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Senator Miriam Santiago reveals for first time how much senators really get

July 16, 2013

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I’m reprinting below the entire speech of Senator Santiago. I agree with her disclosures and recommendations.

How about a petition for Senator Santiago to be appointed head of the Senate Ethics Committee, which NO ONE really wants to chair?

Senator Alan Peter Cayetano was a GROSS disappointment in that post. He said he would investigate the allegations of plagiarism against Senate Majority Leader Vicente Sotto.

Cayetano never did.

Transparency in the Use of Senate Funds

By Senator Miriam-Defensor Santiago

(Keynote speech on 15 July 2013 at the opening ceremonies of the 2013 National Accountancy Week celebration by the Philippine Institute of Certified Public Accountants, at the Intercontinental Hotel, Makati City.)

Principle of Transparency

The principle of fiscal transparency is defined by the International Monetary Fund as: “the clarity, reliability, frequency, timeliness, and relevance of public fiscal reporting and the openness to the public of the government’s fiscal policy-making process.” In a culture of corruption, fiscal transparency helps to check corruption in high office by enabling the people to hold the government, and particularly the Senate, to account for its fiscal performance and the use of public resources. Government transparency is also defined as the ability of the Filipino public to gain access to the facts, figures, documents, decisions, and other aspects of government.

History shows that corrupt governments have always sought to limit transparency. Controlling information is central to maintaining political power. Hence, leaders of authoritarian regimes refused to explain the mechanics of the state apparatus to their subjects.

All these changed with the American Revolution in 1771-83, and with the French Revolution in 1789-99. As a result, transparency entered the political discourse as a priority for governments and citizens. The modern paradigms of transparency are: the system of checks and balances among the three branches of government; and the role of the press in fighting for increased access to public officials and their public policy decisions. I take this opportunity to reiterate my support for the freedom of information act. We need to increase the transparency of government actions, and the motivations of public officials, specially senators.

I wish to make it of record that I am against certain exceptions to transparency, because I believe that these exceptions constitute a channel for the desire of government to still protect its power through the restriction of information to the public. Such exceptions include: bureaucratic red tape and other techniques; invoking national security; and asserting certain privileges, or hiding behind an official secrets law. All of these claimed exceptions are simply the efforts of politicians to protect their power, by not allowing the public to know their actions while they are in office.

I strongly advocate to you as distinguished members of the Institute of Certified Public Accountants to compel elected public officials to observe the principle of accountability. Specifically, every senator should acknowledge and assume responsibility for his elected position, including the responsibility to report and justify the consequences of actions taken within the scope of his role as senator. If these responsibilities are not met, then there should be sanctions for Senate officers who fail to meet their responsibility to report and justify, in using public funds.

Your Institute has the unique ability to hold senators and congressmen responsible for their actions in their official capacities with respect to the use of public funds. The Institute should base this role as actors in civil society, by invoking the two accepted theories of accountability: the principal-agent theory; and the theory of moral responsibility. Under the principal-agent theory, the principal is the voter who selects his agent, meaning the senator, to choose actions that benefit the interest of the principal or the public. Under the agency theory, senators should increase accountability by making their actions on public funds more observable to their constituents. As for the moral responsibility model of accountability, the Institute should focus on internal feelings of obligation and duty that the Senate should inculcate in its members.

The principle of transparency has been officially adopted by the Philippine Constitution in two provisions. The first provision is found under the Bill of Rights and provides: “The right of the people to information on matters of public concern shall be recognized.” (Art. 3, Sec. 7).

The second provision states: “Public office is a public trust. Public offices and employees must at all times be accountable to the people . . . .” (Art. 11, Sec. 1).

Sources of Income of a Senator

These are the sources of income of a senator:

1. Salary as senator – P 90,000 based on the Salary Standardization Law. The gross amount is P 90,000 a month but after deductions, the take-home pay is about P60,000 a month.

2. Honorarium as Senate officer – the Senate officers are the Senate President, Senate Protempore, Majority Leader, and Minority Leader.

3. Office of the Senator, including :

Monthly funds for Personal Services

Monthly funds for MOOE (Maintenance and Other Operating Expenses)

Travel allowance (international)

Capital Outlay

Additional MOOE

Permanent Committees

Oversight Committees

Commission on Appointments

Senate Electoral Tribunal.

According to the 2011 COA Report, a regular senator, meaning one who is not a Senate officer, received some P43 million per annum. This income basically came from the funds for the Office of the Senator, plus the funds for permanent committees to which the senator belonged. But the Senate officials received additional income as follows:

Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile – P 71.7 million, or 166.30% more
Senate Protempore Jinggoy Estrada – P 9.3 million, or 21.69% more
Majority Leader Vicente Sotto III – P 9.3 million, or 21.64% more
Minority Leader Alan Peter Cayetano – P 10.2 million, or 23.67% more

Each regular senator is given funds in the approximate amount of P63.3 million per annum, but the senators collectively control and are accountable only for 47.49% of the total Senate budget. Here is the deep, dark secret: the Senate President controls the remaining 52.51% of the Senate budget, or the total amount of P 1.7 billion for 2013. Thus, when Enrile was Senate President, he controlled over 50% of the Senate budget. But he proved that with great power comes great conceit, and perhaps megalomania.

