IN time for the commemoration of the Cry of Pugadlawin, the eponymous beginning of the 1897 Philippine revolution, youth and student groups marched from Plaza Miranda to Liwasang Bonifacio in Manila to “cry out against pork barrel and corruption under the Aquino regime.”
“Youth and students relive today the historic Cry of Pugadlawin by calling out for the abolition of the presidential pork barrel and putting an end to the systemic corruption in our public funds. Just as the Cry of Pugadlawin signalled the beginning of the 1897 Philippine revolution, today we mark the youth’s intensified campaign against the presidential pork barrel,” said Kabataan Partylist Rep. Terry Ridon.
Earlier in the day, students in various universities and colleges held walk-out protests in their respective schools.
By 1p.m. today, youth organizations including Anakbayan, League of Filipino Students, National Union of Students of the Philippines, Kabataang Artista Para sa Tunay na Kalayaan, Student Christian Movement and Kabataan Partylist gathered in Plaza Miranda in Manila and marched under the banner of the alliance Youth for Accountability and Truth Now (Youth ACT Now) to Liwasang Bonifacio.
Upon reaching Liwasang Bonifacio, the youth groups re-enacted the Cry of Pugadlawin by tearing images of “the pig in the Palace.” Several other protest activities were held, including a cultural concert later in the day.
“The youth will not be deceived by Aquino’s earlier pronouncement that his administration will be abolishing the pork barrel. What his regime actually wants to do is to strengthen the Palace’s hold over the PDAF, while continuing to cling on the much larger presidential pork barrel,” Ridon said.
Aquino’s presidential pork amounts to over P1.3 trillion for 2014, studies show.
“There has been lots of talk about the abolition of the PDAF, without people realizing that in reality, this fund represents a miniscule portion of a larger mother lode – the presidential pork barrel. With Aquino not keen on truly abolishing the presidential pork, the protests will continue, and even intensify,” Ridon said.
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