OFWs to hold Zero Remittance Day on Sept. 19 to protest corruption

MANILA - For four decades they've been called the anchor of the Philippine economy, but for one day, on Sept. 19, overseas Filipino workers will stop doing the one thing they're praised for: remit funds back home.

The gesture, dubbed “Zero-Remmittance Day,” is meant to send a message to the government that the workers are serious about the move to abolish the pork barrel system and end corruption.

In a statement, Migrante International's Gary Martinez said Wednesday 112 Filipino migrant organizations all over the world are coordinating their protest and will not send remittances to their families in the Philippines on September 19. It is meant as a blow against widespread corruption, patronage politics and social injustice.

“Filipino immigrants from all over the world will once again send a united message against the pork barrel system. Our remittances that keep the economy afloat are being plundered by greedy officials,” Martinez said.

Through the Zero Remittance Day, OFWs want to pressure the government to re-channel funds from PDAF to programs directly promoting the people’s interest, "including more efficient services and welfare assistance to OFWs in distress,” he added.

The first Zero Remittance Day was launched on October 29, 2008 in protest against the Global Forum on Migration and Development (GFMD) which was held in Manila. The ZRD criticized the GFMD and the Philippine government’s promotion of what it called "modern-day slavery" through the labor export policy. It was supported by more than 112 Filipino migrant organizations all over the world, resulting in hundreds of millions lost in remittances.

The second ZRD protested former Pres. Gloria Arroyo’s attempts to implement charter change through a constitutional assembly on July 26, 2009.

source: interaksyon.com

Prosecutors, soldiers, firefighters, join anti-corruption rally at Luneta

MANILA, Philippines—Some government prosecutors joined Monday's massive Luneta rally, one of several groups of state workers who wanted to add their voice to the call for the abolition of pork barrel.

Besides the prosecutors, reports from the field said small groups of both retired and active-duty firefighters, soldiers and policemen joined the crowd. Retired Marines Col. Ariel Querubin said he received numerous text messages from other soldiers informing him they were on site.  Querubin said in a TV interview he himself was reminded by his son, who is based in Patikul, Sulu, about the invitation for him to be at Luneta from a group of Philippine Military Academy (PMA) alumni.

The presence of prosecutors, meanwhile, had the blessings of their higher-ups. Justice Secretary Leila De Lima said the prosecutors have the right to join  the mass action. “They can express their sentiments on, and support to any legitimate cause, such as abolition of the pork barrel. We all have reasons to be enraged and outraged,” she said.

Prosecutor General Claro Arellano said “a prosecutor who on his own personal advocacy joins the rally not on official time is well within his right to do so as any citizens of this republic. This right is recognized without prejudice to individual responsibility.”

Prosecutors League of the Philippines (PLP) President and Northern Mindanao Regional Prosecutor Jaime Umpa said pork barrel is a source of corruption. Umpa said over 1,000 prosecutors joined the million people march in Luneta. “We support the total abolition of the pork barrel because it was proven to be a source of corruption. While we are glad that there are calls for its abolition, the Filipino people should be vigilant in order that the pork barrel shall not be resurrected again by changing its name,” Umpa said.

Umpa found it ironic that that Congress has been complaining about lack of funds for vital programs, when some of them were giving money to fake non-governmental organizations (NGO) all this time.

Aside from PLP, the Chief Prosecutors Association (CIPROSA) also joined the mass action against pork barrel. The CIPROSA president, Manila's Chief Prosecutor Edward Togonon, noted that 60-70 percent of prosecutors have no halls of justice and have been bugging legislators and the Department of Budget and Management about this, but their repeated calls were ignored.

source: interaksyon.com

More than two-thirds of the Senate now seek pork barrel abolition

More than two-thirds of the Philippine Senate--or 17 senators--have expressed willingness to forego their pork barrel funds on Friday, three days before a citizens' movement is set to hold a protest action in Manila on Monday.

