Palace survey shows support for stricter hold on PDAF

MANILA, Philippines - A majority of Internet users are in favor of President Aquino’s decision to tighten the executive department’s hold on the Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF) of lawmakers, according to a survey conducted by the Communications Group in Malacañang.

Secretary Sonny Coloma of the Presidential Communications Operations Office sent to members of the Malacañang Press Corps the results of the survey based on 3,293 respondents on Facebook.

“Over 80 percent of posts are positive sentiments for P-Noy,” he said.

The survey in social media was done shortly after Aquino announced Friday his decision to impose more stringent measures in the release and utilization of pork barrel funds.

The pro-Aquino netizens reached 82.39 percent, according to the survey.

 â€œThanks for listening Mr. President! Your parents and the whole country are proud of your decision,” one netizen remarked.

 â€œThis President has political will! Political will on the problems of informal settlers and corrupt lawmakers,” another netizen said.

 Twenty-six percent “support” the abolition of PDAF, 21 percent are “glad” that Aquino listened to their sentiments, 14 percent “believe” in the government’s straight path advocacy, and seven percent want prosecution for those involved in the pork barrel scam.

 Three percent want Aquino to remain President beyond 2016, while two percent say he should not be blamed for the pork barrel anomalies. Two percent say he was brave enough to face the issue head on, and another two percent say the President is their “savior.”

 Only one percent says Aquino should take charge of the PDAF.

 Out of the 3,293 respondents, only 17.61 percent do not favor Aquino.

“Alam na namin iyan, Mr. President (We already know that, Mr. President). Is this another of your PR stunts? Talk is cheap! You are always full of empty words. The Filipino people need actions not words,” an anti-Aquino netizen said.

“Save your speeches when you have abolished it and put everyone responsible behind prison bars,” another Facebook user remarked.

 About 12 percent of respondents said the “publicity” should be stopped.

Some of the respondents pushed for the passage of the Freedom of Information bill to prevent corruption, while others called for the abolition of the President’s own pork barrel funds.

A transport group said yesterday the abolition of PDAF would not solve corruption in the bureaucracy.

“For as long as the bidding system for government projects can be rigged, any other mode of fund allocation will always be subject to abuse,” 1-UTAK chairman Vigor Mendoza said.

DBM website shows ‘pork’ spending

Those who want to know how senators and congressmen have been spending their pork barrel funds can visit the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) website.

PDAF is the official name of the congressional pork barrel. It allocates P200 million a year for each senator and P70 million for each member of the House of Representatives.

“Actually, the particulars of all congressional PDAF releases have been available online for all to see since 2009,” Rep. Arnel Ty of party-list group Liquefied Petroleum Gas Marketers Association said yesterday.

“All the records are there with respect to the PDAF releases per member of Congress from 2009 to 2013. The specifics include the nature of the project, the recipient, implementing unit, release date and the exact amount disbursed,” he said.

According to the DBM website, Sen. Juan Ponce Enrile and former senator Edgardo Angara received the biggest amounts of PDAF allocations.

For 2009 alone, when then President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo was still in power, Enrile received P727 million, while P405 million was made available to Angara.

The DBM website shows only releases from the PDAF, which is the transparent pork barrel. It does not show the so-called “congressional initiatives,” the euphemism for appropriations inserted in the national budget by senators and congressmen.

These budgetary insertions were bigger than the PDAF. – With Jess Diaz, Perseus Echeminada