Summary of the Peoples Initiative Bill

AN ACT ABOLISHING THE PORK BARREL SYSTEM

The pork barrel of the President and the Congress have been exposed and
condemned by the Filipino people as maor sources of graft and corruption and
of patronage politics and detrimental to the poor and the Filipino people!
This "ct abolishes the presidential and congressional pork barrel# mandates line
item budgeting# prohibits and criminali$es appropriation and use of lump sum
discretionary funds# and penali$es violators %ith six years and one day to ten
years imprisonment and dis&uali'cation from holding public o(ce!
Defnition of pork barre
Pork Barrel is a lump sum public fund %ith sole discretion given to the
President# legislator or group of legislators# or any public o(cer! The exercise of
discretion by public o(cers relates to the allocation# release or use of these
public funds# the identi'cation or selection of proects# implementors or
bene'ciaries# or any or a combination of or all of these!
Man!ator" a#t$
"ll proposed budgets shall contain only itemi$ed or line)item appropriations#
except in the case of disaster reponse# the contingency fund of up to *+ and
intelligence,con'dential funds of the -ational Security Council# the
.epartment of -ational .efense and the .epartment of Interior and /ocal
0overnments!
Special Funds like 1alampaya Funds and other o2)budget accounts shall be
included in the -ational 3xpenditure Program 4-3P5 to be approved by
Congress! The President Social Fund is abolished!
"ll unspent# unobligated and unreleased funds by the end of the 'scal year
shall revert to or remain in the 0eneral Fund and shall be subect to
Congress appropriation!
Pro%ibite! a#t$
The penalty of imprisonment of six years and one day to ten years and
perpetual dis&uali'cation from public o(ce shall be imposed those %ho commit
any of the follo%ing acts6
"ny national o(cial 4the President# his subordinate or member of Congress5
%ho authori$es the spending of public money that is not covered by or is in
violation of any appropriation la%!
"ny national o(cial %ho includes a lump sum amount in any budget
proposal submitted to Congress# or any member of Congress %ho approves
the inclusion of lump sum discretionary fund in the general or supplemental
appropriations acts!
"ny member of Congress or his agent %ho directly or indirectly intervenes or
participates in the implementation of any appropriation la% through any
post)enactment act or practice!
"ny national o(cial %ho declares and utili$e savings in circumvention or
violation of "rticle 7I Section 8* 4*5 of the Constitution and this "ct!
"ny national o(cial %ho %ithdra%s unobligated funds and declares and
utili$e as savings said unobligated funds before the end of the 'scal year!
"ny national o(cial %ho impounds any appropriation or portion thereof
unless there is an o(cial declaration by the President of an unmanageable
-ational 0overnment budget de'cit!
"ny person# including a private individual# %ho persuades or cooperates %ith
any national o(cial in violating this "ct!
A&en!&ent an! repeain' #a($e
This "ct may only be repealed# modi'ed or amended by a la% that has been
approved by the people under the system of initiative and referendum
enshrined in the Constitution!