MANILA (Mindanao Examiner / Aug. 25, 2014) – President Benigno Aquino on Monday paid tribute to the country’s past and modern-day heroes as he led the commemoration of the National Heroes Day.
Aquino urged citizens to emulate the noble deeds of Filipino heroes. He also extolled ordinary Filipinos, like teachers and soldiers, for their contribution to nation building. “Nariyan ang bawat mamamayang nagsisikap na paunlarin ang sarili, upang maging kapaki-pakinabang na miyembro ng lipunan,” he said.
“Sa ngalan ng sambayanang Pilipino, maraming salamat po sa inyong lahat. Kayo po ang patunay na ang lahing Pilipino ay tunay ngang lahi ng mga bayani,” he added.
While Aquino led the commemoration of National Heroes Day, thousands of Filipinos also flocked to Luneta Park in Manila to protest the continued use of pork barrel by the Aquino government.
Protesters from various groups and organizations have gathered thousands of signatures as part of its campaign. They wanted a law to that will make criminal the allocation of pork barrel in presidential and congressional funding.
Vencer Crisostomo of Anakbayan said Aquino has also done nothing to fix the country’s problems.
“Instead of attacking the problems of our society, the Aquino administration is attacking those who expose the rotting system and those who are vulnerable. Aquino is tilting at windmills just like Don Quixote, believing that branding those who cannot defend themselves as enemies and attacking them will end the problems of our society and make him a hero,” Crisostomo said.
In Hong Kong, Filipino workers also held their own protest in support to the anti-pork barrel rallyists in Manila.
“Filipino migrants in Hong Kong are in all-out support to the people’s initiative to end the pork barrel system, and not to the perpetuation of the pork-filled regime of Noynoy Aquino,” said Eman Villanueva, chairperson of Bagong Alyansang Makabayan in Hong Kong and Macau.
He said the idea of a people’s initiative against pork barrel has been suggested by former Supreme Court Chief Justice Reynato Puno last year and is now being pursued by a broad rank of anti-pork forces.
“The people’s initiative is actually a recognition by anti-pork advocates that elected government official cannot eliminate something that greatly benefits them. The people themselves have to take matters into their own hands and legislate an anti-pork measure that cannot be easily overturned by corruption-ridden institutions of governance in the country,” Villanueva said.
The people’s initiative is a legislative process guaranteed by the 1987 Philippine Constitution that requires the signature of at least 10% of the total number of registered voters in the country, with at least 3% in each legislative district. Afterwards, the bill drafted by anti-pork oppositors will have to be affirmed as law in a national referendum through a simple majority of votes.
Villanueva said that registered voters under the Overseas Absentee Voting could sign for the people’s initiative. Aside from this, he said that voting family members of OFWs would also be urged to support the drive. (Mindanao Examiner)
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