By BOY RYAN B. ZABAL
KALIBO, Aklan — Clad in statement T-shirts, advocates including Catholic Church leaders launched a People’s Initiative to abolish the pork barrel system.
About 200 people gathered at the start of the signature campaign in Kalibo Pastrana Park here.
The proposed People’s Initiative Bill, “An Act Abolishing the Pork Barrel System,” signifies the growing public outrage against the Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF) and the Disbursement Acceleration Program, said convener George Calaor.
“The pork barrel is unconstitutional and a source of graft and corruption among public officials,” Calaor said. “With the People’s Initiative, the power to pass a law is no longer exclusively vested on Congress.”
Calaor said the meager attendance during the launching does not worry him. What’s important, he said, is the post-launching campaign.
He said they expect to gather 20,000 to 50,000 signatures province-wide.
At least 3 percent of the registered voters in Aklan must sign the petition for it to be passed, according to the Initiative and Referendum Act.
The province has 343,000 registered voters, latest Commission of Elections (Comelec) data showed. Once the Comelec verifies the signatures, a referendum will be held.
Leading Monday’s launching were the Diocese of Kalibo, Iglesia Filipina Independiente (IFI) and the People’s Solidarity Towards Good Governance.
Reverend Father Ulysses Dalida, the diocese’s Social Action Center director, encouraged Aklanons to sign the petition to “stop all forms of pork barrel.”
Father Edgardo Encarguez Jr. also voiced the support of IFI priests from Capiz and Aklan.
Others who signed the People’s Initiative were Reverend Father Jose Estolloso Jr. of Kalibo, the media and members of militant groups.
The People’s Initiative bill calls for the abolition of the President’s Social Fund.
PDAF, special funds like the Malampaya funds and other off-budget accounts shall be included in the National Expenditure Program for approval of Congress, and all proposed budgets shall contain only itemized or line-item appropriations, except for disaster response and intelligence funds, the bill said.
It also called for the violators’ imprisonment and perpetual disqualification from holding public office. (Aklan Forum Journal/PN)
