SO SHE spent P459 million in pork barrel allocations for infrastructure projects all in Pampanga’s second district. So what?
The resident philosopher of our espresso academy, Filosofo Takyo, it was that opened our square table discussion of the most pressing issue of the land.
GMA did not pocket the money, and we have yet to hear of any SOPs arising from the projects, the people are benefited. It is only the critics that are giving malice to an otherwise very laudable deed.
Cut the resident critic, Tico the Cynic: It is a question of equity. Because of the largesse of pork barrel in the second district, a lot of other congressional districts, including the three others in Pampanga, have been deprived of their rightful share. Look at this news in the Inquirer, Pampanga’s 1st district got projects worth P103 million, the 3rd district, P183 million and the 4th district P85 million in 2009.
Gov. Eddie Panlilio, is that you? Sneered our Lubao boy, fondly called Panyong Cobrador, referring to the same Inquirer story where the governor denounced the pork barrel distribution as “unfair to Kapampangans” and even called on the “poorest districts in the country to decry” the inequity.
Argued Panyong Cobrador: Equity is not an issue here. It is all a matter of priority, geography, and impact, in terms of benefits to the people.
Look at the projects with the biggest funding: P150-million by-pass road in Lubao of the Gapan-San Fernando-Olongapo Road; P117- million access road to the interchange of the Subic-Clark-Tarlac Expressway (SCTEx) in Floridablanca where Basa Air Base is sited.
By accident of geography, the GSO Road traverses Lubao and chokes there. Hence the need for a by-pass road. Needless to say Basa Air Base is a critical spot in the security not only of the province but of the nation. Thus the need for access for greater mobility of forces. Now if you tell me that such projects are of exclusive benefit to the people of the second district, then I tell you you’re an idiot.
And mind you, the biggest infra project in Pampanga is not even in the 2nd district but in the 4th – look at your Inquirer story – P445 million for dredging work at the mouth of the Pampanga River, which is hoped to provide the definitive solution to the floodings in the 2nd, 3rd and 4th districts.
So, what is Panlilio saying that you are mouthing now? The governor should even be happy over this development. Instead of carping, what he should have done is thank the President for the windfall in the 2nd district and initiate supplemental projects in the other three districts.
Tico the Cynic could not be swayed: I still share Rep. Risa Hontiveros belief that although the spending may not be illegal, it was, to use her very words, “improper” and “shameless.”
Panyong Cobrador raged: Improper? To see where government money goes? Shameless? To provide much benefits to the people? Where’s your sense of values?
This is for you young man: Cong Dadong Macapagal left the Kapampangan the unfulfilled promise of a caduang apag – that is Pampanga getting its share of development in his second term which was aborted with his loss to Ferdinand Marcos. Now the daughter is delivering her father’s promise a hundred, nay, a thousand fold, and you call that improper and shameless? You should join your governor and go, see a shrink, pronto.
Had to intervene there, before our cups of espresso ran over our heads and faces.
So, why your unnatural silence? Filosofo Takyo asked me.
You did all the talking. Now I’ll do all the writing.
The resident philosopher of our espresso academy, Filosofo Takyo, it was that opened our square table discussion of the most pressing issue of the land.
GMA did not pocket the money, and we have yet to hear of any SOPs arising from the projects, the people are benefited. It is only the critics that are giving malice to an otherwise very laudable deed.
Cut the resident critic, Tico the Cynic: It is a question of equity. Because of the largesse of pork barrel in the second district, a lot of other congressional districts, including the three others in Pampanga, have been deprived of their rightful share. Look at this news in the Inquirer, Pampanga’s 1st district got projects worth P103 million, the 3rd district, P183 million and the 4th district P85 million in 2009.
Gov. Eddie Panlilio, is that you? Sneered our Lubao boy, fondly called Panyong Cobrador, referring to the same Inquirer story where the governor denounced the pork barrel distribution as “unfair to Kapampangans” and even called on the “poorest districts in the country to decry” the inequity.
Argued Panyong Cobrador: Equity is not an issue here. It is all a matter of priority, geography, and impact, in terms of benefits to the people.
Look at the projects with the biggest funding: P150-million by-pass road in Lubao of the Gapan-San Fernando-Olongapo Road; P117- million access road to the interchange of the Subic-Clark-Tarlac Expressway (SCTEx) in Floridablanca where Basa Air Base is sited.
By accident of geography, the GSO Road traverses Lubao and chokes there. Hence the need for a by-pass road. Needless to say Basa Air Base is a critical spot in the security not only of the province but of the nation. Thus the need for access for greater mobility of forces. Now if you tell me that such projects are of exclusive benefit to the people of the second district, then I tell you you’re an idiot.
And mind you, the biggest infra project in Pampanga is not even in the 2nd district but in the 4th – look at your Inquirer story – P445 million for dredging work at the mouth of the Pampanga River, which is hoped to provide the definitive solution to the floodings in the 2nd, 3rd and 4th districts.
So, what is Panlilio saying that you are mouthing now? The governor should even be happy over this development. Instead of carping, what he should have done is thank the President for the windfall in the 2nd district and initiate supplemental projects in the other three districts.
Tico the Cynic could not be swayed: I still share Rep. Risa Hontiveros belief that although the spending may not be illegal, it was, to use her very words, “improper” and “shameless.”
Panyong Cobrador raged: Improper? To see where government money goes? Shameless? To provide much benefits to the people? Where’s your sense of values?
This is for you young man: Cong Dadong Macapagal left the Kapampangan the unfulfilled promise of a caduang apag – that is Pampanga getting its share of development in his second term which was aborted with his loss to Ferdinand Marcos. Now the daughter is delivering her father’s promise a hundred, nay, a thousand fold, and you call that improper and shameless? You should join your governor and go, see a shrink, pronto.
Had to intervene there, before our cups of espresso ran over our heads and faces.
So, why your unnatural silence? Filosofo Takyo asked me.
You did all the talking. Now I’ll do all the writing.