The Amounts Paid to, and Expenses Incurred for, Each Senator

I obtained these figures covering the period January to December 2011 from the COA. Here are the amounts from Senate funds paid to every senator in the descending order of the amounts:

1. Juan Ponce Enrile, P 118 million
2. Jinggoy Estrada, P 62 million
3. Vicente Sotto III, P 56 million
4. Alan Peter Cayetano, P 55 million
5. Antonio Trillanes IV, P 54.9 million
6. Ferdinand Marcos, Jr., P 49 million
7. Ramon Revilla, Jr., P 49 million
8. Francis Escudero, P 48.7 million
9. Gregorio Honasan III, P 47 million
10. Francis Pangilinan, P 46 million
11. Loren Legarda, P 44 million
12. Aquilino Pimentel, P 43.9 million
13. Manuel Lapid, P 43.5 million
14. Ralph Recto, P 42 million
15. Pia Cayetano, P 42 million
16. Edgardo Angara, P 41.7 million
17. Teofisto Guingona, Jr., P 41.5 million
18. Miriam Defensor Santiago, P 41 million
19. Manny Villar, P 40 million
20. Sergio Osmena III, P 37.6 million
21. Panfilo Lacson, P 37 million
22.Franklin Drilon, P 34.9 million
23. Joker Arroyo, P 31.8 million

To summarize, the senator who received and spent the most Senate funds was Senator Enrile, with P 118 million for the year 2011 alone. The senator who spent the smallest amount for that year was Senator Arroyo at P 31.8 million. The rest of the senators received more or less some 40 million for the year, including myself with P 41 million.

Sources of Income in Actual Figures

I have given you a table of the sources of income of a regular senator. My figures are based on averages, because senators have variable number of staff, variable number of memberships in oversight committees, and other dissimilarities. The funds for monthly expenses in the Office of the Senator consist of the following:

Capital outlay – P 16 million

Travel allowance – P 59 million

Savings – If the Office of the Senator is able to set aside savings, they are realigned as additional MOOE.

Additional MOOE – The additional MOOE for each office of the senator is distributed upon discretion of the Senate President. Traditionally, this amount comes from the budget of the unoccupied office of the 24th senator.

The permanent committees of the Senate deal with their savings and with liquidation using the same procedure as the Office of the Senator. With oversight committees, usually the annual budget is from P 5 million to P 38 million. Most of the oversight committees have a budget of some P 10 million to P 20 million. There are also honoraria for the chair and members of oversight committees which are listed as extraordinary and miscellaneous expenses, also known as EME.

If a senator is a member of the Commission on Appointments, he is given P 50,000 per month as additional MOOE.

Recommendations

Recommendation No. 1

The tradition is that the Senate President enjoys discretion in the grant of additional MOOE to every senator. However, last Christmas, Mr. Enrile sought to exclude four senators, including myself, from the grant of additional MOOE in the sum of P 1.6 million for each senator. As far as I know, no senator who received this amount questioned this scandalous exercise of discretion, which is a plainly partisan political act. I shall have more to say about this anomaly, in my privilege speech after Congress opens, as soon as I am medically fit to attend sessions.

As a lawyer specializing in constitutional law and a former trial judge, I believe that the issue of Mr. Enrile’s overt and admitted partiality in the use of public funds is a justiciable issue, for the Constitutions defines judicial power as the duty of the courts to, among others, “determine whether or not there has been a grave abuse of discretion amounting to lack or excess of jurisdiction on the part of any branch or instrumentality of the government.” The Senate President, like any other public official, is prohibited from abusing his discretion by making personal dispositions, based on his personal sentiments and violative of the Equal Protection Clause.

Based on the grave abuse of discretion exercised by the former Senate President, it is time to remove from the Senate President the power to control over 50 percent of the total Senate budget. I have already said that for 2011 alone, he received as his personal income alone the gargantuan sum of P118 million. Mr. Enrile should be held accountable for 52.8 percent of the total Senate budget for every year that he was Senate President.

Recommendation No. 2

Members of the so-called oversight committees, which are bicameral with members from both the House of Representatives and the Senate, received honoraria which I believe are excessive. A senator’s annual gross salary is some P1 million. But on the average, a senator is a member of seven oversight committees. Thus, he receives P 2.5 million annually in so-called extraordinary and miscellaneous expenses or EME. The EME that he receives is more than double his salary, which is not equitable. I humbly propose that the EME for oversight committees should constitute no more than 50 percent of a senator’s salary.

