lead to. These should go through proper avenues, and congress isn't it. Why not allocate more funds to education? We're 3% away from the recommended 6% budget allocation given by UN? Why not allocate more funds to DILG or DPWH or DOTC? Pork is just a way of kissing up to a congressman's constituency to ensure reelection, since passing laws isn't visible enough for the general populace to see and appreciate. If they wanted to do projects, they should have run for mayor or governor instead. Alas, these positions don't have deep pockets of pork, pockets that serve to be very lucrative given the right politicking. Grr.

*sigh* When will our politics grow up?

Disclaimer: I am not a political science major, so I apologize for any errors I might have written. These are just merely opinions on my part, opinions driven partially by my own frustration with the system of government we have right now as well as my anger in knowing that the hard earned taxes that I pay for every month go to idiots who still have the time to be on television, while doing mediocre jobs as senators and keeping public money for their private coffers.