Of pork, donors, spending caps:
‘Polspeak’ and Senate wannabes

BEFORE THE official campaign period started, the PCIJ interviewed a majority of the candidates for senator on money matters.

We asked them to take a stand on pork barrel, the use of public funds, campaign spending limits, how they plan to fatten their campaign kitty, and how they will deal with donors seeking rent or favors.

We thought it important to put them on the record on money-in-politics questions that are a reference of integrity, character, and purpose — and how they intend to do right by taxpayers’ money, once elected into office.

PCIJ Research Director Karol Ilagan, PCIJ researcher Rowena F. Caronan, and PCIJ interns Kia Obang and Romina Tapire conducted the interviews on Jan. 25, 2013.

What follows are nuggets of “PolSpeak”, a featured content in MoneyPolitics.PCIJ.org, the PCIJ’s latest data journalism project. A citizen’s resource, research, and analysis tool on elections, public funds, and governance in the Philippines, it goes online soon!

ON PORK BARREL:

Senatorial candidate Margarita Cojuangco (United Nationalist Alliance):

“There is nothing wrong with the pork barrel as long as it’s used the way it’s intended to be. In fact, expectations are so great, it’s not only constructing of the bridge or the road, it’s even the money for people, for constituents who come and say, ‘We don’t have money to go home,’ ‘We don’t have any money for the doctor,’ ‘We don’t have any money for the education of our children.’ As long as it’s used wisely, it’s audited properly, then I think it’s necessary. I’m not gonna be a hypocrite.”

Senatorial candidate Samson Alcantara:

“If it (pork barrel) will be intended for the good of the people, I will accept that. But I will not beg for it… Halimbawa may pork barrel, pero kapag iipitin yan ng executive upang makiusap ka o sumuko ka sa kanila, I will not beg for that.”

Senatorial candidate Marwil Llasos:

“(K)apag senador ka o kongresista ka, ang trabaho mo ay legislative. You have nothing to do with the executive functions. Kung gusto nilang makialam sa proyekto ng gobyerno ay huwag silang mag-senador, mag-congressman, mag-secretary sila ng DPWH. Kasi ang function ng isang senador o congressman, tatlo yan: legislation, investigation and education. Walang binabanggit sa batas na kasama diyan ang pagiging kontratista.”

Senatorial candidate Risa Hontiveros-Baraquel (Team PNoy):

“Dapat ang PDAF (Priority Development Assistance Fund), ginagastos ayon sa desisyon ng ordinaryong mamamayan.”

“I’m for the abolition of the pork barrel system. Kasi pinagmumulan siya ng korupsyon at saka patronage. Ngayon, habang hindi pa na-abolish yung system na ‘yan, dapat ang PDAF ay ginagamit sa transparent na paraan. Pangalawa, dapat ang PDAF, ginagastos ayon sa desisyon ng ordinaryong mamamayan.”

Senatorial candidate Teddy Casino (Makabayan):

“It should be abolished as it is. Kung meron mang mga projects na gustong ipasok ang congressman para sa distrito niya, o ang senador para sa kung saan, dapat ito ay dadaaan sa regular budget procedure, naka-line item ‘yan sa budget. Kasi ang problema natin ‘yung lumpsum na wala ka pang naiisip na project may P70 million ka na. Bahala ka kung ano’ng gusto mong gawin. ‘Yan talaga ang source ng problema at ‘yan ay nagagamit sa pulitika ng executive as a carrot and stick sa legislative, so better i-abolish na ‘yung ganyang sistema.”

Senatorial candidate Bal Falcone (Democratic Party of the Philippines):

“Senators and congressmen are just supposed to be legislators. They are not supposed to be part and partially executive kaya nagkakaloko-loko ang bayan natin because the legislators who are supposed to just focus on solving poverty in the country are also exercising executive functions. And this being unaudited, a lot of corruption comes in, a lot of government money is wasted.”

ON USE OF PUBLIC FUNDS:

Senatorial candidate Grace Poe-Llamanzares (Team PNoy):

“Kahit na anong pera, MOOE man ‘yan o pork barrel, kung ‘yan po ay pinagkatiwala sa iyo, hindi ‘yan para sa personal mong paggamit.’Yan ay para sa taong bayan. Nagayon, simple lang naman po kasi yung mga pork barrel na yan, kung ikaw ay gumawa ng kalsada, makakabuti yan sa iyong mga constituents. Pero tama nga rin po ‘wag naman ilagay ng napakalaki ang pangalan mo doon, walang kwenta naman ‘yun.

Senatorial candidate Grace Poe-Llamanzares:

“So, kahit po sa MTRCB (Movie and Television Review and Classification Board) noon, panukala namin na magkaroon ng advisory sa simula ng bawat show para bigyan busina ‘yung mga magulang. Pero maraming nagsasabi na ‘Ma’am, pwede mong ilagay ‘yung mukha mo dyan na ang MTRCB director,’ ‘Pwedeng boses mo ang gamitin diyan o by order by MTRCB chairperson, ganyan.’ Hindi ko nilagay ‘yun kasi sabi ko, ‘Teka muna ibig sabihin kung wala na ako sa MTRCB at tatanggalin n’yo na yan, hindi na ninyo pwedeng gamitin, gagastos na naman kayo. So ganun lang naman po kasimple, konting delicadeza.’

ON CAMPAIGN SPENDING LIMITS:

Senatorial candidate Bal Falcone:

“That’s good, that’s good… The Democratic Party of the Poor (DPP), we cannot even afford one TV advertisement, which costs P200,000 per 30 seconds like Hanep Buhay or something like that… But we go along because our advocacy truly represents the interest of the poor and we are uniting all the poor people in all the several regions of the country. We go through our financing campaign through contributions because we give or we get from our membership, which is increasing by leaps and bounds by the way — only P100 for a life-time membership in DPP.”