Recommendation No. 3

Today, the Senate is rethinking the previous policy of Mr. Enrile, that certain amounts received by a senator could be liquidated by simply signing a certification that the money has been spent. The new Senate that opens this July will have the power to retain or to reform the system. This will need the majority vote of the senators.

For my part, I believe that starting with this new Congress, it is better to adopt the new rules proposed by COA that expenditures for the items called Capital Outlay (or CO), Maintenance and Other Operating Expenses (or MOOE), and Personal Expenses (or PS), should be liquidated by receipts and other supporting documents. Expenditures should be made only for account items which are specified by COA. Non-supported expenditures should be disallowed.

Savings, which were previously realigned as additional MOOE, should be returned to the Senate. I did this in good faith during my first year as senator, but was roundly attacked by my colleagues who resented what I did, because it showed how much they kept for themselves.

Recommendation No. 4

My strongest recommendation is that the practice of giving the Senate President the discretion to release additional MOOE funds for each office of the senator should be removed. Just because one senator has left his office is no reason to avail of the monies allocated for his office, as additional MOOE. It makes the additional MOOE the personal pork barrel of the Senate President. In the hands of a corrupt Senate President, this discretionary power over additional MOOE becomes a tool not only of corruption but also of oppression, and of ugly politics.

Conclusion

In insisting that the public have a right to know what senators do with public money, I strongly adhere to what the English poet John Milton said: “Truth is compared in scripture to a streaming fountain; if her waters flow not in a perpetual progression, they sicken into a muddy pool of conformity and tradition. . . . For who knows not that Truth is strong, next to the Almighty. She needs no policies, nor strategems, nor licensings, to make her victorious – those are the shifts and the defense that error uses against her power. Give her but room, and do not bind her while she sleeps. . . .”

Tagged With: Senate, Senator Miriam Defensor-Santiago

Comments

  1. leona says

    July 20, 2013 at 11:53 AM

    Railing-road news “MANILA, Philippines – The head of the Metro Rail Transit has been tagged by the Czech ambassador in the alleged $30-million shakedown attempt on a Czech supplier of trains for MRT 3 expansion, Transportation and Communications Secretary Joseph Emilio Abaya said yesterday.

    In a press briefing, Abaya said an investigation into the allegation by Ambassador Josef Rychtar against MRT general manager Al Vitangcol III and some private individuals had been launched.

    He said that in several meeting with Rychtar, the latest of which was last Thursday, the envoy mentioned the names of Vitangcol and other individuals.”

    Na naman? We remember the famous words “BACK OFF!”…tsk tsk tsk

  2. leona says

    July 20, 2013 at 11:44 AM

    Top cop from the news story says “With a series of alleged wrongdoings being leveled at policemen, the country’s top cop on Friday lamented that criminals now appear to be the heroes.
    Director General Alan Purisima, chief of the Philippine National Police (PNP), noted that stories are going around about the involvement of policemen in crimes.
    “We have to verify these reports. With so many stories coming out, even members of the media are unwittingly being used because they are fed false information. A criminal is becoming the hero. It’s now the reverse,” Purisima said at a press conference.

    Read more: http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/448627/purisima-criminals-are-now-heroes#ixzz2ZYOBqrhW
    Follow us: @inquirerdotnet on Twitter | inquirerdotnet on Facebook”

    ‘Di tama itong critic ng cop. It’s questioning indirectly what’s the investigations all about. Stories lang yun…don’t make a mountain out of a small story-mole…there’s still freedom of speek and press-sures mang polis.

  3. leona says

    July 20, 2013 at 11:29 AM

    With Raissa’s article on Sen. Merriam’s revealation here…I have grave doubts as to the ‘Money amounts’ each senator gets for what each works on. Who gave or suggested these unconscionable amounts as PAY for each senator? Why so huge? Like this –
    The Amounts Paid to, and Expenses Incurred for, Each Senator
    I obtained these figures covering the period January to December 2011 from the COA. Here are the amounts from Senate funds paid to every senator in the descending order of the amounts:
    1. Juan Ponce Enrile, P 118 million
    2. Jinggoy Estrada, P 62 million
    3. Vicente Sotto III, P 56 million
    4. Alan Peter Cayetano, P 55 million
    5. Antonio Trillanes IV, P 54.9 million
    6. Ferdinand Marcos, Jr., P 49 million
    7. Ramon Revilla, Jr., P 49 million
    8. Francis Escudero, P 48.7 million
    9. Gregorio Honasan III, P 47 million
    10. Francis Pangilinan, P 46 million
    11. Loren Legarda, P 44 million
    12. Aquilino Pimentel, P 43.9 million
    13. Manuel Lapid, P 43.5 million
    14. Ralph Recto, P 42 million
    15. Pia Cayetano, P 42 million
    16. Edgardo Angara, P 41.7 million
    17. Teofisto Guingona, Jr., P 41.5 million
    18. Miriam Defensor Santiago, P 41 million
    19. Manny Villar, P 40 million
    20. Sergio Osmena III, P 37.6 million
    21. Panfilo Lacson, P 37 million
    22.Franklin Drilon, P 34.9 million
    23. Joker Arroyo, P 31.8 million”

