CARSAS Forum on the Pork Barrel
The Carolinian Sociological Anthropological Society (CARSAS) held a forum on the pork barrel system earlier this afternoon.
Angelica Macelino, national coordinator of the Kabataan Partylist, and John Lord Escatno, of the League of Filipino Students, elaborated and explained the Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF) and other forms of pork barrel that include funds allotted to the President.
Both speakers discussed the presidential pork. Marcelino describing it as “prime cuts,” that could be used by all Filipinos and Escatno calling for its abolishment: the presidential pork receives a larger portion of the PDAF compared to the Senate and the House of Representatives.
Marcelino gave a lecture on the history and development of the pork barrel from its American origins as adopted by the Philippines. Escatno advocated for the active role of the youth and accountability. According to Escatno, the youth is an instrument to the abolition and rechanneling of funds to social service: housing, healthcare, and education. He endorsed Youth Accountability and Truth Now (Youth ACT Now).
The open forum questions raised questions on the prevention of further corruption of public funds, the Aquino administration’s Matuwid Na Daan, and the government’s sincerity in removing corruption. The forum ended with the loud ringing of the alarms for the Emergency Drill scheduled on that day.
