|
Tuesday, September 07, 2004
Editorials: Pork use
Save perhaps for summarizing criticisms of the pork barrel setup and presenting figures, there is actually nothing in the conclusions of the latest Philippine Center for Investigative Journalism report that people do not know or, at the very least, felt.
And there is also nothing new in the defense being put up by concerned legislators recently—so much so that arguments for and against the pork barrel have become clichés.
Indeed, pork barrels—called the Priority Development Assistance Fund in Congress and other euphemisms by local legislative units nationwide—are used primarily by politicians as election tools and only secondarily for development.
But zeroing in solely on the pork barrel is not only unfair to legislators but is also very limiting. Note that funds handled by the executive department, from the national government down to local government units, are also largely used the same way.
This is because in the kind of political setup we have, elected government officials often consider two things once they take the helm: the first is paying their debts to financial and poll campaign backers and the other is to prepare for the next elections.
And this partly explains why, despite the financial crunch, some legislators, especially those with the opposition, are against moves to scrap their pork barrels, wisely questioning how the executive department will also allocate the funds they are handling.
This, though, should not deter all concerned to find ways to bring us to the ideal setup: which is to use limited government funds for projects that would spur the growth of the national and local economy and provide honest service to those most in need.
Russian tragedy
In the aftermath of the worst hostage crisis to hit Russia, with the death toll rising to 400, many of them students, one weeping woman asked: “Why? What for?”
That should sum up the reaction of people everywhere every time terrorists sacrifice innocent people for a perverted cause.
In Russia’s case, the victims were those unfortunate to have been inside a school in Beslan, North Ossetia, when terrorists seeking independence for nearby Chechnya went on a hostage-seeking rampage.
But why a school? And what for?
That incident in Russia should be condemned by all those who love peace, and countries like the Philippines, which also has its share of terrorist groups, should learn lessons from the tragedy.
(September 7, 2004 issue)
Write letter to the editor.Click here.
Join the Sun.Star message board.Click here. |
|
[return to top]
[home]
[network page]
|
LOCAL NEWS
BUSINESS
OPINION
SPORTS
LIFESTYLE
FEATURE
SUPERBALITA
WEEKEND
|