    And like this also –
    The permanent committees of the Senate deal with their savings and with liquidation using the same procedure as the Office of the Senator. With oversight committees, usually the annual budget is from P 5 million to P 38 million. Most of the oversight committees have a budget of some P 10 million to P 20 million. There are also honoraria for the chair and members of oversight committees which are listed as extraordinary and miscellaneous expenses, also known as EME.
    If a senator is a member of the Commission on Appointments, he is given P 50,000 per month as additional MOOE.”

    And yet, many items in gov’t are answered “NO BUDGET or funds” or “NO MONEY” !

    Why? Because Congress ‘holds the PURSE for it’s members?” And not the people?

    In short, members of Congress have limitless amounts for themselves!

    Are not these huge unconscionable PAYS for them unconstitutional? In violation of the Equal Protection of the laws? Yet, our Judiciary Dept, it’s judges are in poor dire need of a good salary and other benefits like appropriate modern court equipments etc.

    No modern ‘weather apparatus’. No modern military armaments. No bullet proofs jackets for our soldiers. No Field combat hospitals etc. Unmoded naval boats without ammo and guns.

    Not enough police Mobile Patrol cars, no shoulder-walkie-talkie for our cops. Not enough gasoline for cops’ patrol cars. Courts no telephones and Wi-Fi S. No e-mails for judges so far.

    Gov’t employees’ salaries “middle & lower echelons” are subject to With-holding Taxes like private businessmen’s tax bracket under the BIR Tax code. The former should not be imposed on it as ‘they are not engaged for PROFIT ! …but rendering public service.

    Not enough school rooms for our public school children. No computers/Wi-Fi.

    Name it…it’s there…NO MONEY! Where is it? In Congress only. Let us all cry then, our tears may drop on them for pitiful attention. Yet it’s all our tax payers’ money. OURS!

    May Ye All come to your senses!

    • raissa says

      July 21, 2013 at 1:45 PM

      Pls give the link.

      I want to take a look at it.

      Thanks.

  4. kalahari says

    July 20, 2013 at 10:09 AM

    I salute Mirriam for her guts and fighting spirit. She epitomizes the lesser evil among the hordes of crooked senatongs. I tip my hat also to former senators Ping and Joker for not availing of porks throughout their tenures as honorable senators.

    The evil of porks will be with us forever as no lawmakers will have the sanity and delikadeza to remove their source of easy money.

    We need more mirriams and whistleblowers.

  5. Cha says

    July 20, 2013 at 6:52 AM

    Why is it called pork barrel?

    Ultimately, the metaphor stems from the practice in the pre-refrigeration era of preserving pork in large wooden barrels of brine. The political usage may have been inspired by the distribution of rations of salt pork to slaves on plantations. “Oftentimes the eagerness of the slaves would result in a rush upon the pork barrel,” wrote a “journalist” named C. C. Maxey in 1919, “in which each would strive to grab as much as possible for himself. Members of Congress in the stampede to get their local appropriation items into the omnibus river and harbor bills behaved so much like negro slaves rushing the pork barrel, that these bills were facetiously styled ‘pork-barrel’ bills.” But one has to accept Mr. Maxey’s interpretation on faith; no paper trail to support it has been found.

    -Hugh Rawson, Why do we say …. ? Pork Barrel,
    American Heritage, Collections, Travel and Great Writing on History

  6. Mel says

    July 19, 2013 at 11:00 PM

    What will PNoy say in 2013 SONA?

    Will PNoy announce his gov’t’s long awaited stance or policy on the Sabah issue in this year’s SONA? Or would he leave it for another future Phils’. President to deal if another outbreak ensues again?

    If SONA is a tradition (every fourth Monday of July), so is it with many Presidents on Sabah, chucking it in the back burner.

    Would PNoy rally the nation as one for unity and resolve in the recurring tension in the West Philippine Sea, notably against China? Maybe his gov’t’s pending case now before UNCLOS now ready for adjudication. Or perhaps he’ll give a special mention to BRP Ramon Alcaraz instead?

    Eto sigurado ‘to, his gov’t’s signed agreements with the MILF.

    • Mel says

      July 19, 2013 at 11:09 PM

      erra

      UNCLOS ITLOS

      • Mel says

        July 21, 2013 at 12:06 PM

        Habang wala pa ang SONA ni PNoy, panuorin ang ‘State of Mind’ documentary film. An indepth analysis on how population undergoes exploitation and manipulation by using Mind Control, psychological warfare and brain washing.

