...Pork Barrel Scam Submitted by: Paula Danielle Loberiza Submitted to: Mr. Emmanuel Bolaños Pork Barrel Scam Pork barrel is the appropriation of government spending for localized projects secured solely or the term pork barrel politics usually refers to spending, which is intended to benefit constituents of a politician in return for their political support, either in the form of campaign contributions or votes. In the popular 1863 story "The Children of the Public", Edward Everett Hale used the term pork barrel as a homely metaphor for any form of public spending to the citizenry. After the American Civil War, however, the term came to be used in a derogatory sense. The Oxford English Dictionary dates the modern sense of the term from 1873.primarily to bring money to a representative's district. Pork Barrel is never a new concept. In fact, the Philippines may just have patterned the concept and idea from the world’s practices .Pork barrel and Janet Lim- Napoles are two inseparable terms now in the Philippines. The government’s chief auditor reported that a dozen senators and scores of congressmen had directed billions in pork-barrel money into fishy NGOs over three years. The money (given to members of Congress to spend in their constituencies on projects of their own choosing) was disbursed during Mrs. Arroyo’s term. But Mr. Aquino’s first reaction was to defend the pork-barrel scheme. That is because he is at the apex of the Philippines’...
Words: 1068 - Pages: 5
...A RESEARCH PAPER PORK BARREL: TO BE ABOLISHED OR NOT OUTLINE Thesis : The recent scandal of government officials allegedly channelling their pork barrel funds to fake non-governmental organizations with nothing but ghost projects to show for has yet again raised the issue of abolishing the pork barrel. I. Introduction to Pork Barrel A. Definition of Terms B. PDAF in the Philippines C. Importance of PDAF II. PDAF scam A. People involved B. Reactions and Protests III. Abolishment of Pork Barrel A. Benefits B. Consequences C. Alternatives D. Opinions about the issue E. What the government will do after abolishing the Pork Barrel IV. Conclusion V. Recommendation I. Introduction to Pork Barrel A cure, a treat, an alliance, a devastation or just a play. What do we really know about that so called Pork Barrel? A. Definition of Terms The Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF) is a discretionary fund in the Philippines available to members of Congress. Originally established as the Countrywide Development Fund (CDF) in 1990, it is designed to allow legislators to fund small-scale infrastructure or community projects which fell outside the scope of the national infrastructure program, which was often restricted to large infrastructure items (Nograles and Lagman ). The PDAF is commonly called the "pork barrel", and has been the subject of much public criticism following exposés on abuses perpetuated by members of Congress on use of the fund...
Words: 4110 - Pages: 17
...REACTIONS PAPERS ABOUT INTRAMURAL 2013 Early morning in the day of Wednesday September 18 in the morning we are preparing for the parade of every department and the parade start exactly 8:00 am we are already proceed to the formation of lining of our department we are walking slowly even if the sun is shining and we are irritated because of the intense sunlight. After the parade we proceed to the field of oval and we shout loud ICT every department make a Yale about their department if what can you say about your courses. After that the program will start some of teacher give a short message about intramural, the important of intramural and why we have an intrams in our life. After that is performing the peeps squad, the ICT department only the one who perform. They perform it successfully and beautifully because they make an effort on doing this and have a nice wearing customs. Finally the peeps squad is done, we will be the next to perform our preparing presentation the flash mob of all the block of BSIT fourth year. I feel so nervous slight because I was thinking what if I forgot the steps and what if we are not performing it well and not doing it on timing to the music. But no I’m wrong because we perform it well and some of the faculty teacher is satisfied to our presentation and congratulate Mrs. Chua Razo by having this presentation. Finally we are done we proceed to the games some of my classmates joining the games football but I am not joining because im not...
Words: 398 - Pages: 2
...The Effect of the Proposed Abolition of the Pork Barrel “MAKIBAKA WAG MAGBABOY!”, a popular scream of the Filipino people rallying in accordance with the proposed abolition of the pork barrel. Many things have been said about abolishing the pork barrel system but something seems omitted. Has anyone suggested another option? An alternative perhaps? The reason why I chose this topic is because it somehow affects all of us. I want to know the reason why some people take PDAF for granted not only the politicians but also those who are pretending to organize projects, etc but instead they use it for their personal gains. Is pork barrel the real root of corruption? These questions are just some of the many subjects that are inclined with the topic. With all the commotion and protest over the pork barrel scam, there are still a number of Filipinos who have no idea what it is. This term paper aims to give information about the Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF) or the pork barrel and some issues and controversies connected with it; thus enlightening the effect of the proposed abolition of the pork barrel. Generally, pork barrel refers to the appropriation of government spending for localized projects secured solely or primarily to bring money to a representative's district. The usage originated in American English. In election campaigns, the term is used in derogatory fashion to attack opponents. Scholars, however, use it as a technical term regarding legislative control...
