Repost from Kamalayan in Facebook
Image by: Ang Gerilya OUR HISTORY: FROM PEOPLE POWER TO TODAY In late summer 2013 the government of President B. Aquino was caught in a corruption controversy over the so-called "pork barrel." What is this and what is it's history? In the Philippines, pork barrel funds have been in use at least since the 1930s during the U.S. colonial occupation. Wrote Patricio Diaz in a column for MindaNews: “The spoil system originated from American politics. Just like t oday, appointive positions then were the preserve of the party in power. These positions, like today, were used to pay political debts. “The pork barrel in Congress was part of this spoil system. In fact, in the 1930s, pork barrel was like the personal discretionary fund of the members of the Legislature who belonged to the ruling party.” The pork barrel in the Philippines has assumed various names, most probably because of the term’s less-than-savory connotations. During the presidency of Fidel V. Ramos (1
