Where millions are poor, stealing public money is the worst crime of all. This is a text of a poster I remember the Philippine Information Agency (PIA) posted in public places a long time ago. It was relevant then. It is still relevant today although it is no longer found posted anywhere. In the light of the PDAF and DAP expose, (call it scam if you want), the exhortation is even more relevant than it was when it was first published. The President and his hacks and apologists will continue to cite good faith in their defense of the DAP expenses notwithstanding its being declared unconstitutional by the Supreme Court, but the fact remains that it was expended in the manner prohibited by the Constitution.

That Budget Secretary Butch Abad and the President's allies are now proposing to change the meaning and definition of “savings” in the 2015 General Appropriations Act, suggests that the Executive Branch has not abandoned its plan to continue dispensing DAP funds in the same manner that is expeditious to the President. A simple analysis of this is that President PNoy and his Liberal Party are shoring up resources for the 2016 synchronized national and local elections. If this is not so why would the administration of PNoy be so intense on circumventing the decision of the Supreme Court on the DAP? Why the sudden move to change the meaning and definition of the word “savings” if not to suit a grand design?

They are risking national censorship by the people.

During my stint in the local government (am now retired) my good friend and kumara, Mrs. Valer Orig, the provincial budget officer, taught me that savings cannot be realigned or transferred to another expense account without the approval of the Sangguniang Panlalawigan in a supplemental budget. The rule is just the extension of the same rule governing national budgets. But in implementing DAP, national government overlooked this important budget principle. Besides, unexpended funds as a result of unimplemented projects identified in the current budget cannot be called savings at the end of the fiscal year. So why the hurry to change the rule in the national budget when this will have unimagined implication down to the local budgeting system?

Realigning savings to a lump sum appropriation in the DAP without the benefit of a supplemental budget approved by Congress is a no-no in line budgeting that government has adopted. This is tantamount to opening the appropriation to the dirty hands (“balahiboon og kamot” in Bisaya) of politicians out only for their selfish personal or political interest, even if the same is subject to the approval of the President.

There is no other way to interpret it but that the administration is preparing for the political kitty of 2016. And speaking of the 2016 elections, why did DILG Secretary Mar Roxas float the idea of extending the term of President PNoy when it is clear in the Constitution how many number of years is the term of the President? Was he trying to ensure the President will pick him as the official standard bearer of the Liberal Party for President in 2016? It was a calculated move to neutralize the statements of the Presidential Sisters that they would not mind having Vice President Binay as the guest candidate of the Liberal Party when the 2016 elections come. I remember that he also personally handed the P2.3 billion Bohol Earthquake Assistance to Governor Edgar M. Chatto. That also was to ensure that he will be remembered in 2016.

Anyway going back to PDAF and DAP, my graduate student in Public Administration, Eric Cordero, has an apt and catchy description of both. He called them the Twin Portrait of Illegal, Corruptible Public Funds. He referred to corruption of public funds as systemic. He says “If we go back to the issue at hand -- corruption, in all its forms and derivatives, inarguably is not the exclusive domain of public officials and administrators. It is so ingrained in the national fabric, that the Filipino people have been apathetic spectators but tolerant partners, in the perpetuation of corruption.”

There is however hope after all. He says “If there is any silver lining to this issue, it is that the people see this as a democratic process with the principle of check and balance among the three branches of government being amply tested . And all the more it is necessary to push for an efficient, competent, and dynamic Public Administration, which paramount reason for being is the general welfare of the people.” Well said. Let us just hope that all these will bring about genuine concern and measures to curb the increasing number of poor Filipinos despite what President PNoy claimed in his last SONA about the reform and strides in the other areas of governance and development. We hate to see the worst crime of stealing public funds being perpetuated when the number of the poor grows by the millions every year.

NOTES. We shouted our hosannas when PLDT' s fiber optic project was switched on during Bohol Day's program last July 22. Information Technology (IT) users were triumphant but only for a short while. Now connection to PLDTs internet service is intermittent if not chaotic. Text messages sent using the SMART SIM is in disarray. A message that is sent once is delivered four times over or not at all especially if it is to another network. So who needs fiber optic? Let us hear the explanation From PLDT and SMART.