Congressional pork barrel

Estimating pork barrel funds per year for legislators:

240 congressmen x P70 M each = P16.8 B

23 Senators x P200 M each = P4.6 B

Sub-total = P21.4 B

But this is only "average" allocation. Congressmen and Senators who belong to the majority or the administration bloc get more, like those chairpersons and vice-chairpersons of big committees like the Committees on Rules, Appropriations, Ways and Means, Public Works, Education, and Agriculture. And of course, the House Speaker and his Deputy Speakers. So that actual pork barrel funds could be larger than P21 B/year.

But then some Senators give up their pork barrel funds, like Senators Panfilo Lacson, Franklin Drilon and Alfredo Lim did last year. Sen. Lacson is said to have not touched his pork barrel since 2002.

In addition, the President sometimes make it hard for opposition senators and congressmen to get their pork barrel share.