Organizers on low turnout: We’ll fight another day
RYAN LEAGOGO/INQUIRER.net
MANILA, Philippines—While the turnout of the anti-pork barrel protest was not as big as last year’s Million People March, the Abolish Pork Movement will continue its campaign to complete the six million signature to abolish pork barrel.
“We did not get the numbers we hope for but I believe we are successful in disseminating information about pork barrel,” Monet Silvestre, spokesperson for the Abolish Pork Movement, told reporters.
He admitted that gathering six million signatures is a daunting task.
“But this campaign will continue,” he said adding that their soft deadline is February. Once the six million deadline is complete, it will be submitted to the Commission on Elections.
The 1987 Constitution provides for the passage of a law through a people’s initiative, or a petition by “at least twelve per centum of the total number of registered voters, of which every legislative district must be represented by at least three per centum of the registered voters therein.” Currently, there are 234 legislative districts.
The proposed act will prohibit all forms of pork barrel, defined as the use of “lump sum public funds” under the “sole discretion of the President, legislator or group of legislators, or any public officer.”
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