Die, Filipinos, die; budget isn't for you

The President proposed a lavish P16.3-billion budget for the House of Reps in 2025.

- JARIUS BONDOC

And P12.8 billion for the Senate.

The two chambers quickly approved their respective allotments. The bloated figures came from them anyway.

Then came last Wednesday morning's closed-door "bicameral conference of two." A congressman inserted P17.37 billion to the House allotment - more than doubling it to P33.67 billion. A senator added P1.1 billion to the chamber - making it P13.9 billion.

That afternoon congressmen and senators ratified their final loot: P47.57 billion. Just like that.

Why are politicos so greedy? This fable somehow explains it:

"Help, save me, help!" the trapped scorpion hollered. Floodwaters were rising fast and about to overflow the rock it was perched on.

Up the tree the monkey heard the cry and shouted, "Fear not, my friend, I'll help you." He grabbed a vine and swung onto the rock. "Quick, cling to my shoulder," he told the frantic scorpion.

The monkey leaped back to the tree and panted, "We made it just in time." The torrent deluged the rock.

Suddenly the scorpion stung the monkey in the neck with its poison tail. Paralyzed, the monkey gasped, "Why did you do this to me, my friend, when I saved your life?"

The scorpion beamed: "I can't help it. It's my nature."

Its politicos' nature to plunder. The 2025 budget shows it:

(1) Bongbong Marcos slated P898.9-billion public works. That's what DPWH is capable of spending on roads, bridges, flood controls.

But the secret bicam of two that Congress ratified last week raised it to P1.11 trillion - the highest budget item.

The extra P214 billion is for more flood works that congressmen, senators and their local official-kin can pocket in full. Also 70-percent kickbacks from highway rock nettings and cat's eyes.

(2) Senators assigned for themselves P5 billion and congressmen P21 billion in Ayuda sa Kapos ang Kita Program.