        This full version includes a Question And Answer (Q & A) panel composed of the people behind the documentary, and a firebrand err gutsy radio and alternative media host – Alan Jones.

        – State Of Mind Film

  7. leona says

    July 19, 2013 at 12:49 PM

    From the news “Poe wants pork barrel to stay

    By Mary Rose A. Hogaza (MB Online)
    Published: July 19, 2013
    MANILA, Philippines – Senator Grace Poe is against the abolition of the Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF) or pork barrel as suggested by some lawmakers.

    In a radio interview, Poe said: “Hindi ako magpapakaplastic. Nong ako’y tumatakbo tinanong din ako tungkol dyan. Ang sabi ko ang pork barrel kasi pagkakataon ng isang senador o kongresista na mapondohan yong kanyang mga adbokasya na makatulong, (I will not be plastic. During the election I was asked about that. I said the pork barrel is the chance of the senator or congressman to fund her advocacy to help).”

    Poe said the issue with the pork barrel is the follow through and transparency. She also explained that discretion is broad and there are no follow up reporting. She suggested an inquiry must be done to identify dubious procedures and uses of pork barrel by lawmakers.

    She acknowledged that money invites temptation and it’s not limited to pork barrel but all forms of budget.

    A P10 billion pork barrel scam hounds some senators, but Poe urged the public not to make hasty judgments and called for a parallel investigation.”

    …then Sen. Poe’s pork & beef should be AS IS…the rest, abolish em1

    …make the abolishment hasty…to save the pork & beef money immediately!

    • baycas says

      July 19, 2013 at 9:46 PM

      @leona,

      @letlet said at #36 that they are…

      Pork and Beans.

      • leona says

        July 20, 2013 at 11:32 AM

        Yup…@baycas. No one has yet made any ‘Quality Control’ on these manufacturers of those ‘cans – PORK & Beans’ ..it’s all beans NO PORK! Never I saw one slice of it.

        • vander anievas says

          July 20, 2013 at 2:19 PM

          @leona,
          palaging may pork. isang hiwa sa ibabaw ng beans. kaya nga pork(singular and beans(plural). malas ka kung di ka nakakita ng pork. karapat-dapat kang maging senador. ayaw mo sa pork…:)

    • baycas says

      July 20, 2013 at 5:13 AM

      http://opinion.inquirer.net/56853/presidents-guilty-of-bribery-in-pork-barrel-system

      The excuse for the pork is that it funds the projects of the legislators and helps their constituents. Pork funds supposedly finance roads and bridges, schools, textbooks, scholars, health centers, barangay halls, basketball courts, waiting sheds, etc. But being imitation public works and education secretaries is not the job of legislators. Their job is to enact laws, not to duplicate the work of the executive branch.

      What will happen to their pet projects? they ask. There are regional development councils, as well as provincial, city, and municipal development councils, precisely to process and recommend local projects. Congressmen are members of all these councils. They can propose their projects in these councils and, if these are meritorious, these will be endorsed to the departments concerned. So the congressmen can still have their projects.

      But the legislators want to implement the projects themselves even if that is not their job. They choose the contractor (the public bidding is a moro-moro), the place where the roads and bridges will be located, the printers who will produce the textbooks, etc. The contractors and printers, etc. kick back to the congressman at least 30 percent of the project’s budget. In the case of the P10-billion scam allegedly involving JLN Corp., there are no projects at all. The projects and persons listed on the documents as beneficiaries are all fictitious, according to the affidavits submitted to the NBI. The congressman and senator get as much as 60 percent of the pork allocation, and the rest allegedly goes to the middleman, JLN. Nothing for any project.

      Even when there is a real project, only half of the budget goes to the project itself. Thirty percent goes to the legislator, more to the public works engineers, local government officials, treasurers, clerks and others. The contractor makes do with what is left. That is why all government projects are substandard. The contractors have to cheat to make both ends meet. Many projects are not finished at all when the contractor runs out of money or runs away with it.

      • letlet says

        July 20, 2013 at 11:44 PM

        As stated above, pork funds roads and bridges repairs/ constructions. At the end of the day, after the pork has been divided – according to the greediness – from the senators down to the contractor, they are indeed ( roads and bridges) substandard. Year in and year out, roads are being repaired after typhoons lambast Philippines – and the potholes are prominent features and recipients of these pork barrel funds. And the vicious cycle is ongoing…….. ongoing………..ongoing. What a money pit for the taxpayers.The government should impose a tight fitted regulations ( no loopholes) that any senator- whose pork barrel’s road and bridge projects are of so substandard- MUST REPAY the total amount allotted for the said road project and let the MMDA carries the road works/ repairs wherein the funds comes from the senator’s repayment

  8. leona says

    July 19, 2013 at 12:38 PM

    Among others, Sen. Drillon says “While scrapping the pork barrel was the ideal move, he however admitted that “in reality, many congressmen need this for projects in their districts.”

