Intensify the call to abolish pork, support the people’s initiative!

The proposal of former Chief Justice Renato Puno for a people’s initiative to abolish both the PDAF and Disbursement Acceleration Program (DAP), as well as investigate self-serving politicians, is a clear statement that the people are no longer relying on the promises of this administration to abolish the pork barrel system.

Progressive groups such as Kilusang Mayo Uno and Youth Act Now! and progressive partylists under the Makabayan bloc, immediately supported the proposal vowing to do what it takes to make it a success. “It is clear now that Aquino and his administration won’t abolish pork and will not bring change… We can only rely on collective action and people power to make sure the rotten, corrupt system is ended,”  said Vencer Crisostmo, Youth Act Now! Convenor and Anakbayan National Chairperson.

"A people’s initiative presupposes (that) the Legislative and the Executive branches of government are unwilling to enact and implement laws that will prevent the misuse of public funds. We believe there are sufficient avenues for legislative reform and that Congress is prepared to enact laws to institutionalize these reforms," Presidential Communications Operations Office Secretary Herminio Coloma Jr. said in a regular press briefing in Malacanang.

It is true that the people presume that branches of government are unwilling to abolish the system for the fact that lawmakers and the president itself is benefiting from this system. This administration cannot deny the fact that more and more people are now waking from the illusion of the "straight path," and they are resorting to collective action and people power to change this system.

Coloma also reiterated that the government shares the public's view on the need to put a stop to the abuse of PDAF use, but this is contradicted by the fact that high-ranking political allies of this administration, namely Senate President Franklin Drilon and Speaker Feliciano Belmonte Jr., are inconsistent with their stand on the issue. Even the President isn't straightforward himself.

Regarding the people's initiative, the statements of Malacanang regarding this are inconsistent. In an interview with the Philippine Daily Inquirer last October 21, Deputy Presidential spokesperson Abigail Valte said that the administration supports proposed legislation that aims to strengthen institutions mandated to safeguard public funds. This contradicted the abovementioned statement of Presidential Communications Operations Office Secretary Herminio Coloma Jr. last October 29.

Presidential apologizers are now in a tight spot, playing with words to deter the mass movement against corruption. But the people are intelligent enough to push the people’s initiative despite the fact that this regime will do anything to campaign against this noble cause.

With the machinery and resources of the government to save their self-serving interest, there is no doubt this will be a hard time for Filipinos who have a burning will to change this rotting system of governance. But we must not lose hope for this is also a time for the mettle of the Filipino people to be tested. To paraphrase Jose Maria Sison, only through militant struggle will the best in us emerge.

Be a Fan