Bigger crowd seen at Sunday anti-pork rally

CIVIL society groups expect an even larger turnout of people at the Plaza Independencia for another rally against the pork barrel system next Sunday.

Public officials like Cebu City Mayor Michael Rama can attend but will not be allowed to speak, said Marc Canton of the Movement for a Livable Cebu (MLC), one of the participating groups.

Canton, also the spokesperson of the Cebu Coalition Against the Pork Barrel System, said two minute speeches will be allowed for selected sectoral representatives like the urban poor, youth, farmers, senior citizens, business and religious groups.

Dr. Rowena Burden said their group would not only push for the abolition of the pork barrel but will also present alternatives which they would discuss during Sunday’s rally.

“If pork is abolished, we have to watch even the Local Government Units because it’s going to be a bottoms-up approach.  But it is easier to monitor,” she said.

Burden said they have so far gathered 5,000 signatures for their unity statement and hope to raise 95,000 more before they end their signature campaign and will furnish copies to the Office of the President, Congress, the Ombudsman and the Department of Justice.

Burden said they intend to further expand the coverage of the coalition to also include other forms of corruption in government other than the use of the pork barrel funds.

Coalition officials were at the Cebu City Mayor’s office yesterday afternoon to present their rally plans to the city officials.

Mayor Rama told reporters that he wanted to meet the group to check on their preparations.

Participants will converge at the Fuente Osmeña rotunda at 1 p.m. and will walk to Plaza Independencia at 1:30 p.m.

A mass will be celebrated at the Plaza Independencia at 3 p.m. to be followed by the anti-pork barrel rally at 4 p.m.

A candle lighting activity will culminate the event at 6 p.m. /Chief of Reporters Doris C. Bongcac and Correspondent Edison A. delos Angeles