Cebu City streets open for Monday’s ‘anti-pork’ rallyists

Cebu City Mayor Michael Rama has granted a permit for city streets to be used for an anti-pork barrel rally set on Monday at Fuente Osmeña.

But Rama said he wanted to know details such as what roads would be used to avoid a repeat of the traffic jam that resulted after last month’s gathering of the Iglesia ni Cristo members at the South Road Properties (SRP).

A road permit was granted by the mayor and and cleared by the City Traffic Operations Management (Citom).

Marc Canton, lead convenor of the Movement for Livable Cebu, applied for the road use permit after writing the mayor August 19 to inform him of their planned “Anti-Corruption Peace Gathering”.

The activity will coincide with the “Million Man March in Luneta” on Aug. 26.

“It was with growing indignation and frustration as we read more and more about the P10 billion PDAF scam that Cebu citizens have decided to act,” said Canton in his letter.

Citom chief Rafael Yap said he endorsed the request to the City Treasurer’s Office for the payment of fees before issuing the permit.

Mayor Rama said he would have wanted to join the indignation rally to express his own anger over misuse of the pork barrel.

But since no politicians are allowed in the gathering, he said he will show his support by allowing use of the city streets for the rally.

“I’m not in favor of pork.  I am more in favor of the congressmen doing their job which is to legislate,” he said.

Rama said that even proposals for line budgeting on the use of the PDAF are unacceptable because the congressmen will still have a say on what projects they want to implement.

Rama directed Citom officials to meet with the city’s Quick Response Team to map out a plan for the rally.

“People will have to know that there is going to be inconvenience. If it’s going to be massive, we have to know what roads will have to be closed,” he said

Rama said any allocation from the national government should be given directly by the Department of Public Works and Highways to the local government units which would coordinate with barangays in order to recognize their needs.

The “Million People March to Luneta” is being circulated on the Internet and Facebook posts.

It aims to gather citizens who are outraged by the misuse of public funds.

Participants in Cebu were urged to use the hashtag #ScrapPork for Facebook, Instagram and Twitter on the day of the rally.

“There will be a live video feed in Quirino for Instagram and Twitter so we can see what’s happening around the country and around the world,” said Vince Lazatin, coordinator of Abolish Pork Barrel-Metro Manila, in a text message.

Several key cities such as Baguio, Lucena and Davao have also sounded the call for netizens and outraged Filipinos to gather in town squares and plazas on the day the country observes National Heroes’ Day as a show of force to put an end to the PDAF of senators and members of the House of Representatives.

In Quezon province, farmer organizations are demanding that their four House representatives heed the clamor to abolish the pork barrel.

“It’s now the time to forego their PDAF,” said Jansept Geronimo, spokesperson of the newly formed Peoples Movement in Quezon Against Corruption (PMQAC).

The Aug. 26 gathering at Rizal Park in Manila may be gaining nationwide support, but it is just a starting point for change, according to one of those behind the idea to hold a gathering to protest the scam.

The idea to gather citizens to protest the pocketing of public funds by politicians originated from a Facebook post of music executive producer Ito Rapadas, which was reposted on Facebook. It reached Bretaña (whom Rapadas did not know personally), and she suggested that it be held on Aug. 26 at Rizal Park./WITH REPORTS FROM INQUIRER