“Do you agree with Aquino’s decision to scrap the Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF) and to replace it with a line budgeting system?”

“It does not resolve the issue. Yes, you can scrap the existing system and replace it with a new one, but if you have the same set of crooks running the new system, what’s the point? They will always find a way to corrupt this new policy. I want to see politicians and their equally corrupt cohorts in various industries lynched, assassinated, crucified, burned, stoned, exorcised, even excommunicated.”

Joseph Salazar, Assistant Professor, Filipino Department

“I believe that imposing the new system will provide transparency [with regard] to how our government allocates and uses the taxes. This transparency returns the power to the people, which is the best way to begin rebuilding our government.”

Eugenie Huibonhoa (II AB Psy)

“I disagree with both. I believe that Noynoy should disallow legislators from access to public funds because their main duty is to make laws. Giving them a budget will divert their attention from serving the country considering the Philippines’ history of corruption.”

Lauren Ong (II AB MEC)

“I agree with President Aquino’s decision to scrap the PDAF as the fund is inconsistent with a legislator’s mandate to make laws. The proposed line budgeting system is a step forward but it will only work if there is greater transparency in the proceedings. In any case, the people must remain perpetually vigilant and discerning. ”

Atty. Giancarlo Puyo, Lecturer, Law and Marketing Department

“PNoy’s decision to replace the PDAF with the line budgeting system is just a strategic act to please the public while not really giving them what they want. This reformed budget system does not really address the corruption-ridden PDAF system [with regard to] its discretionary nature and in the involvement of the legislative. In a line budgeting system, the legislative still has access to funds and a say in choosing and implementing projects, which does not address the alluring conditions to corruption, particularly the power lawmakers have in the allocation of the reformed budget system. The legislative should remain involved just in legislating and should not interfere in the job [of the executive branch]. What we see here is not really the abolishment of the PDAF system, for the line budgeting system is just [the] PDAF packaged differently.”

Jessica Lim (IV AB PoS)

“I agree with PNoy’s decision to scrap PDAF and replace it with line budgeting. With PDAF, the senators in charge will always just have the money with them and they are free to dispose of it as they wish, which could probably be a reason behind the money disappearing from the [national budget] and appearing in their pockets. With a line budgeting system, they are forced to only ask for and use money when a specific project comes up. This could hopefully lessen the chances of budgets being pocketed by officials, although we still can’t say for sure how well it will work. But I believe it’s worth a shot.”

Gica Pollisco (I BS CTM)

“President Aquino’s plan of replacing the PDAF with the line budgeting system, for me, is somehow better as compared to the PDAF because the latter has a stricter set of rules. However, if enacted inefficiently and is watched over by dishonest officials, the line budgeting system will not be any different from the PDAF. So for me, the issue here is with the officials who work with the money rather than the beneficiaries of the funds.”

Clarissa Panlasigui (III AB Eco)

“No, I don’t agree with scrapping the PDAF. When you put [the funds allocated for the PDAF] in other agencies, then the politicians still have some semblance of control of the funds instead of just putting them in basic social services. The proper thing to do with regards to the money is not to distribute it, but to give the money to social services such as education, public health [and] infrastructures, because otherwise there’s still a lot of room for corruption. [They are] just dispersing the issue, but actually it’s (corruption) still there if you’re not getting to the root of it.”

Leal Rodriguez, Professor, English Department