Words: 3029 - Pages: 13
...What is meant by ‘pork-barrel politics’, and what is its significance in Congress? Pork Barrel politics is a common practice in us congress where congressmen attach funding to a project that specifically benefits their constituencies or special interest groups. By attaching pork, or earmarks, to bill, politicians have an active track record of how they have benefited their constituents or the interest groups that they are supported by. This money is therefore traded for voter support and also campaign donations. Senator Thad Cochran was labeled ‘King of Pork’ in 2012. The practice has been criticized, most notably by those on the right, for encouraging wasteful spending. As earmarks circumvent the traditional method of receiving appropriations for bills, there has been a spiral of politicians attaching unnecessary earmarks to their project that do not benefit a wide range of people. Pork barrel spending peaked in 2006 with about 14,000 projects receiving 30 billion. Fiscally conservative Republican’s, who are concerned with lowering federal spending and lowering debt, insult the practice. This has lead to speaker John Boehner introducing a ban on earmarks, so to improve the trust between the public and legislators. This ban however has proved somewhat ineffective, many legislators finding ways in which they can bypass the restrictions. By subtly hinting to agencies where money should be spent when writing up a project, there has been a growth in so call ‘zombie earmarks’...
Words: 393 - Pages: 2
...Pork barrel politics refers to the mechanism by which Congressmen can add amendments to a Bill that directly benefits their state or district. For example, in 2008 the Gravina Island Bridge in Alaska was pushed for by Republican Senator Ted Stevens. The project cost $398 million yet only benefited around 50 people living on the island. The objective of doing such a thing would be to improve re-election prospects and show to their constituents that they can deliver things such as economic or employment opportunities in their state or district. This can be seen to be significant to Congress as it enhances incumbent advantage. Incumbent advantage is the advantage existing candidates have in elections against challengers and means that it is difficult for anyone to contest an existing congressman. Pork barrel politics will make this worse as it will increase the incumbent’s record of getting things done for their constituents such as Ben Nelson who was able to get “pork” into the Obamacare bill for his state and was re-elected in 2012. This may not be such a bad thing in of itself but it has a direct effect on Congress as it means that the same people will be elected over and over again and this can hinder change and could prevent other, potentially better, candidates from winning the seat. However, it can be argued that despite this, each incumbent still has to stand in elections and it is still the electorate’s decision whether or not to re-elect them. Another reason pork barrel...
Words: 412 - Pages: 2
...Policy Making and Policy Implementation Public policy refers to the actions taken by government — its decisions that are intended to solve problems and improve the quality of life for its citizens. At the federal level, public policies are enacted to regulate industry and business, to protect citizens at home and abroad, to aid state and city governments and people such as the poor through funding programs, and to encourage social goals. A policy established and carried out by the government goes through several stages from inception to conclusion. These are agenda building, formulation, adoption, implementation, evaluation, and termination. 1. Agenda building Before a policy can be created, a problem must exist that is called to the attention of the government. Illegal immigration, for example, has been going on for many years, but it was not until the 1990s that enough people considered it such a serious problem that it required increased government action. Another example is crime. American society tolerates a certain level of crime; however, when crime rises dramatically or is perceived to be rising dramatically, it becomes an issue for policymakers to address. Specific events can place a problem on the agenda. The flooding of a town near a river raises the question of whether homes should be allowed to be built in a floodplain. New legislation on combating terrorism (the USA Patriot Act, for example) was a response to the attacks...
