ILOILO CITY, Philippines - At least 600 people from civil society groups in this city gathered yesterday at Capitol grounds to answer the call of Million People March for the abolition of the pork barrel of senators, congressmen and even of the president.
Francis Allan Angelo, president of Iloilo Press Club, said mediamen maybe neutral people but, on the pork barrel issue, they stand against it and call for its abolition. "Like every Filipino, members of the media are not exempted in paying taxes where PDAF came from."
Gawad Kalinga national president Joey Mimpen I-CODE executive director Emmanuel Areño said that, even if they were also beneficiaries of PDAF, their respective NGOs have a good record and funds went to the right projects and to the right people. They also encourage other NGOs not to easily accept questionable funds from PDAF and advice them to use money correctly.
Hope Hervilla of Bayan-Panay said if the president is sincere on his move to cleanse the government system, then he should also abolish the presidential pork, which is bigger than that of the legislators.