Through people’s initiative: Groups push measure to scrap ‘pork’

CEBU, Philippines - Representatives from various groups convened at the Archbishop’s Palace yesterday to map out a measure of abolishing pork barrel to be enacted by People’s Initiative.

The multi-sectoral meeting aimed to collect the needed number of signatures by January 31, 2015. It was attended by people from the Church, private sector and political groups.

According to Lawyer Rex Fernandez, abolishing pork barrel will end “patronage politics.” He added that he is optimistic of the bill for there is already “people’s upsurge against pork barrel.”

The bill is a consolidated effort of seven major groups which launched movements against pork barrel, including People’s Initiative Coalition Against Dynasty, EPIRMA, Cebu Coalition against the Pork Barrel System and Makabayan bloc.

Cebu Archbishop Jose Palma said after experiencing the “ill effects” of pork barrel, it is time to talk about it in public.

“We are here because we believe through the people’s initiative, something can happen,” he said.

Palma will bring the proposal over to the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines to garner stronger support.

Bayan Muna Representative Carlos Zarate said the meeting is “historical in the fight against pork barrel system.”

“For the first time, nagkahiusa ang different organizations nationwide para buhion ang kampanya,” he added.

Zarate said the PI will empower people for with it, services will go directly to the people. “If dili molihok sa pagtanggal sa pork barrel system ang Kongreso kay as an institution, di gyud siya gusto and kung dili pud ang executive, naa gyud sa katawhan,”  Zarate added.

With the PI, the bill will no longer undergo the usual process of going through both houses of Congress. Instead, it needs to comply with the requirements put forth by the 1987 Constitution.

The law requires that the petition should have signatures from at least three percent of each of the country’s 234 congressional district’s population and 10 percent of the total Philippine population.

When accomplished, it will be presented a certification by the Commission on Elections and after, the agency will be carrying out a plebiscite on the petition where it needs to garner a simple majority of 50 percent plus one for it to be a law.

The bill will focus on lump-sum budgetary appropriations and seeks to eradicate it. It targets congressmen and the president, who holds control over the Presidential Pork which amounts to at least 1.3 trillion.

The group also plans to organize a People’s Congress where representatives from Congressional districts and organization leaders will approve the final draft of the bill.

The Congress is eyed to be launched on the morning of August 23 in line with the anniversary of the Cry of Balintawak. In the afternoon, the collection of signatures will be started at  the Plaza Independencia. —/JMD (FREEMAN)