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Aside from the much-criticized fat bonuses at a time when the funds’ sustainability was supposedly in danger, thus requiring a hike in members' contributions, it turned out that the SSS executives have each been receiving $1,859 per month just for attending two board meetings, and its CEO flies abroad every two months, first-class.
The Philippines has reached its own version of an impasse. On one side are the Filipino people demanding for the abolition of pork barrel and discretionary funds, including that of President Aquino’s, and on the other side is the Aquino administration, which has been adamantly defending the pork barrel fund. . .
The KMU cited the Commission on Audit’s 2012 report which states that “Slow processing and payment of death, disability and retirement claims did not meet the commitment of SSS of providing prompt, convenient and meaningful social protection service to the members and their beneficiaries.”
“US troops have a history of environmental crimes in the Philippines that have remained unaddressed with impunity.” – Dr. Giovanni Tapang, Agham
Same, same bad pork: ‘Chop-chop’ contracts, duplicate projects, etc.
The first activity of the newly-formed alliance of church people against the pork barrel is the simultaneous ringing of bells in churches on October 11 at 1 p.m.
“The Philippine Children’s Medical Center is a government hospital. The land it has been occupying is government land and the government is now asking us to pay for the land. Is that just?”
"Businesses donate to candidates not because they believe in him or her but because they see it as an investment for their business. It is part of the patronage politics." – lawyer Rona Ann Caritos of the Legal Network for Truthful Elections
“What is happening in our country today is that the feelings of the people are already kindled. Once the wind of truth blows, it will ignite the fire.” – Jun Lozada, NBN-ZTE scam whistleblower
“We are disgusted that the government is quick to take away our hard-earned income and is just as quick in funnelling our income to support the lavish lifestyles of politicians.”
A 17-year-old told Human Rights Watch that Philippine soldiers beat him up to force him to admit he was a rebel fighter. He said he eventually lied and said he was with the MNLF so that the beatings would stop.
Former National Treasurer Leonor Magtolis-Briones estimated that President Aquino’s pork barrel fund amounts to P1.3 trillion ($30 billion), almost half of the proposed national budget of P2.6 trillion ($60 billion).
“Apart from being used as a tool to control Congress, the DAP may prove to even be illegal and unconstitutional.”– Kabataan Party Rep. Terry Ridon
“It is the government’s responsibility to serve the people. We, as citizens, have the right and capacity to search for the truth regarding how our government is being run and how our taxes are being used. “ – Archbishop of Nueva Segovia Ernesto Salgado
“The fact that as early as 2007, the transactions of the bogus NGOs have already started should have been enough reason not to continue with their accreditation. But, the DA did not lift a finger to delist and file criminal cases against the said NGOs. As such, it could be reasonably concluded that the respondents-officials of the DA have conspired and benefited from the scam.”
It has been a long way since from the culture of the Katipunan to the present pork barrel system in the Philippines, a legacy of colonial US to the country to make its political protégées follow its bidding.
Read also Second Part: Participative democracy: substitute to the pork barrel system
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