Bagong Alyansang Makabayan and allied groups held a protest in front of the House of Representatives to condemn the proposed 2025 General Appropriations Act of the Marcos Jr government which features massive allocations for pork barrel programs and other items that can be used by politicians ahead of the midterm elections.
Specifically, Bayan highlighted the presidential pork barrel amounting to two trillion pesos. This includes the confidential and intelligence funds (P10 billion), unprogrammed funds (P156 billion), and special purpose funds (P1.89 trillion). These are all lump sum items which means their distribution is based on the discretion of the president. These funds can be used by Marcos Jr for political patronage to consolidate power and dominate the 2025 elections.
It is unconscionable that politicians are colluding to reward themselves with pork barrel funds at a time when there is rising hunger, poverty, and joblessness in the country. The proposed budget reflects not just the distorted priorities of the government but also the systemic appropriation of public funds for shameless aggrandizement of those in power.
Congress should realign the presidential pork barrel to ensure cheaper price of food, particularly rice, and accessible social services. The budget should also include adequate funding to compensate victims of flooding, EL Nino, and other disasters.
The government should also defund and abolish agencies that are suppressing dissent like the NTF-ELCAC. It also acts as the biggest stumbling block to peace talks resumption; and its pretense to “addressing the roots of armed conflict at the local level” translates to fake, coerced surrenders and corruption-ridden barangay development program.
Bayan also warned that the plan to use PhilHealth funds for unprogrammed funds can lead to abuse since legislators and the executive can insert questionable and even anomalous projects in the budget.
Budget spending lacks transparency especially under the government of Marcos Jr which increased allocation for debt servicing and defense. Aside from Marcos Jr, the office of the vice president should also be held accountable for its questionable use of CIF in 2022. Even if the CIF of Sara Duterte has been withdrawn, her office should not be given funds for programs that are not part of her mandate or projects that are intended for her personal benefit.
