Archbishop Palma asks pork critics: What’s next?

AFTER the “Million People March” in Luneta and the indignation rally in Cebu City’s Plaza Independencia to demand the scrapping of the pork barrel of government officials, what next?

Cebu Archdiocese leaders are trying to find out what specific activity should follow.

An invitation was sent out for a meeting on Sept. 11, Wednesday, with “lay and civil society groups”.

The letter was co-signed by Msgr. Rommel Kintanar as convenor of the Archdiocesan Discernment Group and Marc Canton as convenor for civil society.

“In support of the people’s clamor, Cebu Archbishop Most Rev. Jose S. Palma is calling on lay people to stand for their rights and support activities to oppose the pork barrel system,” the letter said.

“There are proposals for sustained protest activities such as an interfaith march, prayer rally and petition signing.”

Exactly which activity should be done in Cebu will be discussed in the meeting at 7 p.m. in the Sacred Heart Center on D. Jakosalem Street.

tentative plans

Canton, in a separate interview, said there are tentative plans to hold an inter-faith prayer rally in Plaza Independencia on Sept. 21, a Saturday, or 22, a Sunday.

“We want to make sure there’s a coherent message delivered” in the activity, he told Cebu Daily News. Canton is lead convenor of the Movement for a Livable Cebu.

Details of logistics like permits, crowd security, a program, etc. still have to be threshed out by a core group. So far, said Canton, they have received confirmation for attendance in the Sept. 11 meeting from civic groups like Rotary and Zonta, Muslims, the 7th Day Adventist Church, the United Church of Christ in the Philppines, and an organization of bikers.

Msgr. Kintanar will preside over the meeting while Canton said he was asked as a member of civil society to facilitate an orderly discussion “to hear what different groups have to say”.

The plaza across Fort San Pedro was the venue of the Aug. 26 “People Power vs Pork Barrel” rally which drew about 3,000 people from various sectors, including students, doctors, lawyers, other professionals and some clergy members.

Many wore white shirts and carried anti-pork barrel banners demanding the abolition of all pork barrels, not just the Priority Development Assistance Fund of congressmen and senators.

The Aug. 26 “Million People March” in Luneta was the first mass action initatied through an online campaign, and the first protest demonstration during President Aquino’s term. At least 500,000 attended despite the lack of clearly identified organizers and was generally peaceful.

As a follow up activity, Sept. 11 is being suggested again in an online campaign.

In Cebu, text messages and a Facebook account “Fuente Ta” have been pushing for a 6 p.m. rally at Fuente Osmeña on Sept. 11, to coincide with a similar mass action in EDSA.

The date 9-11 “represents rescue. Our nation needs to be rescued from the claws of greed and power wielding” according to the FB page mounted by Stella Paloma Monteno, manager of the boutique hotel MCities Suites.