What Pork Is and Isn't

                                                          (photo: equalizerpost.com)

They were the informed ones. 

The people who went to the Luneta to air their rage against the Pork Barrel were the ones who saw the invites from the social networks. Most of them have Facebook accounts so with Twitter and other links to the web. The reason why they went there was the fact that they understood the situation and their anger must be addressed.

James is from Casa. He would sometimes help in the nearby lechonan so to have some allowance for school. He then catches up with his classes when he has the fare. Inside the classroom he is threatened with the square root of 175 and cowers on the thought of measuring the distance of waves between troughs. When his Araling Panlipunan teacher posed the question for their assignment: Abolish the pork or not? He answered: Maa’m waya nay ako trabaho kun ya nay lechonon!

Pedro is from Tabon-tabon. He tills the land which is not his. His constant companion is the carabao which helps him with his daily tasks. His vocabulary is limited to WAT and NAY for eight hours daily. If a reporter from ABS-CBN would interview him on the plowed mud for effect: Kailangan pa ba natin ng PORK? We are sure that Mr. Pedro will say: WAT? And his carabao would energetically proceed to its plowing.

These two persons are just the representatives of the Filipinos who are not so concerned about the social climate since they are so busy existing. How could the mind think with an empty stomach? There is a bunch of people who do not understand the importance of going to the freedom parks and raise their arms in protest for something vague to them. The government must have a mechanism of informing the public on the basic principles of governance.

Most of the townspeople are not aware of the roles of the legislators. When asked if they know the roles of the local SB members, they will answer in the affirmative yet their answers are being clouded by that patronizing “help” coming from the elected officials rather than that of the common good. That’s the reason why the PORK of the representatives fell on the patronage system. Most of the people are unaware about how it must be spent.

Of course, we must not encourage the PDAF to have a lengthy stay. We need politicians who are accountable and transparent enough on what they’ve done with taxpayers’ money. We are outraged with how the Napuleses are indulging on the comforts of The Ritz… But we need to awaken our companions as well. Our battle cry will be loud enough if the rest of us are the informed individuals.

Without the necessary information, the rest of the people would resort to asking for help, bringing prescriptions, begging for some amount for the burial and hospitalizations of loved ones and continue voting those politicians whom the common tao think could HELP him.

With such mindset, the representatives and senators would then say: Where would I get the money to help the poor if not from PORK?