Pork barrel politics undermines separation of powers principle #pdafscam #porkbarrel

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One of the central aspects and critical component of a functioning democracy is the sparation of powers and the checks and balances it thereby affords – which clearly does not operate in the philippines – and pork barrel/pdaf is one of the key reasons – if not the primary reason -, creating an unholy alliance between the govt and senate/congress based upon a financial stick and carrot approach, ensuring the legislature compromises its function of 'watchdog', and largely reducing its legislative role to a rubber stamp. Furthermore it institutionalises the practice of 'bribery' and debases the principles of integrity and honour, which is also a very scarce commodity in philippine politics.

Pdaf/pork barrel really is a major road block to any form of progress as it ensures nothing fundamentally changes in terms of dynasties, low quality of politicians, patronage politics, corrruption culture, turncoat politicians and a general lack of accountability, or even the need to listen to the voice of the people, as clearly evidenced by the current lacklustre response from all and sundry in malacanan and the senate.

Source:
http://getrealphilippines.com/blog/2013/08/pork-barrel-redux-dbm-secretary-abad-confirms-douchebaggery-as-official-administration-policy/comment-page-1/#comment-125721

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