Onward for the anti-pork coalition

The “people’s initiative” is a mechanism in the 1987 Constitution that gives citizens the opportunity to participate in the legislative process that has been traditionally vested in Congress.

Article 6, section 1 states that “legislative power shall be vested in the Congress of the Philippines which shall consist of a Senate and a House of Representatives, except to the extent reserved to the people by the provision of initiative and referendum.”

During the administration of President Fidel V. Ramos the mechanism of people’s initiative was first put to test but was not given the go signal by the Supreme Court because there was no enabling law yet passed by Congress.

During the term of Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, it was tested again but failed. It’s not easy to use this mechanism. One has to file with the Comelec a petition “signed by at least ten percent of the total number of registered voters, of which every legislative district must be represented by at least 3 percent of the registered voters thereof.”

Gathering enough voters to sign the petition is difficult. Then there’s the political reality that members of the House of Representatives would do their worst to derail the attempt.

The new Cebu Coalition Against Pork Barrel Scheme is initiating a nationwide people’s initiative to scrap all sorts of pork barrels in government.

I think this is the right step inasmuch as the President is not inclined to abolish pork barrels or discretionary funds as admitted by the Solicitor General before the Supreme Court. I think the people have to be extra vigilant in its battle to cleanse the government of graft and corruption. If the President and Congress can’t do it, then let the sovereign people do it through the peaceful means of a people’s initiative.

I am 100 percent in favor of the strategy of the Cebu Coalition to ultimately scrap all forms of pork barrel in the country including the Disbursement Acceleration Program (DAP) of the executive department. Leave Congress to focus on the exercise of their lawmaking power and let the executive branch handle project implementation.

I bet that if and when the pork barrel gets scrapped, there would be fewer but highly qualified and competent candidates who will run for seats in the House of Representatives.

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Welcome back to Cebu, delegates of the Rotaplast International Medical Mission, who arrived last Wednesday. We, members of the Rotary Club of Cebu Port Center, were so happy to see them again.

Today’s mission is headed by Evelyn Abad of San Francisco as its mission director and Dr. Angelo Capozzi as medical director.

Many delegates have been to Cebu in past missions, now on its 11th year here in Cebu.

Last Thursday we had our pre-clinic at the Sian Tian Temple in Banilad Road. About 180 patients responded to our call, mostly children suffering from cleft lip or cleft palate.

To appreciate the work of the mission, it is best to watch them up close especially in the way they relate with the children. You’d be amazed by the compassion and energy of the volunteers.

Allow me to congratulate all mission members for their sacrifice. They left their day jobs for a while and spent their own money to come to Cebu.

I know that the patients who will be operated on will view an experience like this as a miracle. They will be able to lead normal lives. In behalf of the Rotary Club of Cebu Port Center, allow me to express our sincerest gratitude to all sponsors for making this mission possible especially the Vicente Sotto Medical Memorial Center and the Cebu City and Cebu provincial governments.