    I doubt very veri musk…congressmen ‘need’ the pork or beef for projects in their districts. That is a TALL TALE!

    Don’t tell us such thing Senator Drlon! We ain’t marines!

  9. filipino_mom says

    July 19, 2013 at 10:26 AM

    maiba lang… 2013 SONA menu, courtesy of us, honest taxpayers (from the abs-cbn news website):

    MANILA – On the fourth State of the Nation Address (SONA) of President Benigno Aquino III, guests of Congress will be feasting on a variety of dishes, from sushi and sashimi to Angus corned beef and local rice cakes.

    The menu includes appetizers such as shrimp cocktail; crab claws in shot glass with cocktail sauce; vegetable sticks with cheese dip; assorted sushi and sashimi platter; fish fingers with gusty garlic; chicken kievettes, and phyllo with curried chicken.

    Heavier food includes pork barbecue satay with java sauce; penne pasta with arrabiata sauce; creamy shiitake; the Plaza premium baked ham with mini pandesal and four sauces; and roast Angus corned beef with honey radish cream.

    The assorted bite-sized desserts include decadent chocolate cake, white chocolate cheese cake, bite-sized cream puff, pandan kuchinta, cheese pichi-pichi, bibingkang malagkit, tiramisu and lemon meringue.

    THERE. ARE. NO. WORDS.

    • Cha says

      July 19, 2013 at 12:25 PM

      Kaninong pork barrel daw ito naka-charge?

    • moonie says

      July 19, 2013 at 1:57 PM

      pustahan tayo, yong tira-tira ay pinamimigay sa charity, yong iba naman ay inuuwi.

      once I served as wait staff in such occassion and brought home tira. nanay was so happy, our kapitbahay as well. we got tips as well as food. we’re not allowed to bring home cutleries though. bawal yan.

    • pelang says

      July 19, 2013 at 9:10 PM

      @filipino mom, ginutom mo naman kami. LOL!

      • letlet says

        July 19, 2013 at 9:50 PM

        What a feast for the SONA menu…… what a spread? When more than majority of the Filipino people belong to the poverty line – hardly any food on the table- this menu is an insult to the hungry Filipinos. Can the catering department give a little thought for the starving poor citizens and make the food plain and simple to show that their mind and soul are on the path of empathy with these downtrodden common tao?

        • moonie says

          July 20, 2013 at 4:10 AM

          the catering dept was probably told there will be foriegn guests, ambassadors and dignitaries, local businessmen and bigwigs, and foriegn investors too, invited to attend, all gathered in one place. it’s not just feast, they will be networking big time, and like trade expo, calling cards will be exchanged, business deals discussed, introductions will be made and promises clinched. businessmen will sniff each other, sieze each other, and what better time and place for our government to show case what we have to offer, our products, ingenuity and whatnots than at the sona party.

          that’s how we do business nowadays, the party or feast is more or less a prop.

        • moonie says

          July 20, 2013 at 4:32 AM

          I understand the prez is a graduate in economy, an economist. most probably, he will use the sona party as platform to promote and further his economic aims and objectives, drumming in more business for our country. the way to the heart is through the stomach, ika nga. I think the prez is counting big on this, and is feeding them.

        • leona says

          July 20, 2013 at 4:45 PM

          PNoy can follow Pope St. Francis on austerity here! Give it to the rallyistas…they’ll be eating it all during the whole SONA SPEEK! no noise anymore…hahaha

        • moonie says

          July 21, 2013 at 7:15 AM

          seems to me rallyistas have already been fed, they all look well-fed, and bought. marami silang kagamitan at kasangkapan that at any time of the day and night they can come up with banners and loud speakers and effigies to burn. well funded talaga. too well-funded that they can afford to mount legal challenge in the supreme court. na-TRO sila, supreme court did not let them go ahead at manggulo sa sona bukas.

        • filipino_mom says

          July 22, 2013 at 9:47 AM

          @leona: where’s the like button when you need one? hahaha…

    • netty says

      July 19, 2013 at 9:31 PM

      Yes, there are words…. Pagpag sa mahirap ;((

    • Paul says

      July 19, 2013 at 10:30 PM

      Pa pogi na naman sa kasuotan ang mga addict sa pork barrel.

      • vander anievas says

        July 20, 2013 at 2:25 PM

        @paul,
        correct ka jan.
        tingin mo, galing sa buwis natin ang pinambili nila ng magagarang damit nila?
        at ang media, nagpipista sa pag-scoop ng mga kasuotan ng mga extravagant na magsisidalo jan.
        mga kunsintidores…
        kaya nagpapabonggahan ang mga yan ay dahil na rin sa ilang media jan na mababaw ang kaligayahan.. siguro ay naaambunan…

      • Cha says

        July 20, 2013 at 6:23 PM

        Yes, I find it quite disturbing that the SONA has been turned into a fashion event a la OSCAR awards by both the media and the lawmakers themselves.

