Senate President Franklin Drilon said that while the PDAF would be abolished as declared by the President, each lawmaker would still retain their right to direct a portion of the annual budget (P200 million for each senator and P70 million for a representative) to a hospital or a road project that they desired.
“What will happen if we will not take a direct hand (in the identification of projects)? Let’s just abolish Congress then,” he said.
Drilon, the Senate President himself, just doesn’t get it. We, the people, are screaming for the abolition of the PDAF, the pork barrel and/or whatever it may be called in the future, including the abolition of any right (perceived or otherwise) of all legislators (both in the Lower House and in the Senate) to direct any portion of the annual budget to any project they desire. We don’t trust you and we wholeheartedly accept your suggestion (arguably the most worthy in your entire political career) to abolish Congress (both the Lower House and the Senate). This is the first step in overhauling the thoroughly corrupt and inept Philippine legislature.
In place of the abolished Congress should be a legislative body of no more than (or not to exceed) fifty (50) individuals representing the various regions of the Philippines, which translates to an efficient representative ratio of 1 for every 2 million Filipinos based on the current estimated population of 100 million. The sole purpose of these 50 representatives would be to legislate--no PDAF, no pork barrel.
But here’s the real solution. These 50 representatives and all elected officials in the Philippines going forward should be elected under a weighted voting system prescribed under the Responsible Democracy Act of the Philippines. Then, we’ll finally get rid of such poor excuses for legislators like Tito Sotto, Lito Lapid, Jinggoy Estrada, Ramon Revilla, among others . . . and witness real progress in the Philippines.
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