Online petition: Name Philippine storms after corrupt pols

MANILA, Philippines - Which cause greater damage to people: tropical cyclones or corrupt government officials?

For some Filipinos, the destruction created by politicians who pocket public funds is so great that Philippine storms should be named after them.

An online petition is now asking state weather bureau PAGASA to name typhoons that enter the country after grafters and corrupt officials.

"The devastation they (corrupt politicans) cause is so great... Mother Nature can't even compete with them for the destruction of life and property," said the online petition launched at the advocacy website change.org.

"Sign up now! Let this be a constant reminder of how our hard-earned money has been stolen or misspent by corrupt politicians," the petition also said.

The petition created on Tuesday by a certain Ismael Tomelden of Marikina City has garnered over 1,400 signatures as of posting time.

Some signatories even lamented the corruption in the government and lashed out against abusive officials.

"They need to suffer... lahat (sila)... pati na ang mga kaapuapuhan nila... malaman na ang yaman nila ay mula sa pawis at dugo ng taong bayan na nagbabayad ng buwis... ang kakapal... pahirap sa bayan," said Aries Gustavo Galit of Carmona, Cavite.

"Para matakot nang gumawa ng karimarimarim itong mga supposedly civil servants," said Leticia Tojos of Quezon City in signing the petition.

"To have a constant reminder that politics in the Philippine is as dirty as a pig in a mud," said Bob Arce of Manila.

The online petition was created in the wake of an alleged scam that funneled lawmakers' pork barrel worth P10 billion to bogus non-government organizations (NGOs) and ghost projects.

A special audit report of the Commission on Audit recently revealed that at least 74 legislators exceeded their respective allocated pork barrel from 2007 to 2009.

A total of P6.156 billion in pork barrel was allocated by close to 200 legislators to 82 dubious NGOs.

In comparison, the southwest monsoon or "Habagat," which was enhanced by Tropical Storm "Maring," caused P689.37 million worth of damage to agriculture and infrastructure to five regions in Luzon.