Arroyo's illegitimacy and corruption will be one of the main issue in 2007. Pero para sa mga candidates na tatakbo laban sa administration, it is not enough to just be an anti-Arroyo candidate.
So what are the other issues the anti-Administration candidates should run on? Marami, pero one that I think is a sure winner is the "Say No to Pork Barrel" issue.
Ping Lacson says that
half of the Pork Barrel funds are being pocketed by public officials. (June 12, 2006)
SEN. Panfilo Lacson yesterday asked fellow lawmakers to give up their "pork barrel" even for one year because he said half of it goes to pockets of "corrupt" officials.
"Gumawa ako ng pagsusuri at pag-aaral sa pork barrel. Nakakagimbal iyung natuklasan namin na wala pang 50 percent ang napupunta sa proyekto dahil nga kanya-kanyang kaltasan. Mayroon nga ang CoA na 2 percent. Malaking sindikato sa gobyerno iyan kasi sila ang nagse-certify na tama ang proyekto tapos sacrificed si Juan dela Cruz," he said.
With the findings, Lacson expressed hope that more senators would give up their Countryside Development Fund or pork barrel.
Lacson said lawmakers would have a moral ground to convince President Arroyo to give her pork barrel only if senators and congressmen would give up theirs.
I'm glad Mr. Lacson, Mr. Drilon and Mr. Lim have all given up their pork. Good for them. More here from PCIJ:
Legislators feed on Pork.
I say this is a powerful issue against the incumbent pro-Arroyo candidates dahil masama pa rin lagay ng ekonomiya at sitwasyon natin (despite what the admin says), and voters are looking for public officials who are willing to sacrifice and cut wasteful spending. And by not taking any pork barrel money, we are sending a message na we are willing to help reduce excessive spending and corruption. Unlike in the recent past where there is so much TALK about this or that achievement against corruption, this or that achievement on cutting wasteful spending, ito makikita ng mga tao na billions of pesos ang matitipid ng taxpayers by electing officials that will not accept pork money.
We've seen how this administration has used the pork barrel allocations in the past to fund their GLORIAGATE operations in 2004 and buy the support of many congressmen to kill impeachment or push CHA CHA. And you can be sure na babaha ulit ang mga biyaya ng Arroyo admin sa mga kakampi nito pagdating ng 2007 election.
Corruption yan. And remember the "Bridges to nowhere" scheme ng Arroyo admin?
I think the money should be used instead on more important things like spending on education, health etc. Dapat yung pera ay mapunta sa mga mayors and governors (people who are in charge of running cities and provinces) instead of pork barrel allocations na alam naman nating ginagamit ng arroyo admin para ma-control ang mga tongressmen at senatongs na yan. the congressmen's job is primarily to make laws, and not paying the salaries of gov't employees or managing the city.
Besides, swearing off pork is a good way to contrast oneself from the other admin candidate who is spending taxpayers money like crazy to get himself elected. For admin incumbents to splurge during the campaign is not exactly the most efficient way to spend our gov't money.
So here's how to make this an issue.
anti-Administration newcomers or challengers should pledge to the voters that they will not accept any pork barrel money once they are elected to their terms in office. Maybe even get all the anti-arroyo candidates who are willing to participate in the "Say No to Pork" campaign to do a
public "contract signing" thing, then post their signed "Say No to Pork" document on their website.
(Sure there are some anti-Admin candidates who also taken the pork, pero konti lang ang natatanggap nila. They could have gotten more kung lumipat sila sa administration, but chose not to.
the significant majority of those who are receiving pork are from the administration side. Marami sila at mas malaki ang pork na natatanggap nila kaysa sa mga hindi maka-Arroyo.)
All things being equal, matatalo ang pro-Arroyo candidate sa isang Anti-Arroyo candidate, but the millions of gov't/pork barrel funds (and philhealth cards) many of these pro Arroyo candidates will receive from the admin is A GREAT EQUALIZER.
But by publicly swearing off pork money, the anti-Admin challengers can do a political jujitsu and turn their money handicap into their advantage. They will have the credibility and moral high ground when it comes to fighting corruption and as a cutter of wasteful spending. He or she will be more credible when they talk about self-sacrifice.
Sure it's an unfair and corrupt for the adminisration candidates to get plenty of pork funding during elections, pero sino ba naman sa administration ang napaparusahan at nakukulong for corruption? Si Arroyo? Si Garci? Si Bolante? Si Ricardo Manapat? Kanino ka hihingi ng tulong? sa DOJ? Sa Ombudsman? sa SC?
And that's why we're trying to change the "culture of corruption" and criminality by electing qualified and credible people in gov't, hindi ba?
By electing candidates that have credibility and integrity, we can have real reforms and appoint quality people in government. We can be more aggressive in rooting out all those responsible for GLORIAGATE dagdag bawas operations in the COMELEC and the MILITARY.
It allows us to appoint more credible people to sensitive positions than the likes of Raul Gonzalez and Ombudsman Merceditas Gutierrez in the justice department, Garcillano and Abalos in the COMELEC, the likes of Bolante and Manapat, The Firm pro-Arroyo cronies like Carpio and Corona in the SC, and GLORIAGATE generals like Esperon and Habacon.
UPDATE: I think we should be
creating jobs here instead of sending Filipinos abroad because of lack of job opportunities in our own country. Mali ang focus ni Arroyo dito.
Aside from the Arroyo and Pork Barrel issue, every local candidate should have their own platforms ready and tailor-made for their specific districts.
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