    • Johnny Lin says

      July 20, 2013 at 6:57 AM

      @filipino mom

      There should be a Filipino taxpayers pork barrel shouldering the cuisine of SONA and must hire the chef who prepared the food in a school in India where 30 children were poisoned. Then the Filipinos could celebrate national Thanksgiving day.

      How many Filipinos wish this could happen?
      More than a Chinese Lauriat!

      On other news:

      SC justices were deliberating on why Carlo Caparas should be stripped of National Artist title. CJ Sereno asked what was the category of his conferment: Justice Carpio answered that he was awarded for his artistic achievement in writing comic books stories and movie directing.

      Justice Reyes asked how does his artistic status stand compared with previous awardees?
      Justice Carpio answered: siya ang “komiks” ng grupo.

      Verdict: Title Stripped

      • filipino_mom says

        July 22, 2013 at 9:52 AM

        @johnny: i like your idea on hiring the indian chef. baka yan na ang panahon na CPM will hold a meet-up. hehehe

        as for the national artist award, i think the decision was based more on the ‘violations” on the process. ang nakakalungkot eh yung nadamay ni caparas. they had achievements worthy of recognition but caparas’ “singit” erased all that. tapos ito namang caparas, naku!!! lumabas ang kacheapan at more ang complain sa media at paglabas ng kung anu-anong chismis dun sa sumira ng kanyang chance. he really does not deserve an award. unless there’s a category for him sa mga “awards” na bigay ng mga chismis mags.

  10. leltlet says

    July 19, 2013 at 1:12 AM

    Miriam would not have spilled the beans if Enrile gave her the same amount of MOEE he gave to other favored senators. But still the motivations that inspired her to do so is so beneficial to the public – to bring down the machinations of the political culprits and to instigate an overhauling on the callous and heartless public/ taxpayers spending of the senators in the pursuit of their own agendas who only know their own pockets and stomach. Indeed, these senators involved are so stomach churning that one has to pass a vomiting bag.

    I wonder if PNOY and Drilon have the guts and balls to go after the neck of these senators concerned, especially Enrile wherein that thinking would always linger in their mind “kawawa naman matanda na” – the kind of thinking others heap on Corona when he was impeached. What happens now to his kinurakot in the form of condos, mansion houses and other properties. Is he still being pursued by the government respective agencies/ departments? Would the government agencies/ departments let Enrile get away with his crime against the public.

  11. Keanleogo says

    July 19, 2013 at 12:10 AM

    http://opinion.inquirer.net/56777/milking-the-government
    Randy David wrote,
    ” The reality,however, is that the pork barrel is one of the pillars of the patronage structure on which our political system rests. It is what permits our legislators to play the role of patron and to recover part of their electoral campaign expenses. All presidents know this. And so, rather than get rid of it, they use it as an incentive or weapon to keep legislators in line.”
    ” One can almost expect her powerful partners in government to equally distance themselves from her, while quietly protecting her.”

    • leltlet says

      July 19, 2013 at 1:38 AM

      Pork barrel is used as a carrot dangled above the head of our senators and congressmen to make them to toe in line to support governmental programs and projects which had/ have been used by our presidents as a bargaining power. I wonder if this political system is outright conducive to the socio- economic growth of the public. Is this a plus or a minus factor in the crystallization of PNOY’s programs and projects in the long run?

  12. Martial Bonifacio says

    July 18, 2013 at 11:11 PM

    Bakit kasi ayaw pa nilang isalang ang FOI bill both sa congress at senate? Sa totoo lang after the impeachment trial naunahan pa sila ng SC sa pagiging partially transparent. Yung mga nag-akusa at humatol ay sila din na naman ngayon ang ayaw maging transparent.

    At least ngayon mukhang madali ng ma scrutinize ang SALN ng SC:
    http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/nation/07/01/13/whos-richest-supreme-court-justice

    Off-topic:
    @Victin Luz sa balitang ito kitang kita na naman kung gaano kalapit ang mga poachers sa isang isla sa Batanes. Alam na pala ng CG na hanggang ngayon continuous pa din ang poaching pero dahil sa insidente at ginagawang investigation ang sagot na naman nila ay “wala kaming magagawa.”

    http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/video/focus/07/18/13/excl-taiwanese-still-poaching-batanes-waters

    While in Taiwan news continous pa din ang pagmamayabang ng Fisheries Agency nila about increase in income due to increase of catch of tuna. I really hope utusan na ng NBI/DOJ at ng Pangulo na ibalik yung CG ship sa Batanes ng mahuli ang mga ito.

