So generous – with our money

Even with the nation watching, lawmakers have an incorrigible need to get their patronage programs bankrolled by taxpayers.

The House of Representatives proposed P49 billion for the politicized health ayuda, MAIFIP, which the Senate initially cut to P29 billion.

 MAIFIP stands for Medical Assistance to Indigent and Financially Incapacitated Patients. People need an endorsement or guarantee letter from lawmakers and other politicians for MAIFIP access.

This health pork barrel, whose funding should instead go to the Philippine Health Insurance Corp. (PhilHealth) where politicians have no say, got P51 billion on the first day of the bicameral conference last Saturday – up from the P42 billion this year.

With the passage of the health pork barrel plus funds for farm-to-market roads and the Tulong Dunong tertiary education subsidy, Senate President Pro Tempore and Blue Ribbon chair Panfilo Lacson said he would not sign the budget bill.

Last May, Navotas Rep. Toby Tiangco told me that the House leadership stopped the release of MAIFIP to the constituents of congressmen who would not sign the impeachment complaint against Vice President Sara Duterte. The move was carried out after a long period of tepid interest within the super majority in pursuing the impeachment. 

Ousted Senate president Chiz Escudero was correct in pointing out that the House did not act forthwith on the impeachment, approving and sending the complaint on the same day to the Senate, just moments before Congress adjourned for the election campaign on Feb. 5.

Several of the congressmen and senators now pushing for a higher budget for MAIFIP in 2026 were members of the previous 19th Congress. If these opportunistic bleeding hearts truly care about public health and the Universal Health Care Act, why did they go along with impounding P89.9 billon in imaginary excess funds from PhilHealth in 2024, in violation of the UHC law, and giving the state health insurer zero subsidy this year?

MAIFIP is one of the four politicized, patronage ayuda programs that budget watchdogs have been pushing to eliminate.

The three others are AKAP or Ayuda para sa Kapos ang Kita Program, TUPAD or Tulong Panghanapbuhay sa Ating Disadvantaged/Displaced Workers, and the most notorious – the Assistance for Individuals in Crisis Situations. Several barangay officials in Iloilo City now face criminal charges for seizing P8,000 to P9,000 out of the P10,000 payout from indigent AICS beneficiaries who were threatened with disqualification from the program.

In the age of artificial intelligence, why can’t we design systems where people can access government aid and services without having to owe anything to politicians? Surely it’s not rocket science. Those services are paid for by our taxes – value-added, excise, income taxes, all automatically withheld.

*      *      *

The inaugural livestream of the bicam got off to a boring start. Noteworthy was the absence of Sen. Ronald dela Rosa, currently evading a possible “diffusion order” issued in secret by the Interpol for his arrest, upon the request of the International Criminal Court.

Another noticeable detail was President Marcos’ estranged non-sister, Sen. Imee Marcos, showing up in a statement pink ensemble.

After listening to the introductory litany of platitudes from lawmakers about transparency, accountability and the need to restore trust in Congress, I joined the crowds doing holiday shopping on the pre-Christmas payday weekend.

But later in the session, those details about the politicized ayuda emerged.

Monitoring budget deliberations can be tedious. Spotting red flags in mountains of data requires expertise in the budgeting process, and infinite patience. Just looking at all those numbers in fine print can give the math-challenged nosebleed.

Besides, there is presumption of regularity in governance. We presume that members of Congress know what they’re doing, so why should they be watched closely like children stuffing their hands into the cookie jar?

Unfortunately for us taxpayers, presumption of regularity has been abused at practically all levels of government. Regularity can no longer be presumed in congressional chambers that are now seen as dens of thieves.

After the inaugural livestream of the bicam, the elimination of the “small committee” at the House of Representatives, and tight curbs on budget insertions and allocables, people are wondering if the reforms will be institutionalized.

The Supreme Court banned the congressional pork barrel and similar appropriations way back in November 2013. But both chambers of Congress quickly found ways to go around the SC prohibition. The skirting of the order reached brazen, shameless proportions in this year’s General Appropriations Act, now infamous for being the most corrupt GAA ever.

Corruption and the congressional pork barrel are proving to be like the monster Hydra: cut off one head and two new ones pop out.

*      *      *

Besides structural reforms, we need a sea change in the way government service is perceived.

Too many extended families have come to believe that government positions are surefire tickets to fame, fantabulous fortune and entitlements.

When advancement in life is based merely on one’s surname rather than merit, the rot inevitably affects all aspects of society. This concept of inherited entitlements underpinned the monarchies and aristocracies that were overthrown in often bloody revolutions, with members of the abusive ruling class executed.

In our country, even the underachieving members of the clans are assured of a lucrative career in politics. And regardless of the world-class, ultra-expensive universities and boarding schools that the kids attend abroad, they all turn out exactly like their parents when it comes to greed and venality.   

Public service that is based on connections and family ties rather than merit inevitably shows in the quality of government – in the goods and services financed with our taxes. 

Unqualified public officials who get their positions simply because of connections typically lack respect for or pride in their work. And they have no respect for the people they are sworn to serve. They are unable to distinguish between public and personal funds. And when they do, they scheme to use public funds and programs for self-aggrandizement, such as in the case of MAIFIP, AKAP, AICS, etc. 

They want to look generous, as long as they’re using taxpayers’ money. If they’re not misusing our money, they’re robbing us blind.

The United Nations has 17 global sustainable development goals, with the principal objective of attaining “peace and prosperity for people and the planet.” 

For us Filipinos, eradicating corruption should be a sustainable development goal. And instead of insisting on business as usual, such as retaining the latest permutations of the congressional pork barrel, public officials should make themselves part of the solution.