Two anti-'pork' organizers joining forces for Oct 4 rally

Organizers of at least two recent anti-'pork' rallies will take part in this week's upcoming gathering in Makati City against the pork barrel fund system.

The EDSA Tayo group, which organized a prayer vigil against pork last Sept. 11, said it is joining forces with the Million People March for the Oct. 4 event.

"Million People March joins forces with EDSA Tayo for Oct. 4 rally in Ayala," it said on its Twitter account Sunday.

The "Million People March" was behind the Aug. 26 gathering against the pork barrel system at the Luneta in Manila.

Friday's rally is to be held at Ayala corner Paseo de Roxas in Makati City from 3 p.m., though the program is to start at 5:30 p.m.

On Saturday, however, Malacañang asked the organizers to consider the effect of the activity on the business sector there.

Deputy presidential spokesperson Abigail Valte also insisted they had explained the “rhyme and reason” for the President’s Social Fund (PSF), which critics had called presidential pork.

“That’s something the rally organizers should take into consideration, I’m not quite sure if the date is weekday or weekend,” she said on government-run dzRB radio, when asked about the rally’s effect on the business district.

But Valte said the Palace had “already explained a number of times” the rhyme and reason for the existence of the PSF, which she said had been put to use in the Zamboanga City crisis.

“Nobody will argue what happened in Zamboanga City is something that was unforeseen or unplanned. We reiterate (our position that) there has been no allegation of misuse as far as the PSF is concerned as well as any special purpose fund under this administration,” she said.

Also, she said President Benigno Aquino as head of the executive department should be able to respond to any crisis or exigent circumstance.

“There is an amount of flexibility needed in some of special purpose funds na 'di sasailalim sa pondong naka line item sa ahensya (There should be flexibility for some of the special purpose funds that is not under the line-item budgeting of government agencies),” she added. — LBG, GMA News