Money, money, money

VIRTUAL REALITY

- TONY LOPEZ

It’s Christmas. It’s a season of gifts and gift giving. And the best gift, nothing beats it, is money. Cash. Pera. Kwarta. Datung.

Accordingly, on Dec. 11, 2024, our congressmen and senators under a special legislative species called BiCam gifted themselves, surreptitiously, money. Lots of money. Money they otherwise would not earn even if they worked 24/7 365 days a year.

The money is for all 23 senators. And all 316 congressmen. They allocated themselves cash. In many forms. As budget insertions. As various infrastructure projects (VIP for VIPs). As Ayuda (help in English). And AKAP (embrace in English). In plain language: Pork. In more blunt language: Corruption.

Why this corruption? Well, to use a famous sister’s slogan, it’s for “Imeesolusyon.” To help one’s election. Support one’s political bastion. Serve one’s ambition. Or promote one’s wealth creation. Because, in case you didn’t know, the fastest way to billionaire status in the Philippines is, drum roll, please – a public office, a government job, preferably one with a gargantuan allocation of taxpayers’ money.

The 2025 budget of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) was increased by P288 billion to P1.11 trillion. Without DPWH Secretary Manuel Bonoan asking for it. After all, in 2023, DPWH became notorious for low utilization of its massive budget. If you cannot even spend what you already have, why ask for more?

The 1.11 (one and eleven) is a serendipitous figure. A metaphor. “One” means isa in Tagalog. As in nakaisa (put one over you). Eleven is onse in Tagalog and Spanish. As in na-onse (swindled). Or budol (fraud) victim, in current lingua franca.