After ‘moral revolution,’ JDV now seeks full ‘pork’ transparency

After startling friends and foes alike with his call for a “moral revolution,” Speaker Jose de Venecia Jr. now wants “full transparency” in the use of pork barrel funds.

“If we can do it, the better. But observing full transparency on the pork barrel by detailing projects would be our contribution to my proposal for a moral revolution by minimizing, if not eradicating, corruption,” he said.

Each senator is entitled to P200 million “pork” or a total of P4.8 billion, while each congressman receives P70 million or P16.8 billion for all the 240 member of Congress.

Opposition Sen. Panfilo Lacson doesn’t touch his pork allocation.

In a television interview yesterday, De Venecia said he doesn’t expect to realize immediately his wish for a transparent pork allocation because the House has already approved the proposed P1.227-trillion budget for next year.

He said that if projects funded by taxpayers’ money were listed in detail in the national budget, it would be difficult for lawmakers and other officials to engage in corruption.

“People will know what are their congressmen’s projects, their location, the amount of funds allotted to each project. They can then check on their implementation,” he added.

De Venecia pointed out that at present, pork barrel allocations are in lump sums. The unbridled use of pork barrel funds by some lawmakers is an open secret.

Some corrupt lawmakers were able to build palatial homes in affluent Metro Manila enclaves from kickbacks from contractors of pork barrel-funded projects.

For instance, a corrupt senator pocketing just 10 percent of his funds in the form of commissions can make P120 million in his six-year term. He amasses P240 million if he gets 20 percent.

On the other hand, unscrupulous House members have been found to divert their funds to private foundations headed by their relatives. Some of these lawmakers have cases pending with the Office of the Ombudsman.

Commissions and kickbacks given to senators and congressmen range from a low of 20 percent to a high of 40 percent, sometimes even 50 percent. Commissions are high for purchases of supplies that easily disappear like liquid fertilizer or medicine.

In the case of liquid fertilizer, government auditors discovered that purchases of this farm input were overpriced by as much as 1,800 percent.

Many House members, using their pork barrel funds and additional money given by President Arroyo shortly before the 2004 presidential election, skimmed a large part of the funds by procuring liquid fertilizer through inexistent non-government organizations and foundations.

De Venecia said if congressmen succeed in listing in detail their projects, senators should do the same.