Filipinos brave forecasts of rain to attend anti-pork rally

Filipinos on Saturday braved forecasts of cloudy skies and rain and trooped to the Luneta in Manila to take part in a rally calling for the abolition of the pork barrel system.

Many of the participants took part in a program that started Saturday morning, with speakers talking about the evils of pork, radio dzBB's Rowena Salvacion reported.

A photo posted by dzBB's Salvacion on Twitter showed many of the participants went to Luneta prepared for rain, wearing caps.

Some treated the gathering as a picnic in the park, bringing food, while militant groups brought banners denouncing the pork barrel system.

Militants at the event claimed as many as 4,000 attended the rally, the report added.

A separate report by dzBB's Mao dela Cruz said those who attended the rally included retired Lingayen-Dagupan Archbishop Oscar Cruz, artist Jograd dela Torre and Juana Change.

Following the program, some of the militant groups left Luneta to march to Mendiola Bridge near Malacañang to continue their anti-pork activity.

Public outrage over the pork barrel system grew in the wake of reports that billions of pesos in taxpayers' money went to fake NGOs that siphoned funds from lawmakers' Priority Development Assistance Fund.

President Benigno Aquino III said he wants the PDAF abolished but some groups remained wary, after he said he wants a replacement system that is more transparent.

Sept. 29 rally in Cebu

Another rally calling for the abolition of the pork barrel system has been set in Cebu on September 29, with the support of Cebu Archbishop and outgoing Catholic Bishops' Conference of the Philippines president Jose Palma.

Palma urged his flock to support the upcoming mass gathering, along with other moves that promote transparency and accountability.

"May I invite you to find time to join, if this is within the bounds of the circumstances of your time and opportunity? I ask for your prayers for the success of this rally," he said in a statement, excerpts of which were posted Saturday on the CBCP news site.

“The call is for everyone to be concerned, to be discerning, to be involved,” he added.

He said that while he could not personally attend the rally due to a "prior commitment," his "heart, love, and prayers are with you as we look forward to this rally, to this coalition against pork barrel.”

Palma urged priests to concelebrate the Mass and asked schools, lay organizations, and religious groups to send delegates.

Also, he noted the CBCP had exhorted the Catholic faithful to "fulfill the Christian duty to transform society and restore all things in Christ.”

Mass, march

The CBCP said the rally will start with a Mass at Fuente Osmeña Circle at 1:30 p.m. Participants will then march to Osmeña Blvd, Sanciangko, and back to Fuente Osmeña Circle.

The Cebu Coalition against Pork Barrel System, a group that calls for the abolition of lump-sum appropriations in government finances, is organizing the march.

Disgust not enough

Meanwhile, Palma asked the participants to go beyond expressing disgust over corruptio, and pray for the resolution of the pork barrel controversy.

He asked them not only to express disgust over the cases of fund misuse but to also seek Divine intervention in their quest for truth and justice.

“When you come, please be open to the thought that here we are not only decrying a bad practice. Here we are also praying to be able to discern, study, learn, and even recommend solutions that would respond to the questions often asked when the pork barrel is scrapped off,” he said.

Petition vs corruption

Meanwhile, Palma urged the faithful to sign a petition composed by civil organizations dubbed the “Unity Statement Against Corruption.”

The CBCP said the statement also calls for transparency and accountability through calling for the immediate resignation and punishment of officials and personalities involved in the multi-billion pork barrel scam.

“In the pork barrel system, lump-sum amounts are placed at the discretion of only one person; which allows him/her to use public funds for patronage politics, political dynasties and personal gain. We are united in condemning this corruption,” the statement read.

“We will definitely discern and (hopefully) be able to recommend solutions as we study the dynamics of the executive, legislative, and judicial branches of the government,” Palma added. — VC, GMA News