MANILA, Philippines - The Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) on Friday called on the public to participate in the national sign up day against the pork barrel system by the group People's Initiative Against Pork Barrel this Sunday.
CBCP-Episcopal Commission on Public Affairs chairman Manila Auxiliary Bishop Broderick Pabillo said the sign up will be staged in the various churches nationwide on Sunday.
The bishop said that the people must know, aside from the general objection to the pork barrel, the advocacy to push for a law that will prohibit the allocation of lumpsum fund which is left on the discretion of members of Congress, the Department of Budget and Management and the President of the Philippines.
Bishop Pabillo said the pork barrel and other lumpsum funds only promote patronage politics and corruption, resulting to the malversation of public coffers.
The Churches that will join the national sign up day against pork barrel include the Redemptorist Church in Baclaran, Sta. Cruz Church in Manila, Quiapo Church or the Minor Basilica of the Black Nazarene ,and the church of the Apostolic Vicariate of Puerto Princesa in Palawan.
Other churches in the Diocese of Sorsogon, Romblon, Borongan in Eastern Samar, Archdioceseof Tuguegarao, Archdiocese of Cebu, and Diocese of Kidapawan and San Carlos have expressed their intention to join the sign up activity.
The signature drive aims to gather 10 percent of the entire registered voters in the country to pass in Congress the Pork Abolition bill.