When lords fight

On Monday, the nation’s premier promoters of pork had one big fight.

At the Jan. 13, 2025 reopening of the House sessions following an extended Christmas vacation, House Senior Deputy Majority Leader and Ilocos Norte Rep. Sandro Marcos, boyish looking despite his age, 30, dapper in double-breasted grey suit and with a serious mien and sonorous voice, stood and moved to declare vacant the position of chairman of the House committee on appropriations. Sandro is the eldest son of the President, Ferdinand Romualdez Marcos Jr.

Frowning, Speaker Ferdinand Martin Romualdez asked the body if there is no objection. Hearing none, BBM’s cousin declared the motion carried. Ako Bicol party-list Rep. Zaldy Co was then ousted as House appropriations committee chair.

Albay’s premier contractor and a multi-billionaire, Zaldy Co is a key, if not the main ally of Speaker Martin in fashioning out the annual budget of the national government. For 2025, the P6.326-trillion national budget became such a scandal for its huge pork for politicians, in particular, the P1.033 trillion in public works, the main source of pork, and P363 billion in unprogrammed funds.

The Appro chairmanship is probably the second most important House position, next to the Speaker’s.   The chairman decides, almost with finality, who and how much one gets in annual money allocation to run his or her agency, or racket, for that matter.

If a congressman is not in the good graces of the Appro chair and the House Speaker, the congressman has no political future. Because in this country, people view a congressman as a walking bank or charitable foundation – for all kinds of ayuda – jobs and financial needs like bus fare, medicine, tuition, burial, fiesta, waiting sheds and, of course, flood control.

In the US, the watchdog Citizens Against Government Waste outlines seven criteria to classify spending as “pork:”

• Requested by only one chamber of Congress

• Not specifically authorized

• Not competitively awarded

• Not requested by the President

• Greatly exceeds the President’s budget request or the previous year’s funding

• Not the subject of congressional hearings

• Serves only a local or special interest.

• (Me), decided by the BiCam.

“Pork barrel” began with a barrel of pork in a pre-Civil War USA, a practice of giving enslaved people a barrel of salt pork as a reward and requiring them to fight among themselves to get their share of the handout.

Today, our senators and congressmen are definitely not slaves, despite their being called “public servants.” They are our masters. If they don’t do their job, as in literally doing nothing, being absent most of the time in sessions and yet collecting their salary and pork, then people go in deep “sh-t.” We, the people, are thus at their mercy.

Our representatives are well paid. Each of the current 23 senators makes P3.34 million in annual base salary. Plus P200 million each of pork. Each of the 286 congressmen makes P3.38 million annual base pay, plus P70 million each of pork. With just 23 senators, the Senate has 2,300 employees, or 100 per senator. With 286 congressmen, the House has 4,231 positions, or 15 assistants per congressman.

Zaldy Co made it appear he asked for his ouster.  Reported The Philippine STAR:

“Co said in a statement that he stepped down as House appropriations panel chair due to health reasons.” Co: “I extend my heartfelt gratitude to the majority in Congress for graciously accepting my decision to step down as chairman of the House committee on appropriations. This decision, made with a heavy heart, is driven by pressing health concerns. The highly demanding nature of my role has taken its toll, and I now need to prioritize seeking the medical attention necessary for my well-being.

“I always served at the pleasure of the majority. I am deeply honored to have been entrusted with the immense responsibility of steering the nation’s budget in service of the House of the people and the constituents we represent,” Co said.

“In the past three years, I take pride in our collective accomplishments, particularly the Ayuda sa Kapos ang Kita Program (AKAP), which provides critical support to those with income insufficient for their family needs. As the proud sponsor and shepherd of the budgets for 2023, 2024 and 2025, I ensured [that the budget is in] alignment with the President’s eight-point economic agenda.”

Co shepherded the P26-billion Ayuda sa Kapos ang Kita Program (AKAP) under the 2025 budget. AKAP is plain and simple pork. The Albay solon claimed it is kickback-free and is intended for employed Filipinos who are low-income earners.

“This is zero percent corruption because it directly goes to the people. Members of Congress do not safe keep and control the release of this aid because it is the Department of Social Welfare which does that,” Co was quoted by The STAR, in a Jan. 8 statement. Invented by Martin and Zaldy in 2024, AKAP are cash doleouts for medical, funeral, food and cash assistance.

Co insisted AKAP is a huge help for minimum-wage earners like food service crew and Grab drivers who are not qualified to avail of other government social safety net programs like the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps) which target the unemployed.

“They are the ones who work 16 hours. They are the ones who pay for PhilHealth. They are the ones who pay taxes. They are the ones who work double time, triple time, just to make [ends meet]. When they go home, they’re tired. They can’t take care of their children because they need to sleep and they need to work. So, it’s a pity that the law is unfair to people who work but don’t earn enough,” the contactor turned politician explained.

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