Words: 2424 - Pages: 10
...The Priority Development Assistance Fund scam, also called the PDAF scam or the pork barrel scam, is a political scandal involving the alleged misuse by several members of the Congress of the Philippines of their Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF, popularly called "pork barrel"), a lump-sum discretionary fund granted to each member of Congress for spending on priority development projects of the Philippine government, mostly on the local level. The scam was first exposed in the Philippine Daily Inquirer on July 12, 2013,[1] with the six-part exposé of the Inquirer on the scam pointing to businesswoman Janet Lim-Napoles as the scam's mastermind after Benhur K. Luy, her second cousin and former personal assistant, was rescued by agents of the National Bureau of Investigation on March 22, 2013, four months after he was detained by Napoles at her unit at the Pacific Plaza Towers in Fort Bonifacio.[2] Initially centering on Napoles' involvement in the 2004 Fertilizer Fund scam, the government investigation on Luy's testimony has since expanded to cover Napoles' involvement in a wider scam involving the misuse of PDAF funds from 2003 to 2013. It is estimated that the Philippine government was defrauded of some ₱10 billion in the course of the scam,[1] having been diverted to Napoles, participating members of Congress and other government officials. Aside from the PDAF and the fertilizer fund maintained by the Department of Agriculture, around ₱900 million in royalties earned...
Words: 290 - Pages: 2
...What Is Meant by "Pork Barrel Politics", and What Is Its Significance in Congress? Pork barrel politics refers to the mechanism by which Congressmen can add amendments to a Bill that directly benefits their state or district. For example, in 2008 the Gravina Island Bridge in Alaska was pushed for by Republican Senator Ted Stevens. The project cost $398 million yet only benefited around 50 people living on the island. The objective of doing such a thing would be to improve re-election prospects and show to their constituents that they can deliver things such as economic or employment opportunities in their state or district. This can be seen to be significant to Congress as it enhances incumbent advantage. Incumbent advantage is the advantage existing candidates have in elections against challengers and means that it is difficult for anyone to contest an existing congressman. Pork barrel politics will make this worse as it will increase the incumbent’s record of getting things done for their constituents such as Ben Nelson who was able to get “pork” into the Obamacare bill for his state and was re-elected in 2012. This may not be such a bad thing in of itself but it has a direct effect on Congress as it means that the same people will be elected over and over again and this can hinder change and could prevent other, potentially better, candidates from winning the seat. However, it can be argued that despite this, each incumbent still has to stand in elections and it is still...
Words: 356 - Pages: 2
...Pork barrel politics refers to the mechanism by which Congressmen can add amendments to a Bill that directly benefits their state or district. For example, in 2008 the Gravina Island Bridge in Alaska was pushed for by Republican Senator Ted Stevens. The project cost $398 million yet only benefited around 50 people living on the island. The objective of doing such a thing would be to improve re-election prospects and show to their constituents that they can deliver things such as economic or employment opportunities in their state or district. This can be seen to be significant to Congress as it enhances incumbent advantage. Incumbent advantage is the advantage existing candidates have in elections against challengers and means that it is difficult for anyone to contest an existing congressman. Pork barrel politics will make this worse as it will increase the incumbent’s record of getting things done for their constituents such as Ben Nelson who was able to get “pork” into the Obamacare bill for his state and was re-elected in 2012. This may not be such a bad thing in of itself but it has a direct effect on Congress as it means that the same people will be elected over and over again and this can hinder change and could prevent other, potentially better, candidates from winning the seat. However, it can be argued that despite this, each incumbent still has to stand in elections and it is still the electorate’s decision whether or not to re-elect them. Another reason pork barrel...
Words: 342 - Pages: 2
...Pork Barrel a government appropriation, bill, or policy that supplies funds for local improvements designed to ingratiatelegislators with their constituents. http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/pork%20barrel Pork barrel defined Pork barrel has its origin in the American history. Prior to the civil war, the slaves in the Southern part of America were traditionally provided salted pork as a gift to enjoy on holiday. The slaves would run into frantic for the barrel . Kawanaka cited Evans that the onrush of the legislators to get a subsidy was evocative of the stampede of the slave of the pre American Civil war. Pork barrel formally defined as the appropriations of public funds for projects that do not serve the interests of any large portion of the country’s citizenry but are nevertheless vigorous promoted by a small group of legislators because they will pump outside taxpayers’ money and resources into the local districts these legislators represent ; an effective legislation and use of pork barrel results into the legislator being re-elected. As defined by a Civil Society group in the Philippines, PDAF Watch, “pork barrel funds are those allocated to politicians such as congresspersons and senators, to be used, based on their decision, to fund programs or projects in their districts ”. Keeping the pork thin or thick? In a position paper of Nograles and Lagman to decry the scrapping of PDAF , it was brought into the fore the origin of the pork barrel and how was...
