Quezon City Mayor Herbert Bautista file photo
MANILA, Philippines—The “EDSA Tayo” prayer vigil on September 11 was finally given a permit by Quezon City Mayor Herbert Bautista, a day after he denied their request to hold the rally within and around the vicinity of the EDSA shrine.
At least 5,000 people are expected to gather at ther Epifanio Delos Santos Avenue (EDSA) shrine in Ortigas to call for the complete abolition of the graft-tainted Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF) or pork barrel, “from the President down to the barangay (village) level.”
Before Tuesday’s event, a similar gathering, the “Million People March”, was held last August 26 in Luneta also against the pork barrel. The EDSA Tayo rally is a prayer vigil and not a political rally, the event organizer Junep Ocampo said in a statement.
Ocampo said the Metro Manila Development Authority (MMDA) and the Philippine National Police (PNP) would deploy over 500 uniformed personnel to assist in managing traffic and providing security.
National Capital Regional Police Office (NCRPO) director Chief Superintendent Marcelo Garbo Jr. said the agency would deploy 36 military trucks to provide transportation to participants who might get stranded in the rally.
According to radio reports, NCRPO and PNP discouraged the participants to bring heavy backpacks, which are potential security risks.
Just plain white
The EDSA Tayo convenor said wearing costumes, political shirts, or t-shirts with anti-government slogans were highly discouraged but instead wear shirts which were “just plain white.”
“This is not a political rally. We are not here to overthrow the government. We are here to start a prayer vigil against pork barrel which we believe is the root of many ills in our society today,” he said.
The infographic posted in the Facebook page of the event clarified that no political banners, placards, effigies, megaphones and costumes must be brought during the inter-faith gathering.
People are expected to converge at 11 a.m. Program will end at 4 p.m. to avoid the traffic in EDSA during rush hour.
The event will be attended by personalities who will talk about the controversial pork barrel system. They include University of the Philippines (UP) Economics professor and Philippine Daily Inquirer columnist Solita Monsod and UP National College of Public Administration & Governance (NCPAG) professor emeritus Leonor Briones
Provincial prayer rallies
Ocampo pointed out that similar events will be also held in other parts of the country in solidarity with EDSA Tayo.
“In Pagadian City, thousands are expected to attend an inter-faith prayer vigil on Rizal street. Its organizer said the vigil will push through despite the outbreak of hostilities in Zamboanga City,” he said.
He added that Iloilo anti-pork ecumenical groups would also gather at the Jaro Cathedral to “say prayers and light vigil candles to ask divine assistance.”
As of posting time, 5,497 have confirmed their attendance in the EDSA Tayo.
The prayer rally was sparked by the alleged misuse of the PDAF by top government officials, including senators, congressmen and members of the executive branch.
On Tuesday, the Supreme Court issued a Temporary Restraining Order (TRO) against the release of the remaining pork barrel of the lawmakers for 2013. With reports from Jeanette I. Andrade
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‘Million people march’ set at Luneta against pork barrel scam