  13. Rene-Ipil says

    July 18, 2013 at 5:37 PM

    Mar Roxas missed his chance to show that DILG meant business in minimizing criminality. He should not have publicized his doubts on the legitimacy of police operations in the Cadavero case. It is sufficient that he ordered the investigation of the killing of Cadavero and relieved the officers concerned.

    But in any case, he should stand by his men under the doctrine of presumption of regularity in the discharge of official function. The least he can do is to give his men due process. Meaning that he should not prejudge the case against his own people. That is very demoralizing for his subordinates. IMO the overwhelming majority of the public approved the elimination of Cadavero.

    It is a different case in regard to PNP Chief Purisima. He axed his men for insubordination. That is the failure to turnover Cadavero to BuCor in contravention of his direct order. This is regardless whether his “turn over” order is merely for show. It is an unwritten code among the police that in cases of “termination” of ripened notorious criminal, the superior must be insulated from negative effects. For how could the superior help his men if he is also in hot water?

  14. Rene-Ipil says

    July 18, 2013 at 4:49 PM

    I strongly suggest that the government should take all necessary steps within the bounds of law to place Napoles under its protective custody. Pertinent pieces of evidence are needed from her to determine the culpability, if any, of the concerned senators, their respective staff and other conspirators.

    I hope that Napoles will not suffer the fate of Cadavero for the sake of truth.

  15. pinay710 says

    July 18, 2013 at 11:33 AM

    MGA MAMAMAYANG PILIPINO. SOBRA NA ANG GINAGAWA NG MGA SENADORES NA ITO SA ATING KABAN NG BAYAN. KURKOT DITO KURAKOT DOON, NAKAW DITO NAKAW DOON, TAGO DITO TAGO DOON NG MGA KAPERAHAN NG BAYAN. MABUTI PA KAYA HUWAG NA TAYONG MAGBAYAD NG BUWIS TUTAL NANAKAWIN LANG NAMAN NG MGA HINAYUPAK NA MGA OPISYALES NG BANSANG PILIPINAS. HINDI PALA TAYO DAPAT SABIHIN NA THIRD WORLD COUNTRY DAHIL MAYAMAN TAYO AT ANG DAMING NANANAKAW ANG MGA OPISYALES NA ITO.

    MGA KABABAYAN HUWAG NA TAYONG MAGBAYAD NG BUWIS!!! MGA BUISIT!!!

    • moonie says

      July 18, 2013 at 1:47 PM

      I think we still need to pay tax. the govt needs the revenue. teachers in public schools still need to be paid, ganon din yong mga health workers like doctors and nurses in public hospitals, dapat silang masahuran. maraming mga public servants na nagtatrabaho sa government offices gaya ng mga munisipyo’t city halls na nangangailangan din ng sahod, bonus tuwing pasko, at iba pa. money is needed for public roads, maintenance of govt buildings at iba pang mga infrastructures.

      we need to be vigilant about how the money is spent. as previously suggested, there ought to be follow up and review at regular intervals to ensure projects are up and running and continue to run satisfactorily. we should not just leave all to COA to do checks.

      • pinay710 says

        July 20, 2013 at 7:16 AM

        @mam/sir mooonie, kung ganoon po yung mga kawani ng pamahalaan na sumusueldo ng mababa sa P20 libo kada buwqn HUWAG NA TANGGALAN NG BUWIS. total sila naman ang nagtra trabaho para sa bayan. yang mga kawaning yan ay malayong magnakaw dahil sa mga sumasahod ng gnayang halaga ay hindi SIGURADO humahawak ng anumang kaperahan. DAGDAGAN NG BUWIS ANG MGA SENADOR, KONGRESISTA AT MGA MATATAAS NA OPISYALES SA PAMAHALAAN. may mga ibat ibang benepisyo ang mga yan mula sa tanggapan na kanikanilang pinaglilingkuran. mga ALLOWANCES MARAMI SILA.ang mga mababbang kawani COLA lang. at kung minsan PAMASKO AY AWA PA. KUNG MAY NAIIPON kuno ANG OPISINA.

        • moonie says

          July 21, 2013 at 7:25 AM

          thanks, pinay710. my fight is with the senadores who recieved 60% kickbacks from napoles, ginawang gatasan ang mga pork barrels nila. they have abused their porks and ought to have porks taken away from them.

          I have no quarrel with ordinary public servants.

    • Paul says

      July 19, 2013 at 10:37 PM

      Taxes are needed, Kung walang tax ano ang ibabayad sa tauhan nang Doj at NBI para mag imbestiga.

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First they came for the Socialists, and I did not speak out— Because I was not a Socialist Then they came fof the Trade Unionists, and I did not out speak out— Because I was not a Trade Unionist. Then they came for the Jews, and I did not speak out— Because I was not a Jew. Then they came for me— And there was no one left to speak for me. —Martin Niemöller (1892-1984)

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