In separate statements, Senators Nancy Binay, Juan Victor “JV” Ejercito, Juan Edgardo Angara, Grace Poe, Aquilino Pimentel III, Gregorio Honasan, Serge Osmeña, and Lito Lapid said that the Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF)--which gives them P200 million each in funds--should be abolished immediately.

Earlier, Senate President Franklin Drilon also said he supports the move, reversing a previous decision upholding a resolution to stop the release of PDAF until “stricter measures” are adopted by the Department of Budget and Management.

Senators Francis “Chiz” Escudero and Majority Leader Alan Peter Cayetano filed separate resolutions seeking the abolition of the pork barrel and other lump sum funds in the national expenditures program.

Senators Ralph Recto and Teofisto Guingona III also expressed support for the move.

Senator Miriam Defensor-Santiago has filed the first resolution calling for the abolition of pork barrel in gradual phases, one-half in 2014, another half in 2015, and its eventual abolition in 2016.

Senator Ramon “Bong” Revilla Jr., also said he wanted to do away with the system after he was linked to bogus non-goverment organizations that siphoned off pork barrel funds through spurious projects and programs.

Lately, Senate Minority Leader Juan Ponce Enrile and Honasan also echoed calls for the pork barrel abolition not only in Congress but also all government agencies including from President Benigno Aquino III. “But if it must be scrapped, the pork barrel system should be scrapped totally.

"We should not only look at scrapping the PDAF but include the various “pork barrel” or lump sum appropriations of all departments of government under the GAA as well,” Enrile said.

“After thorough impartial investigation by concerned agencies, departments, shift to line item budget process, immediate passage of FOI/POGI bill that would mean full transparency in public affairs. I would support calibrated abolition of the PDAF/pork barrel/discretionary fund system in all branches/departments of government,” Honasan added.

Former Majority Leader Vicente Sotto III, who, like Revilla, is linked to the pork barrel scam, also supported the snowballing move to eradicate the pork barrel system.

While Angara urged Congress to support the Freedom of Information (FOI) bill to avoid misuse of public funds, he also supported the call to abolish PDAF.

Newly-elected senator JV Ejercito said "I feel sorry and really bothers me to witness our nation being embroiled in an anomaly involving the use of government funds. This issue does not only drag the image of the Senate, House of Representatives, and Malacañang, but the entire system of governance as a whole.”

“At this juncture, the function of our President plays an important role in giving direction to where this will all go. The President can end this by issuing a vital decision that mirrors the voice of the people,” Ejercito added.

For her part, Poe thanked President Aquino and supported his statement condemning the abuse of PDAF and his directives to make sure that those who took advantage of pork barrel be brought to justice.

“I also agree with him that the discretionary nature of the PDAF encourages corruption. Together with the President and millions of our countrymen, I support the abolition of the pork barrel system,” Poe said.

Aquino said he will take part in the necessary steps to abolish the PDAF in the Senate, a move that supports assertions of his cousin, President Aquino.

For his part, Pimentel said: "Let's prepare for very thick and detailed national budget because there will be line item budgeting to reflect budget priorities at national district and sectoral levels. Tiyagaan ito sa budget process which should really be the case because budget is the most important law enacted by Congress yearly. But let us all be on the lookout for possible reincarnation of the pork barrel in the future.

"In the past when the CDF was abolished, PDAF took its place," Osmena said that he had already moved in 1997 for its abolition. “Only one senator voted with me.”

Lapid said that he welcomed the decision of President Benigno Aquino III to scrap the pork barrel fund in line with the administration's effort to beef up transparency and ensure propriety of the use of the fund.

"Ito na ang pagkakataon nating mga lingkod-bayan na maipakita na tunay tayong seryoso sa pagsuporta sa adhikain ng ating pangulo para sa isang pamahalaang bumabagtas sa tuwid na daan," Lapid said.

source: interaksyon.com