By Renato Reyes Jr. | President, Bagong Alyansang Makabayan (BAYAN)
On October 13, the House of Representatives passed on third reading the General Appropriations Bill laden with presidential and congressional pork. The Senate will have its turn to pass its version of the budget in November, after which a bicameral conference will be called to reconcile the two versions before they are ratified by both houses and sent to the president for his signature.
The national budget is an important battleground in the campaign against corruption. The House version upholds the pork barrel system, despite the widespread public outrage against ghost infrastructure projects. There is no real reform in the budget as seen from the retention of the P243 billion in unprogrammed appropriations and in the various local projects endorsed or nominated by lawmakers.
Congressional pork – When House leaders complained that the DPWH budget under the National Expenditure Program contained double entries and questionable provisions, the DPWH budget was returned to the Executive then resubmitted later for the consideration of Congress. While the appropriations for flood control projects were removed, resulting in the reduction of the DPWH budget by P250 billion, the resubmitted DPWH budget contained various pet projects of lawmakers from multipurpose buildings, roads and bridges. These can be found in the budget for District Engineering Offices of the DPWH, amounting to some P174 billion. Farm to market roads under the DA budget meanwhile, amounted to P32.6 billion. Budget for new classrooms in these districts was allotted an additional P35 billion. Health facilities enhancement, which are also the subject of a new investigation for ghost projects, received a budget of P20.2 billion. Makabayan estimates that the total pork for legislators in the form of local projects would amount to almost P276 billion. This is on top of other pork funds for medical assistance, scholarships and ayuda for the lawmakers’ constituents. We estimate the total amount of congressional allocations to reach P414.7 billion.
Looking back, that whole drama of “returning” the DPWH budget to DBM was a ploy to allow the massive realignment of flood control projects to other items in the DPWH menu so that lawmakers can still make use of their “allocations”, and without having to resort to bicameral insertions, which would be politically costly for them.
For the DPWH local projects amounting to P174 billion, this translates to some P230 million per congressman and P3 billion for each senator, while the remainder will likely be allocated to those in top leadership positions. There is no equal division of pork, as some are luckier than others.
Why is this issue important? If we go back to the testimonies of the DPWH officials like Bernardo, Hernandez and Alcantara, the entire system works based on kickbacks for the legislator proponents. If a project is under the name of or was proposed by a lawmaker, the SOP is that the lawmaker gets 20% of the project cost. So imagine what 20% of P230 million or 20% of P3 billion amounts to? That is why the pork barrel system must be abolished, as the system of entitlements in nominating local projects often leads to congressional intervention and corruption.
Unprogrammed Appropriations and Presidential pork
Unlike in previous years, the Unprogrammed Appropriations were subjected to widespread public scrutiny after this was used to fund anomalous flood control projects. Despite objections by various sectors, the House retained some P243 billion in unprogrammed appropriations appearing as lump sum items intended for certain agencies. The listed lump sum funding can only be released upon approval by the DBM, which gets its authority from the President. There is nothing in the law that would prevent the President and DBM from moving funding from one item to another. This can easily be done, and we will end up with the same modus as previous UA’s that were used to fund local infrastructure projects. Just look at the first lump sum in the UA called “Strengthening Assistance to Social Programs” worth P45 billion. Ano ito? No breakdown and itemization, just a whopping P45 billion under the discretion of the President.
It is not true that the government needs to have such a huge standby fund since the Executive can always submit a supplemental budget, which can be scrutinized by the public, should there be a need for additional funding. Let it be known that it is Marcos himself who refuses to give up the UA despite previous cases of corruption. Is it because Malacanang also gets a share for every release from the UA? Wasn’t the Bernardo testimony leading to this crucial detail?
Makabayan representatives led a lonely fight over the last 3 years when they stood up and voted NO against the proposed budget. Now, 12 representatives voted NO to the proposed budget. It is good that the number has grown, but it is also important to challenge all lawmakers to lead in the fight against corruption by giving up their pork allocations, starting with the corruption-prone local infrastructure projects. There is no escaping the pattern of corruption and kickbacks under the current system. The DPWH itself admitted that bids are rigged and payoffs are the norm. It will be no different for the projects contained in the 2026 budget. Makabayan lawmakers have given up their infrastructure allocations since 2013. Advocates against corruption in Congress are challenged to do the same.
The budget fight shifts to the Senate as its leadership has indicated its intent to abolish the unprogrammed appropriations. This will put the Senate in direct contradiction with the House and Malacanang. The public should support calls to abolish the UA and to hold Marcos accountable for previous UA disbursements that led to massive corruption.
What we are seeing today is Malacanang and Congress being resistant to the outrage in the streets, of the president and lawmakers wanting to preserve a system of patronage and corruption. Thousands have protested nationwide against ghost flood control projects and substandard infrastructure, but the system that led to these corrupt practices has remained. Walang kadala-dala ang Palasyo at Kongreso. This proves, without a doubt, that the entire anti-corruption rhetoric of the President is a sham. When you do not abolish the very system that is the basis of infra kickbacks, and when you reward lawmakers with more of the same pork, the anti-corruption drive will not result in any meaningful changes, and at most, will only go after a few bad eggs. Meanwhile, tuloy ang ligaya ng mga mambabatas at contractors. “Moderate your greed lang” ika nga noon.
This reminds us why the fight against corruption must necessarily lead to a fundamental change in the system.
For these reasons – no prosecutions, no accountability, and a budget that continues the system of corruption – protests must continue this October. Support the youth-led protests on October 17. Support the farmers who are victims of flooding, corruption, and low palay prices who will march on October 21. No let up. No giving up until the needed change is achieved.
