Awan babain da -- manen

EDITORIAL

Call it kapal muks, but several members of the minority bloc in the House of Representatives told new Public Works Secretary Rogelio Singson last week they would defy President Aquino’s ban on putting their images and names on billboards and other markers for state-funded projects.

Have these solons, mostly supporters of former President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo forgotten their mandate is to craft laws that are beneficial to the populace and not to engage in popularity contests?

Why can’t they take the cue from the President who ordered department heads to stop putting his image and name on government projects and items procured using public funds? The President has ordered Singson’s department to include other public officials in the ban.

These solons, after losing their wang-wang and getting stuck in traffic like the rest of this Banana Republic’s blighted people, are aghast over losing yet another perk: billboards proclaiming projects financed by taxpayers as their own.

These lawmakers said taking credit for their pet projects was their way of promoting transparency in the use of their pork barrel. They opposed the inclusion in the project markers of the name of the contractor plus the project cost, saying this could make the contractors targets of communist rebels for “revolutionary tax.” That’s transparency to them. Give them credit for creativity in their arguments.

Lawmakers can announce how they are addressing concerns of their constituents by submitting regularly a detailed report of their utilization of the congressional pork barrel, including contractors involved and items procured.

Opening these to public scrutiny will be appreciated by taxpayers. But their brand of transparency has allowed fly-by-night contractors to undertake projects or supply goods and services to the government. When the products or services rendered turned out substandard, taxpayers who bankrolled the items or projects were unable to hold anyone accountable.

If these congressmen want to remind their constituents they are doing their job, they can still cut the ribbon during groundbreaking ceremonies or when their pet projects are completed. They can also personally lead distribution of goods to the needy when the project is upon their initiative. But credit for state-funded projects should not go to politicians.

Shaming the shameless in following the President’s example may not be applicable to thick hides, but he can hold public works and other executive officials accountable for seeing to it that his directive is carried out. The Ilocanos have terms for such shamelessness. Awan babain da!