Initiative versus pork to be launched in Cebu

CEBU, Philippines - Various youth leaders in the country are meeting in Cebu City on Saturday, August 23, to launch the people’s initiative against the pork barrel system.

Kabataan Partylist Representative Terry Ridon will lead the youth leaders across the country for the gathering which is aimed at passing a law to abolish all forms of pork barrel.

Ridon expects that in the coming days all youth leaders will maximize all venues for dissent, from the halls of Congress to protests in the streets, to demand not only accountability but for the end of the pork barrel system.

Members of the Youth Act Now will also call for the subsequent termination of the administration that has allegedly protected and reared the corrupt system through various means.

YAN, in a statement, said that “sweeping protests” against the pork barrel system and the attempts to revive charter change will be held in several schools and communities across the country within the last week of August.

“The youth, fed up with the systemic corruption that has revived and transmogrified the pork barrel into other forms, will once again take to the streets in the hundreds and thousands to show our resolve to dissolve the pork barrel system and topple an administration that has not only bred and coddled corruption but is now also seeking to remain in power for a longer stretch of time,” said Victor Villanueva, YAN spokesperson.

Ridon also said that the seven-member Makabayan bloc in the House of Representatives will go “all out” to block all efforts for charter change whether economic or political in nature especially in light of the president’s expressed desire to lift constitutional term limits and clip the Judiciary’s power.

Ridon, a lawyer, said that “not only is the current cha-cha attempt courting unconstitutionality, it will also open the floodgates for politically-motivated amendments.”

“We cannot let this grand scheme hatched by the president come into fruition. We need to go all out to stop cha-cha. I enjoin my colleagues, both from the Majority and Minority, who believe in the importance of preserving the integrity of the Constitution to cross party lines and collectively halt this disastrous move,” he added. — (FREEMAN)