Senatorial candidate Eddie Villanueva (Bangon Pilipinas):

“Pabor ako sa less expensive election campaign eh. Kasi unang-una, ang Bangon Pilipinas ay binubuo ng mga volunteers. Wala naman tayong budget na katulad ng ibang political parties. Ang puhunan lang natin, pagmamahal sa Diyos, pagmamahal sa bayan. Kaya more policies which are designed to make elections less expensive, I’m always for the democratization of the election process.”

Senatorial candidate Ramon Montano (Independent):

“That does not bother me because we have been limited… as far as exposure is concerned, kaming mga independent, walang partido kasi wala kaming pera. We cannot even pay for anything. So we are very happy now, ngayon lang kami na-i-interview.”

Senatorial candidate Francis Escudero (Team PNoy):

Okay lang. ‘Yung 120 minutes caps sa TV, 180 minutes caps sa radio. Hindi rin naman namin malamang mauubos ‘yun dahil sobrang mahal ng airtime. In fact, bilang mo sa limang daliri mo sa isang kamay ‘yung mga kandidatong kayang gumastos ng ganyang kalaking pera. Ang question lang namin is, sa Internet, hindi pa marahil nakakaabot ang teknolohiya para tunay na ma-monitor ng Comelec ang paggamit ng Internet at limitahan ito.”

Senatorial candidate Rizalito David:

“For us poor candidates, it doesn’t really matter. I know it would not sit well (with) many of the networks but I think the political ad ban should be restored.”

“May mga kandidato, lalo na may mga pera, ang hinahabol nila, kaya sila nag-i-insist ngayon na mas marami dapat ‘yung airtime because they do not intend to be scrutinized. Because they want na puro political ads na lang, ‘yung mga three 30 seconders. What can you say in 30 seconds, ‘di ba? That is not being true to the people who will be electing you — na binoto ka lang kasi nag-stick sa mind nya ‘yung 30-seconder na palatastas mo. Hindi tama ‘ yan. That is unjust.

And I want to stress it. It is an unjust way of campaigning. People should hear what you are supposed to say, what you have in your mind and in your heart, particular to the issues that is confronting our people. Hindi pwede ‘yun, na mananalo ang isang kandidato because of his 30-seconders, ‘di ba?”

Senatorial candidate Teddy Casino (Makabayan):

“Importante talagang maghigpit ang Comelec para matiyak that there is a level playing field for all candidates, and we support itong efforts ng Comelec. Ang question lang is that — ‘yan ba talaga ‘yung masusunod, will they be able to enforce that, and will the candidates comply?”

Senatorial candidate Gregorio Honasan (UNA):

“Tama po lang ‘yun. Sa akin, kahit anong amount basta ayon sa batas, basta’t maipatupad, ma-enforce parang walang nakakalamang, walang nadedehado. Dahil alam mo naman na galing ‘to sa mga tulong, sa contributions. Basta’t accounted for ito, matapos ang campaign period, meron ‘yang talaan yan, accounting and auditing procedures para makasiguro na walang lumabag sa batas.”

ON CAMPAIGN DONORS and FUND-RAISING:

Senatorial candidate Bam Aquino (Team PNoy):

“‘Yun ‘yung taya nila, eh, tumataya sila sa ‘yo.”

“Nakaka-humble talaga when people donate to you, whether it’s a few thousand or more… And we’re going to declare all of these naman ‘no but yung point ko lang naman dito is, it’s really very humbling when people, you know, donate to your campaign because kumbaga ‘yun ‘yung taya nila eh, tumataya sila sa ‘yo. So… it’s a humbling process, at the same time nakakataba rin ng puso that people believe in you, enough to share with you their hard-earned resources ‘no?”

Senatorial candidate Juan Miguel Zubiri (UNA):

“Marami naman pong tumutulong sa atin. Along the line sa pagiging isang mababatas marami po tayong natutulungan ng mga adbokasiya at mga industriya, ay tumutulong naman po sila, lalu-lalo na kung maganda ang adhikain mo ay marami naman pong tumutulong. Kahit papaano, maliit man o malaki may tumutulong naman.”

Senatorial candidate Margarita Cojuangco (UNA):

“I’m running to serve and I’m not running to spend money that I know that I can save for my children… So if the Comelec sets a certain amount na hanggang diyan lang ‘yung gastos mo, well then good para maintindihan ng lahat ng mga botante that hindi kami bangko, you know, kung ano ‘yung budget naming pareho sa lahat.”

“You know, me being a housewife, I like to budget my money, ‘di ba? You know, it doesn’t make a difference whether you sell in the market or you’re a teacher, everybody has to live on that budget. And you know if I spend too much I don’t know how I will get it back, so it’s really basically very unfair to me and my family. Yeah, so I;m so glad that… because, I want to spend less because I’m here to serve.”

ON DONORS DEMANDING FAVORS:

Senatorial candidate Bam Aquino (Team PNoy):

“Syempre lahat ng mga taong tumutulong sa kampanya ko, sila rin ‘yung mga tao na tumutulong kay (President) PNoy at naniniwala sa ‘tuwid na daan.’ (P)robably, ‘yung mga tao na tiwali, hindi na siguro lalapit sa kampanya namin ‘no, to be frank.”

Senatorial candidate Samson Alcantara:

“Sinasabi ko naman sa kanila kapag nanalo ako, wala tayo yung utang na loob. Ayun ang masama sa Pilpino, may utang na loob kaya nga ngayon sa senado diba, utang na loob… Hindi dapat ‘yun.”