Words: 2276 - Pages: 10
...what is a Pork barrel. In the Philippines, the term pork barrel is used to mean funds allocated to the members of the Philippine House of Representatives and the Philippine Senate to spend as they see fit without going through the normal budgetary process or through the Executive Branch. It can be used for both hard projects, such as buildings and roads, and soft projects, such as scholarships and medical expenses. We are not speaking about 100pesos amount of money or 1000pesos, we are speaking about millions and billions of money here, so, don’t be amaze if the persons holding this big amount of money tend to be a greedy one. I will give you some reasons why pork barrel should be abolish, the People of the Philippines cannot monitor what happens to their money, we cannot monitor if our money really goes to where it should be, if it really used for the convenient of the many or by few only, we cannot monitor what really happens to our money. Another reason is that this pork barrel system can easily be used for corruption, in the means of allocating millions of pesos for a road or building projects but instead of using competent materials they used sub-standards ones so that they can filch some of the money allocated for the project. Another reasons is the congress can manipulated the money and make it disappear little by little until its gone, then they will make some report that they used it to make road projects, medical projects and other projects. Pork barrel is a system...
Words: 357 - Pages: 2
...consumption is not decided by the individual consumer, but by the society as a whole, and which is financed by taxation. It also include economic statistics and other information such as ,law enforcement, national defenses, parks and other things for the use and benefit of all. While the imperfections of market solutions to public-goods problems must be weighed against the imperfections of government solutions. Governments rely on bureaucracy, respond to poorly informed voters, and have weak incentives to serve consumers. Therefore they produce inefficiently. Furthermore, politicians may supply public “goods” in a manner to serve their own interests rather than the interests of the public. Examples of wasteful government spending and pork barrel projects are legion. Government often creates a problem of “forced riders” by compelling persons to support projects they do not desire. Private means of avoiding or transforming public-goods problems, when available, are usually more efficient than governmental solutions. Public goods that are available everywhere are sometimes referred to as global public goods. Such as fresh air, knowledge, lighthouses, flood control systems and street lighting. Public...
Words: 364 - Pages: 2
...Answer the questions: 1) What does cask mean in the story the Cask of Amontillado? A cask is a very small barrel in which wines of high value were stored. Sometimes such wines were too expensive or valuable to come in the larger size barrel so they were stored and sold in smaller ones. It is also a variation of "casket" a container for burying a person. 2) What is ironic about Fortunato's name in 'The Cask of Amontillado'? The name Fortunato can mean fortunate one or simply fortunate. It is ironic because he is about to receive a most unfortunate surprise and meet a most u nfortunate end once Montressor kill’s him. 3) What happened in 'The Cask of Amontillado'? The Cask of Amontillado is a story about how Montresor avenged his anger at Fortunato. His family motto contributes a lot to the whole of the story. Montresor's anger towards Fortunato is not only based on a one time happening, he saved up a lot of things that Fortunato did that provoked his anger. Motresor was like a jar, slowly filling up with anguish and when that anguish overflowed, he decided to take action for his revenge. In the beginning of the story, Motresor described his fleeting anger, his undefined emotion, his wish to be an avenger. He slowly created a plan on somewhat called a perfect crime. Having this "crime" planned, he proceeded to do it. He treated Fortunato with irony. We all know what he's planning yet he used sweet words to lure Fortunato into the catacombs. He devised a plan to...
Words: 446 - Pages: 2
...National Cranberry Cooperative Case Study 1. How might transport vehicles be utilized more effectively? Should crews be scheduled differently on peak days? More crews should be scheduled in the bagging station during peak days The fourth bagging station should be utilized during peak hours (instead of just three of the four being used at a given time) An additional 2,667 bbls per 12-hour period could be processed with these changes At receiving plant no. 1 (RP1), trucks would arrive randomly throughout the day, with a random amount of berries, anywhere from 20 to 400 bbls. In order to utilize transport vehicles more effectively, there should be crews scheduled differently on peak days. It only takes 5 to 10 minutes to unload a truck into a Kiwanne dumper, but the backup would occur when the holding bins were full, causing drivers to have waits up to 3 hours. The backup is not occurring in receiving, so now additional crews are necessary at that station. All feed conveyors are in use during peak times so no new crews need to be added there. However, there seems to be a backup occurring in the bagging station. Instead of keeping the fourth bagging machine as a spare, they should add another five-member team to operate the fourth bagging machine during peak hours. This would result in an additional 2,667 bbls per 12-hour period, or a total of 10,667 bbls per 12-hour period. The additional crews and adding of a bagging station would reduce the number of berries that...
Words: 1194 - Pages: 5
