TONGPATS or BADAF? Skeptical public pitches names for new pork system
That's just one cheeky response to President Aquino's announcement that he is now abolishing the PDAF, or the Priority Development Assistance Fund.
Few seem to believe that the corrupt pork barrel system, huge funds at the discretion of lawmakers, will end with PNoy's surprise press conference yesterday where he revealed that the PDAF will be gone, but will be replaced with a new and improved system.
That triggered an outpouring of playful suggestions from skeptical netizens on what to name the new pork barrel.
A few adhered to the pork theme, such as LIEMPO (Lawmakers Initiative for Emergency, Miscellaneous and Personal Outlay) or SISIG (Social Initiative for Service in Governance).
Among the more prolific brainstormers via Twitter has been activist Carlos Conde, who has also proposed PAPAITAN, or President Aquino's Political Action and Initiative for Total Allocation of National Budget, and HUMBAA, or Horrifyingly Unlimited Money for Belmonte, Aquino and Allies.
- Budgetary Allocation for Collaborative Outreach Nationwide (BACON)
- Benigno Aquino Development Assistance Fund (BADAF)
- Countrywide Universal Priority Initiatives Treasury (CUPIT) Fund
- National Assistance Program of Lawmakers Engaged in Swindling (NAPOLES)
- Holistic Lawmaking for Development of All Filipinos (HOLDAF)
- Government Outlay Line-itemized and Appropriated Yearly (GOLAY)
- National Allotment for Countryside Amelioration and Welfare (NACAW)
- President’s Outlay for Countrywide Handling of Emergency Rehabilitation for Opulence (POCHERO)
- Outlay for the Interest of Napoles and Kin (OINK)
- Selective Enforcement of Budgetary Outlays (SEBO)
- President Aquino’s Nationwide Outlay for Transparency (PANOT)
Lists of acronyms, which are regularly updated through comments from Facebook users, have been posted in various sites and also on the event page of the Million People March to Luneta on August 26.
The name-pitching fest is among the lighter episodes in a large corruption scandal that has not died down despite the debilitating impact of Habagat rains in the past week.
Rally organizers have said that Monday's march to Luneta will push through despite Aquino's announcement. On Saturday, Manila city authorities announced that roads leading to Luneta will be closed starting 9 a.m. on Monday to make way for the protest.
Many ordinary people asked by GMA News Online have indicated that they will attend the rally, some of whom were not experienced protesters.
John Perez, the leader of a cyclists group in Makati, says they are joining not just because they're angry. "We're hopeful for the future. We think this action will lead somewhere," he said, as a friend was tuning up his bike for their ride on Monday.